in the definition of management, what does leading mean?

In the definition of management, leading means guiding and influencing people so they willingly work toward the organization’s goals, not just because they are told to, but because they are motivated and understand the direction.

What “leading” includes in management

In most management textbooks, leading is one of the four core functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, controlling). It typically involves:

• Setting a clear direction or vision so people know what they are working toward.
• Motivating employees by tapping into their needs, values, and emotions so they want to perform, not just have to perform.
• Influencing behavior through communication, example, and trust rather than relying only on formal authority.
• Building effective relationships, resolving conflicts, and maintaining team morale.
• Coaching, supporting, and developing people so they grow and perform better over time.

A simple way to remember it

You can think of leading as “working with people,” while the other functions are more about “working with systems and structures.” A manager might plan a project and organize the resources, but leading is what gets the team energized, aligned, and moving in the same direction together.