Leadership is both a research area and a practical skill, regarding the ability of an individual or organization to "lead" or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations . Controversial viewpoints are present in the literature, among Eastern and Western approaches to leadership, and also within the West, on US vs. European approaches. In US academic environments leadership is defined as "a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Leadership seen from a European and non-academic perspective encompasses a view of a leader who can be moved both by communitarian goals but also by the search for personal power. As the European researcher Daniele Trevisani states:
Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values,charisma, and intelligence, among others.
The search for the characteristics or traits of leaders has continued for centuries. Philosophical writings from Plato's Republic to Plutarch's Lives have explored the question "What qualities distinguish an individual as a leader?" Underlying this search was the early recognition of the importance of leadership and the assumption that leadership is rooted in the characteristics that certain individuals possess. This idea that leadership is based on individual attributes is known as the "trait theory of leadership".
Leadership (published October 1, 2002, ISBN 0-7868-6841-4) is a book written by Rudolph W. Giuliani (co-authored with Ken Kurson) about his time as Mayor of New York City and how he cleaned up New York City, reduced crime, and revitalized the economy of the city. Most of the book was written before the September 11, 2001 attacks, though Giuliani did include a section about his experiences that day and how he dealt with the emergency and the cleanup afterwards.
In 2007, this book was re-issued during Giuliani's presidential campaign, with a new introduction including Giuliani's perspective on various problems facing the United States.
Leadership is a daily national newspaper published by Leadership Newspaper Group, based in Abuja, Nigeria. On its website, the paper asserts: "We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interests of the Nigerian state even against its leaders and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed".
On 9 January 2007 a dozen State Security Service agents stormed the Leadership offices and arrested general manager Abraham Nda-Isaiah, editor Bashir Bello Akko and journalist Abdulazeez Sanni. The cause was an article written by journalist Danladi Ndayebo that discussed the political maneuvers in the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) party that led to nomination of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua as presidential candidate. On 6 May 2008 a squad of armed, plain-clothed policemen from the Niger State Command raided the Leadership head office and arrested the deputy editor, Danladi Ndayebo, apparently without any warrant. According to the editor, Prince Charles Dickson, the cause was a feature article said to have defamed the character of Senator Isa Mohammed.