What is a Leader?

What makes someone a true leader is intangible. The qualities that set someone apart – and encourage others to follow where they lead – are hard to define. There is no set template for strong leadership. Yet everyone knows a leader when they encounter one. Understanding leadership is an entire branch of study and thought. Through the ages, countless writers, researchers and experts have attempted to quantify the personality traits and behaviors that make leaders tick. Books, blogs, podcasts and shows explore this topic in-depth, yet many still struggle to get a firm grasp on leadership. It feels elusive, complex and maybe even just a bit magical. We're pondering this question in honor of this month's Leaders of Lexington feature. We’ve collected some of the best resources to help you better hone your own leadership skills and understand what it means to truly lead. by Amanda Harper

Movies about leaders

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” —Jack Welch

Apollo 13 (1995)

This movie is a study in workplace crisis management with incredible stakes.

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a down-on-his-luck salesman. This incredible story will inspire anyone.

Invictus (2009)

This movie examines where leadership overlaps in sports, politics and the world at large.

Patton (1970)

This Oscar-winning film studies the leadership of US Army General George S. Patton during World War II.

Steve Jobs (2015)

This biopic of the Apple Co-Founder shines light on the man as a tech revolutionary – as well as personally.

The Godfather (1972)

Oft-quoted and beloved by cinephiles, mob geeks and leaders from of all walks of life.

on Leadership BOOKS

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” —John Quincy Adams

On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis

Considered the “Dean of Leadership Gurus,” Bennis argues that leaders aren’t born – they’re made. This classic work offers guidance to help anyone achieve the qualities that make a leader.

First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham

If the title of this doesn’t sell you, the author’s analysis of Gallup’s study of more than 80,000 managers should convince you. He asserts that what makes them a success is their willingness to do things differently.

Wooden on Leadership by John Wooden and Steve Jamison

This former UCLA basketball coach’s 12 Lessons in Leadership and Pyramid of Success help show any reader how to become a leader when needed – and help guide your organization toward greatness.

Learning to Lead by Rom Williams with Karl Weber

Written for people who are just starting out on their leadership path, this book is full of salient points for professionals to consider. It’s a truly inspirational read in light of Williams’s own climb up the ladder.

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” —Lao Tzu

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Understanding what doesn’t work can be as important as knowing what does. This book focuses on five ways teams can be dysfunctional, and offers leaders ways to avoid those pitfalls and succeed.

Lead Like a Woman: Gain Confidence, Navigate Obstacles, Empower Others by Deborah Smith Pegues

This Fortune 500 executive argues that the qualities women leaders have been unfairly criticized and stigmatized for actually aid them in being better, more effective leaders. It’s a refreshing take.

The Making of a Leader by Tom Young

This fun read analyzes the qualities of sports legends who have achieved great things. The author connects these qualities to leadership off the field, offering the reader an exciting and fresh perspective on leadership. It's often recommended to young professionals.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell

The author of dozens of books on leadership, Maxwell condensed his understanding of leadership into 21 “laws.” Each chapter focuses on a different law, offering any leader lots of food for thought.

Show Up

by Rita Ernst

BY DAWN ANDERSON | COURTESY PHOTOS

Show Up Positive by Louisville CEO Coach and business organizational expert Rita Ernst is a new how-to book about positivity in the workplace to be released June 14. Ernst is the Owner of Ignite Your Extraordinary, an independent consulting and coaching practice dedicated to helping businesses with “distressed and toxic teams” and those who have “become victims of their skyrocketing success.” An expert in organizational psychology, internal organizational development, and human resources, she helps businesses restore motivation, teamwork, culture, and leadership.

Rita Ernst began her internal organizational development and human resources consulting career in Fortune 200 companies. She left the corporate world to establish her independent practice in 2005. Ernst is an executive coach who facilitates strategic planning and the design and implementation of learning workshops, employee engagement, and change and performance management.

The book Show Up Positive reveals how to “intentionally cultivate positive thoughts and behaviors in the workplace.” According to Ernst, “Henry Ford said it best: ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’ The good news is you get to say, ‘Enough!’ You get to take action and improve your situation. I created this book to share my observations and breakthroughs from working with people who have been challenged in their businesses by all the factors affecting us over the last two years - the pandemic, social justice, supply chain issues, and infl ation, just to name a few.”

Ernst hopes to prevent executives and their teams from reacting automatically and getting mired down in negativity and lack of productivity. “Choosing daily actions to Show Up Positive is placing a bet on yourself and your ability to shape the world around you. Positive cultures only exist when people freely and consistently choose those norms and behaviors; there are no shortcuts.”

the design and implementation of learning workshops, employee engagement, and change and performance The book Show Up Positive reveals how to “intentionally place.” According to Ernst, “Henry Ford said it best: ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.’ The good news is you get to say, ‘Enough!’ You get to take action and improve your situation. I created this book to share my observations and breakthroughs from working with people who have been challenged in their businesses by all the factors affecting us over the last two years - the pandemic, social justice, supply chain issues, and infl ation, just to name Ernst hopes to prevent executives and their teams from reacting automatically and getting mired down in negativity and lack of productivity. “Choosing daily actions to Show Up Positive is placing a bet on yourself and your ability to shape the world around you. Positive cultures only exist when people freely and consistently choose

Show Up Positive will be released Tuesday, June 14, 2022, on Amazon and is now available for Show Up Positive will be released Tuesday, June 14, 2022, on Amazon and is now available for preorder. Visit igniteyourextraordinary.com for more information, and follow @igniteextraordinary on Facebook and Instagram.