J R Soc Med January 2013 106:10—12; doi:10.1258/jrsm.2012.120266
My Scottish grandfather used to say ‘When all is said and done; there is more said than done’. Making things happen requires leadership.
Leadership is creating extraordinary results through ordinary people. There are lots more complicated or esoteric definitions of leadership, but
this simple definition summarizes what I have personally learnt from 20 years in four health systems across three continents. Leadership involves personal characteristics which include transmitting passion, energy and heat into an organization as well as leading through people.