leadership

/ˈliːdəʃɪp/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈliːdərʃɪp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlē-dər-ˌship/ (ame, mw)

leadership — noun

1. The collection of personal qualities and abilities that enable someone to guide,

1.名詞B1
釋義

The collection of personal qualities and abilities that enable someone to guide, inspire, or direct other people effectively.

例句

The team captain showed real leadership by keeping everyone calm after the difficult first half.

collocation 'show leadership' + adjective 'real'

Élise's leadership during the science fair project earned praise from the judges.

possessive form: [name]'s leadership

同義詞
  • vision

    Emphasizes the ability to see a future goal and inspire others toward it, rather than general directing ability.

  • initiative

    Focuses on the willingness to start something new or take the first step, a narrower quality than full leadership.

  • authority

    Implies power and the right to make decisions, often from a formal position, rather than personal qualities.

反義詞
  • submissiveness

    Describes a tendency to follow rather than guide, the opposite of taking charge.

文法句型

show/demonstrate + leadership

adjective + leadership

[possessive] + leadership

用法筆記

Commonly paired with adjectives such as strong, real, natural, and effective. Typical verbs include show, demonstrate, display, develop, and lack.

常見錯誤

She has a strong leadership.
She shows strong leadership.
💡Leadership as an abstract quality is uncountable and cannot follow 'a.'
He has good leadership.' (vague)
He has good leadership skills.' or 'He demonstrates good leadership.
💡Specify the quality or the action when the context is unclear.

2. The state or role of being the person who directs a group, organization, or acti

2.名詞B1
釋義

The state or role of being the person who directs a group, organization, or activity.

例句

Mateo took over the leadership of the youth basketball club when the coach retired.

take over the leadership of [organization]

Under Ishaan's leadership, the neighborhood watch program grew from ten members to over fifty.

under [name]'s leadership + past result

同義詞
  • command

    Suggests military or formal authority with power to give orders, stronger and more hierarchical than leadership.

  • direction

    Focuses on the act of guiding or instructing, less about personal inspiration and more about providing a clear course.

  • management

    Emphasizes control and organization of resources or people, often in a business context.

反義詞
  • followership

    The state of being led rather than leading, a less common term but conceptually the direct opposite.

文法句型

under + [possessive] + leadership

take over + the + leadership + of + [organization]

[possessive] + leadership + of + [group]

用法筆記

Frequently used in the pattern 'under [possessive] leadership' to describe results or events that happened while someone was the leader. Also common with verbs such as assume, take over, and be offered.

常見錯誤

Under his leadership position, the team improved.
Under his leadership, the team improved.
💡Do not pair 'leadership' with 'position' when using this sense; it is redundant.

3. The person or group of people who manage an organization and make its important

3.名詞B2
釋義

The person or group of people who manage an organization and make its important decisions.

例句

The hospital leadership decided to open a new clinic in the neighborhood with the greatest need.

[organization] leadership + decision verb

Jabari was invited to join the leadership of the regional environmental protection agency.

join the leadership of [organization]

同義詞
  • management

    A broader term that includes not only top decision-makers but also mid-level administrators; less focused on strategic direction.

  • administration

    Often refers to the group responsible for running an institution, especially in government, education, or healthcare.

  • board

    Specifically the elected or appointed group that oversees an organization's strategy and major decisions.

反義詞
  • staff

    The employees who carry out tasks rather than make strategic decisions; the led rather than the leaders.

文法句型

[organization] + leadership + verb (singular)

the leadership + of + [organization]

join + the + leadership

用法筆記

Unlike 'management,' which can refer to mid-level administrators, this sense typically refers to the highest-level decision-makers in an organization, such as directors or executives. Takes singular verb agreement in standard English.

常見錯誤

The school leadership are meeting now.
The school leadership is meeting now.
💡In this sense, leadership acts as a collective noun and typically takes a singular verb.
The leadership of the company includes several departments.
The leadership of the company includes the CEO and the board members.
💡When referring to people rather than the position, be specific about who is included.