While leadership and business management are defined differently by everyone - especially those who are selling business leadership management training and consulting services, leadership is simply the ability to meet the needs of those who are part of their organization, those who depend on the organization directly or indirectly in any way, and other individuals and organizations as well.

Simply however does not mean simple and it certainly does not mean easy. In fact two of the most important requirements of leaders, attributes that cannot be learned from a book - are not part of the curriculum of any leadership and business management training program I have ever seen - have been requirements of leaders for all of known history.

When it comes to leading an organization in the 21st century, leadership and business management skills must be present at every level of the company - no matter how large or small it is. Naturally the opportunities to lead and the limits of their effectiveness - as it relates to the entire organization, are determined by the nature of their position within the power structure.

The tenets of leadership and business management have not changed much during all of recorded history, Leadership is today what it has always been, and the ability institute change into an already functioning system. Leaders ask the question, "just because it doesn't appear to be broken, does not mean it should not be improved does it?" when considering every facet of their organization.

In successful organizations those with leadership and business management skill are always remodeling. They are always making something new - something within the structure of the company is being looked at today and seen as it will look tomorrow - then constructing something sustainable that will lead the business to continued improvement of conditions, overhead, and revenues for the future.

Those responsible for leadership and business management within the organization must have strength, stamina to keep on keeping on in their continual battle against "good enough" and all the other momentum busting attitudes so prevalent in organizations today. When business is great no one wants to change what's working. When business is bad no one wants to make changes that might make things worse.

No one except a leader that is. Of course stamina could mean physical stamina, but today it is more likely to mean emotional stamina. As each leader moves up to an ever higher level in the organization - to the next higher level of leadership and management responsibility, the demands on the emotions increase. These are the demands that directly attack their stamina, their ability to stay the course against all odds and those would never challenge the status quo.

It is crucial that leaders at every level of the organization have the stamina to recover rapidly from disappointment for example. They must be able to bounce back from defeat and discouragement. Leaders must be able to carry out the responsibilities of their jobs without losing a clear picture of the situation, no matter how much and how fierce the opposition.

And they must have the emotional strength to persist in the face of difficulty.

Physical strength and stamina are vital to both the leader and their organization. If the leader of off sick or taking "mental health days" they may not be on the scene to lead at a critical moment.

Leaders then must have both the physical to endure whatever physical demands of leadership that present themselves - as well as the emotional strength to withstand the daily attacks that always result when someone insists upon change!