How does a civilization attain the most effective leadership? More importantly what is considered effective leadership and who developed the theories surrounding it? These questions are debated through the ages of postmodern and modern civilization. Bass (1974) wrote that, "from its infancy, the study of history has been the study of leaders" (Wren, 1995, p. 50). Four of the godfathers of what is considered modern leadership theory are Plato, Aristotle, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli. Over the course of this analysis, the leadership theories of each of these titans will be evaluated. Each view contains commonalities and disparities which offer conflicting perspectives on the complex topic of leadership throughout the ages of modern society. The goal is to broaden these views with critical evaluation, vetted scholarly sources and well-reasoned judgments. The conclusion arrived at will offer heighten awareness at the age old highly debated question; what is effective leadership?…
In tribal societies, such as the Kayapo, leadership tends not to be hereditary, but based of leadership skills and qualities.…
Great strength is imperative to great leaders. Odysseus and Gilgamesh exhibit great strength through their relationship with the gods. Possibly a greater suggestion of their strength as leaders is their relationship with the gods and…
However, it is the writer believes in order for a leader to be successful they must have goals and good communication with their team in order to be successful. This is why Alexander the Great won the battle against King Darius because she believed in his troops.…
Sometimes leaders may get distracted, even the good ones, but it is their job to realize that they are the ones who made a mistake and take the consequences that come with their mistakes. Some leaders only lead for the glory of their people. Odysseus from The Odyssey and Ulysses Everett Mcgill from O Brother Where Art Thou were both good leaders and their men looked up to them. Even though their similarities there are some things that make them different. Although Everett and Odysseus are alike, Everett has better skills to be a leader, which helped him and his crew get to where they need to go.…
Which highlites that you need to be able to lead other people which highlites again, that you need to be born as an alpha, you need to be born in commanding other people around, you need to be born in leading people, and we can celearly se that with both of the leaders. Aswell Julius Caesar and clearly Napoleon. If we look at their battles. The battle of Austerlitz for napoleon. There is no need to give an example to see, that both of them are leaders, and not just with being popular, or advertising propaganda. They are just born as a leader, and everybody can copy eachother, but having the ability to copy a leader that well takes more than just copying it. Leadership doesn’t have anything to do with any other political idea of either propaganda nor popularity. It is something compleately differnet. As stated above it is the entrance to an entire different era, and if people are born with this capability and emulate eachother, this power can m anipulate people better than everything else, and we can clearly see that with Julius Ceasar and with Napopleon. How did leadership affect…
According to Plato, leadership is not just a power or decision-making authority; it is the system and process developed to establish the culture and how things are done in an organization or government. The nature of leadership should be driven by what is right and what is just. Plato believed that a monarch who served the best interest of the citizens was preferred to direct democracies that act to serve their own personal interest. According to Plato, leaders should serve the good of the people and not the good of the rulers or themselves. Plato felt that good leaders could only be men wise in years with education and experience. A person leads based on their knowledge,…
What is a truly great leader? It is someone with courage, discipline, creativity, remarkable achievement, and integrity. Unfortunately, Alexander the Great does not have any of these valuable traits to be called a “great” leader. Even though Alexander left a mark in history’s book, it was a mark of a brutal tormenter. Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C.E. in a kingdom on the edge of northern Greece called Macedonia. (B.G.E.) His parents, Phillip and Olympia, constantly adored and spoiled him. They hired a famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, to teach him academic subjects, politics, sports, and warfare. (B.E.) As he grew older, an inner beast was growing inside of him and at last it exploded when his father died, and Alexander was only then able to take the throne. But who would want an unjust leader, who is an egomaniac, a ruthless narcissist, and whose empire would not last?…
Strength, determination and dedication are a few examples of characteristics, which a leader should possess. Characteristics of a good leader may vary in the eye of the beholder, however, I believe that overall there are a few qualities that are critically important. Throughout a person’s life, the experiences they endure shape them and build them into an individual. Like the lugals in Mesopotamia, it is a leaders obligation to protect and serve. In the Mycenaean civilization the Wanax stood at the top of their social ladder. In the Odyssey, Odysseus would be a Wanax because he owned an independent walled kingdom or palace. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh were looked up to as leaders. When asked if they were successful leaders, I was a bit stuck. After some thought, though, I came to the conclusion that I believe both Odysseus and Gilgamesh were successful leaders. They were not always successful leaders, but their adventures and experiences molded them into reliable men.…
The qualities of a good leader are universally accepted. The leader has to have control over his followers. He has to demand respect. The leader also has to be able to persuade his followers to follow him without taking away from his beliefs and views. A good leader also has to be able to be strong, mentally more than physically. He needs to be able to stand his ground and strongly believe in what he feels is right. A good leader also has to believe in himself. If a leader does not believe in himself, then who will? A leader has to be assertive and does not need to back down from anything. The two main characters in this novel express some of these characteristics, one character more than the other.…
As Henry A. Kissinger says, “The task of a leader of a leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” Kissinger means, a leader will put his people over himself to get them somewhere better. In the greek drama, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles shows a tragic hero who is an effective leader. King Oedipus is an effective leader because he wants to do the best for his town and family.…
Throughout the semester the topic of what it means to be a leader is brought up in every book. Not only has this topic been brought up, the meaning of a good leader has evolved. In the beginning a good leader only had to have great strength and show he was fearless in the face of death. As the books changed, so did the meaning of a good leader. In El Cid, being a true leader meant so much more than just having an excellent sword arm in battle.…
What makes a good leader? A good leader consists of being a good communicator, a good listener, a clear focus, and always be honest with each other. A good leader should always be able to make hard choices. An example of leadership from the story Gilgamesh brings back Enkidu's humanity. Leaders are there to help people that are in need. To me, this is what Gilgamesh did for Enkidu. However, the most important thing to have if you wanted to be a good leader is to have vision. By having good vision, a leader should be able to set goals and make plans for the group. Does Gilgamesh have these qualities yet? Yes, I believe that Gilgamesh has these qualities. In Gilgamesh, they taught me that you should always finish what you started. For example,…
A great leader is someone who loves to lead other people and do their best at it. He or she should be an inspiration to their peers while also being able to exceed the expectations of their elders. They must have all the necessary attributes and character traits so he or she can succeed.…
Leadership is being in charge while leading is more about dominance within a particular population. According to Greeks, leadership was hereditary and persons from the royal family were believed to posses charisma. Greeks understood charisma as divine power given by their gods, to leaders who were a choice of the gods. Another common theory is that leadership is a characteristic necessary for a person in charge to guide his subordinates to achieve set goals and objectives. Leadership style of a person greatly depends on the personality of an individual. There are several types of leadership, among them democratic leadership,…