Discover where leadership came from. Explore the origins of the word, concept, and study of leadership from ancient civilisations to modern theory.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Sat 10th January 2026
Leadership came from evolutionary necessity—emerging across social species including humans as a solution to coordination problems in survival, with the word "leader" appearing in English around the 1300s from Old English "laedere" meaning "one who leads," whilst the abstract concept of "leadership" only entered language in 1821 and the systematic study of leadership as a discipline began in the early 20th century. Understanding these origins illuminates modern leadership practice.
Where does leadership actually come from? This deceptively simple question opens profound exploration spanning evolutionary biology, ancient history, linguistic development, and modern social science. The answer reveals that leadership is neither purely innate nor entirely learned but rather an ancient human capacity that has been understood, theorised, and developed in evolving ways.
This guide traces leadership from its deepest origins through theoretical evolution to contemporary understanding, providing perspective that enriches how we think about developing leaders today.
Leadership predates humanity itself.
"Converging ideas in both the natural and social sciences suggest that leadership and followership share common properties across humans and other animals, pointing to ancient roots and evolutionary origins."
Cross-species evidence:
| Species | Leadership Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Ants | Trail-making and following |
| Bees | Scout and swarm coordination |
| Baboons | Group movement decisions |
| Chimpanzees | Coalition-based influence |
| Humans | Complex hierarchical systems |
"Mark van Vugt and Anjana Ahuja present cases of leadership in non-human animals. They suggest that leadership has a long evolutionary history and that the same mechanisms underpinning leadership in humans appear in other social species too."
Adaptive purposes:
Understanding evolutionary origins suggests:
Evolutionary insights:
Tracing linguistic development.
"The word is derived from the Old English word 'laedere,' which means 'the one who leads,' with the noun being 'laedan,' meaning 'to guide or to bring forth.'"
Word evolution:
| Period | Term | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Old English | Laedere | One who leads |
| Middle English | Leden | To guide |
| 1300s | Leader | Guide, conductor |
| 1821 | Leadership | Position of leader |
| 1870s onwards | Leadership (abstract) | Qualities and behaviours |
"The Oxford English Dictionary traces the word 'leadership' in English only as far back as 1821, when the term referred to the position or office of a designated leader."
Conceptual development:
The late emergence of abstract "leadership" suggests:
Historical implications:
How early civilisations understood leaders.
"Prior to the 19th century, the concept of leadership had less relevance than today's society expected, and obtained traditional deference and obedience to lords, kings, master-craftsmen, and slave-masters."
Ancient authority sources:
"Early folklore like the legend of King Arthur illustrated the concept that those who led were born and not made. Early concepts of monarchy included the element that the king was a divine choice."
Born leader assumptions:
"Leaders in the past have generally belonged to one of three categories: Political, Military, or Religious."
Historical categories:
| Category | Examples | Authority Source |
|---|---|---|
| Political | Hammurabi, Augustus | Law and governance |
| Military | Alexander, Sun Tzu | Conquest and strategy |
| Religious | Prophets, priests | Divine connection |
Wisdom from early civilisations.
"Around 1790 B.C., Babylonian ruler Hammurabi created the codified laws, which unified his empire in what was seen as a fair order as all people were subject to the same rules."
Hammurabi's contribution:
"Sun Tzu was a military general in China from 500 B.C. who wrote 'The Art of War,' focusing on wise political policies and strategies to prevent war."
Sun Tzu's principles:
Greek and Roman thinkers addressed leadership:
Philosophical contributions:
The 19th-century perspective.
"In 1840, Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle stated that 'the history of the world is but the biography of great men.' The Great Man Theory took hold—the idea that history can be explained by the impact of great men and the decisions they made."
Great Man assumptions:
This perspective meant:
Practical implications:
Modern understanding evolved:
Evolution factors:
When leadership became a research discipline.
"The study of leadership as a distinct field emerged in the early 20th century. The initial approach focused on identifying personality traits characteristic of leaders, called 'trait theory of leadership.'"
Early research focus:
| Era | Approach | Question |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s-1940s | Trait theory | What characteristics do leaders have? |
| 1940s-1960s | Behavioural theory | What do leaders do? |
| 1960s-1980s | Contingency theory | When do different approaches work? |
"In the 1940s and 1950s, trait theory was criticised for its lack of consideration for context. In the 1960s, attention shifted to the behaviour of leaders, giving rise to 'behavioural leadership theory.'"
Behavioural implications:
Twentieth-century contributions:
Key theoretical advances:
Modern theoretical contributions.
"Transformational leadership theory originated in the late 1970s with historian and political scientist James MacGregor Burns, who researched political leaders and determined that the type of leader who focuses on the beliefs, needs, and values of their followers could have a transformational impact."
Burns' contribution:
"Robert K. Greenleaf (1904-1990) is credited with originating the servant leadership concept among modern organisational theorists. In Greenleaf's opinion, leadership must primarily meet the needs of others."
Greenleaf's principles:
Applying historical understanding.
Historical perspective reveals:
Key insights:
Throughout history, effective leadership has required:
Enduring elements:
Understanding origins informs practice:
Practical applications:
Leadership came from evolutionary necessity, emerging across social species as a solution to coordination problems in survival. The word "leader" appeared in English around the 1300s from Old English "laedere," whilst the abstract concept of "leadership" only entered language in 1821. The systematic study of leadership began in the early 20th century.
The Oxford English Dictionary traces "leadership" to 1821, initially referring to the position or office of a designated leader. The abstract notion of leadership as embodying qualities and behaviours developed later during the 19th and 20th centuries, possibly traceable from 1870 onwards. The word "leader" itself appeared much earlier, around the 1300s.
The Great Man Theory, articulated by Thomas Carlyle in 1840, proposed that history is shaped by exceptional individuals born with innate greatness. These "great men" were identified by charisma, intelligence, and wisdom, with leadership viewed as destiny rather than development. Modern research has moved beyond this view.
Leadership study evolved from the Great Man Theory (1840s) through trait theories (early 1900s), behavioural theories (1940s-1960s), contingency theories (1960s-1980s), to transformational and servant leadership (1970s onwards). This progression moved from viewing leadership as innate to understanding it as learnable and context-dependent.
Yes, leadership behaviours exist across many social species including ants, bees, baboons, and chimpanzees. Research suggests leadership and followership share common properties across humans and other animals, pointing to ancient evolutionary origins. The mechanisms underpinning human leadership appear in other social species too.
Key contributors include James MacGregor Burns (transformational leadership, 1978), Robert Greenleaf (servant leadership, 1970s), researchers at Ohio State and Michigan universities (behavioural theories, 1940s-1960s), and Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard (situational leadership). Each expanded understanding of how leadership works.
Leadership history teaches that leadership capacity is deeply embedded in human nature, practice preceded theory by millennia, multiple valid perspectives exist, development is possible (contradicting Great Man assumptions), context shapes effectiveness, and modern theories are relatively recent constructions building on ancient human experience.