I believe there are many meanings to the word “leadership”. There isn't just one way to describe it. It can be such a powerful and influential thing. Leadership impacts everyone's life, whether they realize it or not. No matter what you do, leadership impacts your life in one way or another. To me, the definition of leadership would be a person who chooses to lead. Someone who is confident in their decisions, works well with others and is able to motivate people to undertake tasks that they might normally find impossible. They also need to be someone people respect and are willing to listen to. Leadership also means you have to take risks. A leader never knows exactly what will happen and sometimes things may not work out for the best. When this happens, the leader is usually to blame. This is just one of the many risks a leader must take when choosing to lead. A leader must also be understanding and open to the people around him. Just because they are the leader doesn't mean they have to do it alone. A leader should always be willing to listen to those around him and consider the thoughts and ideas of others. One of the last things a leader must be willing to do is accept failure. It doesn't matter when or where, but sooner or later a leader will fail. This doesn't mean they give up and hand over the leadership role to someone else; it means they learn from it and use it as a lesson for the future. For me personally, some of my biggest inspirations come from my family. My Uncle Terry, who recently completed his doctorate, is a great leader. He has a wife; two adopted children, and still managed to reach his...... middle of paper...... discouraged. As a leader, never be afraid to take a risk to accomplish something great, and even if you fail, keep your head high. If you think you would be a good leader and you have confidence in yourself, the next time you get a chance to be a leader, take it. Always remember to listen to those you lead. Just because you are the leader doesn't mean every decision you make has to be made alone. Remember to inspire those you lead and motivate them if times get tough. Also remember to encourage others to come forward with their skills and talents. Motivate them to step up and take on a challenge. The final thing in my philosophy is to do what makes you happy. It doesn't matter if it's a janitor or a brain surgeon. If that's what you really want to do and you're happy going to work every day, then everything else will fall into place.