I believe the word “leadership” has many meanings. There is no one way to describe it. It can be such a powerful and influential thing. Leadership impacts everyone's lives, whether they realize it or not. No matter what you do, leadership impacts your life in one way or another. For 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 take on tasks they would normally find impossible. They also need to be someone people respect and are willing to listen. Leadership also means taking risks. A leader never knows exactly what is going to happen and sometimes things don't turn out for the best. When this happens, the leader is usually responsible. This is just one of many risks a leader must take when choosing to lead. A leader must also be understanding and open towards the people around him. Just because they are leaders doesn’t mean they have to act alone. A leader must always be willing to listen to those around him and take into consideration the thoughts and ideas of others. One of the last things a leader should be willing to do is accept failure. It doesn't matter when or where, but at some point a leader will fail. This does not mean that they give up and pass the leadership role to someone else; it means they learn from it and use it as a lesson for the future. As for me personally, some of my biggest inspirations come from my own 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 risks to accomplish something great and even if you fail, hold your head high. If you think you would be a good leader and you have confidence in yourself, then the next time you have the opportunity to be a leader, take it. Always remember to listen to those you lead. Just because you're 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 are tough. Also, don't forget to encourage others to showcase their abilities and talents. Motivate them to step up and take on a challenge. The last thing in my philosophy is to do what makes you happy. It doesn't matter if he's a janitor or a brain surgeon. If this is what you really want to do and you're happy to go to work every day, then everything else will fall into place..