Emerging Definition Of Leadership In The 20th Century

While many have a gut-level grasp of what leadership is, putting a
The definition to the term has proved to be a challenging endeavor for scholars and practitioners alike. More than a century has lapsed since leadership became a topic of academic introspection, and definitions have evolved continuously during that period. These definitions have been influenced by many factors from world affairs and politics to the perspectives of the discipline in which the topic is being studied. In a seminal work, Rost (1991) analyzed materials written from 1900 to 1990, finding more than 200 different definitions for leadership. His analysis provides a succinct history of how leadership has been defined through the last century:
1900-1927
Definitions of leadership appearing in the first three decades of the 20th century emphasized control and centralization of power with a common theme of domination. For example, at a conference on leadership in 1927, leadership was defined as "the ability to impress the will of the leader on those led and induce obedience, respect, loyalty, and cooperation" (Moore, 1927, p. 124).
1930s

Leadership is also identified as the interaction of an individual's specific personality traits with those of a group, noting that while the attitudes and activities of the many are changed by the one, the many may also influence a leader.
1940s
The group approach came into the forefront with leadership being defined as the behavior of an individual while involved in directing group activities (Hemphill, 1949).At the same time, leadership by persuasion is distinguished from "driver ship" or leadership by coercion (Copeland,1942).
1950s
Three themes dominated leadership definitions during this