How do you define leadership?

I could write a book on what leadership is sir. If I had to define leadership in one sentence, it would be someone who takes all of the blame, and none of the praise.  

Very true.  Just because you have 3 up and 1 or 2 down doesn't make you a leader.  I've seen E4s act more like leaders than some NCOs.  I've seen NCOs act more like leaders than some Officers.  Leadership is shown by your actions, not by what is on your chest.

Conducting basic drill & ceremonies helps the confidence and comfort in front of the small team.  Several items that help development begins with understanding how and when to conduct counseling.  The composition of and need for a leaders book.  And finally we are completing a certification program within the unit, which will increase competence and leadership attributes.

Leading has some characteristics akin to teaching. So, allow me to embellish on that for a moment.

Any good teacher began as a good student, and remains one for life. There is always something to learn. That is a circumspect and humble attitude that never allows education to become obsolete.

During my tenure in the Command and Control field, we had recurring training every month. I learned something new each time, and my proficiency grew as a result. My knowledge base expanded as well.

Second, an excellent teacher does not presume to be all-knowing, the final word on a topic etc.. Teaching should be interactive and inductive in nature. In so doing, it facilitates the learners to discover what is already inside of themselves, to express and enrich it, and then to amplify the quality of the learner's knowledge base.

If anyone remembers the series, "Paper Chase" with John Houseman years ago, Houseman played a college professor that declared to his students that their heads were full of mush, that he was going to transform into something useful.

I say this to illustrate an antithesis for contrast to what I said previously. I am sure it is glaring contrast at that. The man put no confidence in anything the students might have possessed, or deemed what they did possess as unworthy of merit.

The truth is, the greatest asset is human capital. That should never be minimized. It should instead be focused, utilized in a manner that is best suited for each individual for a particular role, capacity and vocation. This insures the best of each contributing member.

Having said all this, take teaching, and simply trade the word leadership for teaching. A significant amount of cross-pollination is present, which we can apply. Good leadership, like good teaching, motivates, inspires, and earns respect.

Add the element of respecting human capital as an asset, and you have loyalty, unit cohesion and effectiveness overall in this equation.

Finally, excellent teaching and leadership share one more characteristic that is possibly the best outcome of all: reproduction. What is caught, and not merely taught, becomes the catalyst to spread the example far and wide, whether in a minor role or a major one in both society or in any level of the armed services.

That job performance and social awareness are not necessarily mutually exclusive.   Common sense means knowing how to get the best out of each other without causing undue stress.    Sometimes our opinions have to be sublimated to ensure unit effectiveness.   Meaning is something that important to alienate an otherwise good troop.    We are not emulating George Patton and his ideas about whatever,  but being an accountable true leader.

I like quotes from Simon Sinek on leadership: There are leaders and there are those that lead... Those that lead, inspire us. We follow those that lead not because we have to, but because we want to. The follow those that lead not for them, but for ourselves.

"Leadership is providing purpose, direction and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization." ADRP 6-22. I believe this sums it up pretty good.

We could write many books on this subject, and many books have already been written. But this pic alone sums it up for me.

I certainly agree with that sir as well as the other comments here.

I also think that leadership is getting people to do accomplish a goal or do something they would not normally do on their own.

Leaders also instill confidence in others to make them better than they were before without expecting anything in return.

Leader = Teacher, coach, mentor. Actions are the standard for emulation. Immediately accountable for mistakes and absolutely responsible for performance of organization as well as self. Embraces risk and mitigates unwanted outcomes instead of avoiding danger all together (personal, professional and environmental). Firm, fair expectations of organization, self, subordinates, peers and superiors. Energetic, enthusiastic and fun to work for/with.