There are many different types of leadership. Some leadership styles involved following your gut. Others involve a careful calculation of costs and benefits. Some involve scheming and secrecy. And some are based around the creation of rules and a culture of honesty. Effective leadership, on the other hand, isn’t concerned with which style is best for principled-reasons. It only cares what will work for the task at hand; and how it can best be used.

In brief, effective leadership revolves around communication. For leaders, communication is a device that can be used to convey plans, arguments, and ideas. It can also be used to pose questions and generate feedback. In order for a leader to be effective, she must understand and master effective communication. She must understand that the most important goal she should maintain is to communicate all ideas, plans, and questions carefully and in a way that all individuals involved will be able to understand.

Historically, one of the clearest examples of an effective leader is Winston Churchill. Not only was he strong and decisive in leading England during the must destructive and prolonged wars the world had witness to date, but his ability to communicate ideas, to shore up support, and to organize individuals towards a single end was simply unprecedented. 

In summary, effective leadership can be the difference between a plan that is executed carefully and correctly; and a plan that no one understands and that no one is able to carry out. If you want to be an effective leader, your chief concern should be to develop strong, clear communication and oration skills.