What Does Leadership Mean to You?
This was the opening question I asked over a hundred graduate students at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), where I had the privilege of returning to lecture on Leadership for the second year.
If you ask a hundred people, you would get a hundred answers.
At its core, Leadership is shaped by our personal experiences, environment, education, etc. It’s reflected in how we pursued goals successfully, and the lessons we learnt from setbacks along the way.
Now, more than ever—amid global uncertainty—I wanted to explore the essence of leadership. From ancient wisdom to modern academic research, one fundamental truth remains consistent, yet it is often underestimated in today’s material-driven world.
Leadership vs. Management
Before diving deeper, we first clarified the differences between Leadership and Management in the corporate context, including tactics, strategy, goals, mission, vision, and values.
Ultimately, leadership, doing the right things, is a bigger umbrella than management, doing things right.
Leadership guides individuals and organizations toward bigger, longer-term values.
History of Leadership
Leadership, as a term in English, gained traction in World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945)—times when strong leadership meant the difference between survival and collapse.
Yet, leadership as a concept dates back 2,500 years to the 5th century BC, during one of China’s most chaotic periods, Sun Tzu's The Art of War defined leadership with 5 core qualities:
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Intelligence（智）
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Integrity（信）
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Compassion（仁）
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Courage（勇）
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Discipline（嚴）
Despite its title, half of The Art of War is not about how to win the war, but largely about how to avoid war, echoing leadership being increasingly used during WWI and WWII—the greatest value of leadership is to shield civilization and human lives.
Our history reminds us why leadership is not about authority—it’s about exhibiting the values of humanity, from individuals to organizations, nations, and the world. And only then, can material values become truly sustainable.
I am grateful for the opportunity to exchange thoughts on books, research, and real-world stories. A heartfelt gratitude to Professor Jeong-Tyng Li and Professor Viphavee for inviting me back.
It’s also inspiring to see Leadership as a course in the College of Semiconductor Research for years—a truly visionary approach to nurture our next generations for a brighter future.
Leadership is not a title. It's a choice. What're your choices?
＊For the Chinese version, please check:〈「領導」究竟是什麼？與「管理」有何不同？深入探索被低估的「領導力」本質〉。
執行編輯：洪翊芳
核稿編輯：孫雅為
