Leadership is one of those words everyone uses, few define clearly, and almost nobody agrees on. Over the years, I’ve seen leadership described as vision, authority, inspiration, decisiveness, empathy, courage, or simply “getting things done through people.” The truth is uncomfortable: leadership is all of these, depending on the moment, and sometimes none of them when you least expect it. At its core, leadership is not a role. It’s not a title on a business card or a box in an org chart. Leadership is a relationship. It exists only when other people choose, consciously or not, to follow your direction, trust your judgment, or rely on your decisions. What makes someone a leader in general? Three things stand out consistently. First, clarity . People don’t follow perfection, they follow clarity. A leader doesn’t need all the answers, but must be able to articulate where we’re going, why it matters, and what “good” looks like. In uncertain environments, clarity is calming. It gives pe...