How do you say Leadership in German?

Whether you’re in a meeting, reporting a problem, or just talking about who’s in charge - you’ll want to know how to say leadership in German. But don’t be surprised when this word also refers to pipes and power cables.

The German noun is die Leitung. It’s feminine, and the plural is die Leitungen. If you’re still learning how to tell which article to use, my gender video lesson gives you a fast and practical overview.

Leitung is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s a great example of how one root - leiten (to lead, to direct) - can apply to both people and electricity.

Examples in all four cases:

Nominative:Die Leitung hat die Entscheidung getroffen.The leadership made the decision.

Accusative:Ich rufe die Leitung direkt an.I’m calling the management directly.

Dative:Wir sprechen mit der Leitung über das Problem.We’re speaking with the leadership about the issue.

Genitive:Die Verantwortung der Leitung ist groß.The responsibility of the leadership is great.

Real-World Tips for Learners

Leitung can refer to management or leadership and also to physical conduits, especially in engineering or utilities:

• Unternehmensleitung - company management

• Teamleitung - team lead / team leadership

• Schulleitung - school administration

• Wasserleitung - water pipe

• Stromleitung - power line

• Telefonleitung - telephone cable or line

In context, the meaning is usually clear - if you’re talking about buildings or infrastructure, it’s probably a pipe or wire. If you’re in a business setting, it’s probably a group of people with authority.