We Need More Words for Leadership

We need as many words for Leadership as we have for Snow.

Vocabulary shapes the way we make sense of our world. In areas intimate with snow, for example, dialects can have up to 300 words to describe the snow. Consider these Inuit terms:

• Kanevvluk: Fine snow 

• Qanikcaq: Snow on the ground 

• Muruaneq: Soft, deep snow 

• Nutaryuk: Fresh snow 

• Tlamo: Snow that falls in large wet flakes 

• Tlaslo: Snow that falls slowly 

Why don’t we have the same language precision for the types of Leadership we experience? We have a few words, but they are pretty lame. Strong leadership or bad leadership. Authentic leadership or toxic leadership.

Since we’re awake working–or doing something related to work–more hours in a day than we’re awake not working, we need more precision in the way we describe leadership. For example, what’s the word for leadership that:

–Stretches us beyond what we think we can do 

–Takes risks on people

–Makes us want to be a better person 

–Listens to wild ideas 

–Is not threatened by others’ successes 

–Gives recognition publicly

–Communicates clearly and compellingly 

Or how about a word for the type of Leadership that teaches us how we don’t want to lead?

Just like the Inuit wouldn’t simply say, “Snow,” we shouldn’t simply say, “Leadership.” We have some word work to do.