Merriam-Webster defines leadership as a term pertaining to an office or position, one’s capacity to lead, or an act or instance of leading.  McKinsey, a management consulting firm, proclaims leadership is a set of mindsets and behaviors that aligns people in a collective direction, enables them to work together and accomplish shared goals, and helps them adjust to changing environments.  The Center for Creative Leadership suggests leadership is a social process defined by three outcomes – direction, alignment, and commitment.  Suffice it to say, the term is difficult to articulate in a single definition and can be used to describe a variety of situations or circumstances.  As such, context is key.

Leadership in the boardroom is distinctly different than leadership on the shop floor.  The skills required to lead an organization are strategic in nature and outcome oriented.  Those required at an operational level are tactical in nature and people oriented.  The differences between operational and organizational leadership are primarily related to responsibilities and desired performance outcomes. 

This blog post highlights the importance of distinguishing between operational and organizational leadership.  While both categorically fall under the broad and often vague term "leadership," the two roles require entirely different skills. Organizational leadership is strategic and principle-driven, while operational leadership is tactical and people-focused.  Leadership development content intended for executives is often conceptual and theoretical.  It does not translate well and should not be used for the development of frontline resources.  To prepare supervisors and managers for roles in operational leadership, focus on interpersonal soft skills of relevance with practical applications in dealing with and working through direct reports.