Leadership defined

Bookstores and libraries contain entire sections on leadership.  In my studies I've found as many definitions for leadership as there are authors defining it.  I've come to appreciate the simplest definition I've heard as the best.  In JROTC a retired Green Beret told me, leadership is self-control.  At the time I memorized the answer for the test and moved on.  Later as we started adventure training, learning to rappel, white water raft and the like we learned to relax to the point of self control.  Something I again learned to answer the test questions but didn't really focus on. 

The Army has defined leadership as a process by which one motivates others to accomplish a mission or goal (I'm paraphrasing as the exact verbiage changes but the intent remains).  In grad school we learned several definitions, but all similar to the Army's. Leadership is about influencing others and achieving goals.

As the semester progressed we analyzed leadership traits.  How does a leader motivate or influence a group?  Why are some leaders successful.  We even discussed the differences between leaders and managers.  Cross-cultural leadership was another topic of much discussion; what do different groups want or need from their leaders. 

Among the many traits we expect from leaders there are some core traits:
>Integrity
>Fairness
>Intelligence
>Confidence

With the recent market failures much has been made of the integrity of the CEO's.  How can they justify huge bonuses with poor performance?  Are they fair?  Are they ethical?  Are they acting intelligently could lower salaries and fewer bonuses help their companies bottom lines or save jobs?  Recent actions of the GSA in Las Vegas and other poor decisions have cost "leaders" in the GSA their jobs and reputations.

As I've contemplated the facts of these numerous events I've reviewed my definitions of leadership and now find the meaning to the simple definition of leadership; leadership is self control.  Granted I am not a CEO, nor a senior executive with the GSA but I have been a leader.  Self control has been my guide, often unconsciously since my youth.  Had these "leaders" exercised self-control and not self/group gratification things might have turned out differently. 

During my final semester of my Health care Admin course we learned how Warren Buffet accepted a $1 compensation to save a failing company.  He could have easily demanded a multi-million dollar contract but didn't.  In exercising constraint (granted he was a multi-billionaire so he could afford it) he set a standard and role modeled behavior. 

A leader must first learn to control themselves before attempting to control others.  To be a leader of integrity and fairness you must be able to control yourself first.