Okay, so for weeks I’ve been trying to figure out what to write about on this blog, coming up with many ideas and then deciding they were all [expletive]. Now, seeing Sisco’s post, I realized that I have to speed it up a little. So I decided, why not write about something I tend to obsess over?
I find myself to be fixated on the many different personalities that I encounter on a day-to-day basis, but there is a certain type of person that never ceases to fascinate me. This type of person has a wide circle of friends (or better said, followers) and is usually either respected or feared. He may be the captain of the basketball team, motivating his team to play better every day. She may be the cliquey mean girl who is the target of much gossip and envy, and yet no one ever says anything remotely not-nice to her face. He may even be that one kid who realizes that every person in his designated project group is a moron, ends up taking charge of the situation so as not to fail, and realizes that, hey, he’s good at it!
These people are leaders. (Obviously, some more than others.) They may know it, or they may not. They tend to be comfortable talking in front of others, taking responsibility, and designating roles in activities such as group projects. These are just some of the characteristics that most leaders possess. Now I am asking, what are some important characteristics a leader must have to be successful? What are some different types of leadership styles? How do characteristics vary between different types of leaders? What are some examples of great leaders throughout history?
Sorry, guys, no NY Times article for this one. Or better said, not yet. ;)
I find myself to be fixated on the many different personalities that I encounter on a day-to-day basis, but there is a certain type of person that never ceases to fascinate me. This type of person has a wide circle of friends (or better said, followers) and is usually either respected or feared. He may be the captain of the basketball team, motivating his team to play better every day. She may be the cliquey mean girl who is the target of much gossip and envy, and yet no one ever says anything remotely not-nice to her face. He may even be that one kid who realizes that every person in his designated project group is a moron, ends up taking charge of the situation so as not to fail, and realizes that, hey, he’s good at it!
These people are leaders. (Obviously, some more than others.) They may know it, or they may not. They tend to be comfortable talking in front of others, taking responsibility, and designating roles in activities such as group projects. These are just some of the characteristics that most leaders possess. Now I am asking, what are some important characteristics a leader must have to be successful? What are some different types of leadership styles? How do characteristics vary between different types of leaders? What are some examples of great leaders throughout history?
Sorry, guys, no NY Times article for this one. Or better said, not yet. ;)
Cat Golner
Period II
Did you want some characteristics of a leader or a successful leader? While the cliquey mean girl you mentioned as an example may be considered a leader, I do not believe she constitutes as a successful one. This type of leader gets followers through force and manipulation. At first, people may follow them because they seem to be more talented or have some special characteristic. However, eventually the followers will start to disagree with the manipulative leader's methods and beliefs. Perhaps there will be some sort of mutiny, and the previous leader would be kicked out. Either way, the leader will not be successful. A successful leader must be able to have loyal followers who respect their leader. In order to accomplish this, a leader should have specific character traits such as honesty and courage. Without honesty, a leader will not be able to gain the trust of his or her followers. Without courage, a leader will not be able to accomplish their goals. Thus, these are some of the necessary traits of a good leader. A leader should also be able to speak out and be vocal about their beliefs. An example of a great leader is Martin Luther King Jr. He had a strong dream that he stoutly believed in, and he refused to use force and violence to achieve that dream. However, he was courageous enough to speak out against the majority. His charisma and speaking skills made a large impact on the U.S.
ReplyDelete"In simplest terms, a leader is one who knows what he wants, and gets up, and goes," said John Erksine.
ReplyDeleteAlong with a few other traits that have already been said, that quote pretty much sums up what I think of as a good leader.
Wishful thinking there, Lawrence.
ReplyDeleteGetting followers through power and submission does not necessarily constitute a bad leader. Leaders do not have to defy social norms. There are also not necessarily coups (or successful ones, anyway) in oppressive regimes. Take, for instance, the Three Tier System of countries, the periphery, the semiperiphery, and the core. The core "leads" and exploits the resources of the semiperiphery, which, in turn, exploits the periphery. Here, no major changes will ever take place on the global scale, as both the core and the semiperiphery both fight to keep the lower countries lower. Now, people as leaders follow the same principle. There is the same quality of "control," and not loyalty present in all leaders. Martin Luther King was a leader because he had control over his followers' mindsets. Successful leaders do not need loyalty. One just needs control. This may be achieved through loyalty, however control and leadership are products of loyalty, and oppression and manipulation are still viable choices that many stable leaders (that will not change seats anytime soon) still use today.
I never said that leaders who used force and oppression were "bad." While it's true that leaders who use manipulation and oppression can rule for good while. In the end, though, many people in that group, or from different countries may not particularly enjoy having that individual as a leader. However, other countries do not interfere due to politics and public relations. They do not want to mess up the "balance" that seems to be present unless they are benefited in some way. It's true that in this world, there are very few leaders who gain the support and loyalty of many of their followers and are ideal leaders. Many leaders do use force and oppression. However, as Benjamin Disraeli said,"Change is inevitable. Change is constant." Thus, these individuals will not remain leaders forever.
ReplyDeleteLeaders are hard to catagoeize as one sort of person, because of all the different kinds of groups there are in the world. They can be powerful for the right reasons (George Washington) or for the wrong (Hugo Chavez) or maybe just because no one else would take command. My favorite "leader" is Theodore Roosevelt. He was obviously intelligent or at least good at politics as he led the country out of the Great Depression and built it back up. Roosevelt also liked the great outdoors, which is something I can support. But like I said, people require different kinds of leaders for different kinds movements or groups.
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess what you are all trying to say is that whether or not you consider a leader "good" or "bad" depends on what you consider to be a successful leader.
ReplyDeleteYou can't say whose a "bad" and "good" leader, because a leader from one group that is the leader and alpha in one group may end up as a follower in another. Let’s say the cliquey mean girl (who uses threats and gossip to keep control) were dropped into the group of misunderstood artistic kids. There would be little chance that she would be such an effective emperor. Or let’s say there is a group of jocks with an IQ lower than lukewarm water, and the leader is the smarter of the brain-dead monkeys. If we were to take Mr. Bananas and drop him into a room filled with geniuses, there is little hope that he would get anything he wants. Meanwhile, there are leaders who use momentum and force to get what they want. What they do is earn the sympathy and utmost dedication of a crowd. The crowds normally are made up of gullible people, stupid gullible people, and people that just get caught up in the moment. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of these very effective rulers. They then start to gain momentum as more and more people follow, and when they have enough followers, they can really do what they wish. But then there are the less effective leaders who just assume that they are”all- that” when they are nothing more than an overestimated bunch of soon-to-be-popped-egos. I hate these people very much. You could describe these as people who don’t wear power well. ANYWAY, I don’t think you can say whose a good or bad leader because anyone can lead a group effectively, but not all groups effectively.
ReplyDeleteCamilo Bacca
I think the most unambigious quality of a leader is probably his or her chutzpah. This could take all levels of meaning, good or bad, since audacity may make leaders expediate through uncharted (and controversial) territories, or may, as Lawrence mentioned, spawn into "force and manipulation." Some say that some leaders verge on sociopathic in their complete disregard for feedback. I mean, people who put little stock on other's opinions can end up in boardrooms - or prisons.
ReplyDeleteOkay, maybe I'm exaggerating a wee bit. But a really good leader should have a thick skin in terms of criticism.
Oooooh, this just happened to be published on Prsident's Day :) Coincidence? Well, our current president, big 44, exhibits several of the charactersistics of a good leader. Charisma? Check. Enthusiasm for his cause? Check. Cool head during adversity? Just watch during Rightest congressional hearing.
Probably no one - even the biggest kahuna himself- is in the positition to sort others in the deinitive category of right and wrong. And, Camilo, the most intelligent people are not necessarily the ones that sit on the throne.
Wow. I've churned out another ranting comment. Better stop aquí.
A leader should be respected and someone who can think for a group of people. But, a leader isn't always nice. You can compare this to any book which has a conflict between two groups. For example, Harry Potter since that is probably the most common book. Voldemort is the leader of the Death Eaters. Personally, I would say he is a successful leader. I mean none of his followers ever question him and his followers will do anything for him. He obviously has the respect of all of the Death Eaters. I guess the main difference between leaders is whether they rule out of popularity and kindness or out of fear. Are they a leader because everyone looks up to them and benefits from them, or are they a leader because everyone is scared of their wrath. Either way both types of leaders can be successful. I'd say that there are many leaders of history. For one all the war hero's and generals of any battles, our presidents, presidents of other nations, etc. Basically, this topic is very broad and can be expanded in different ways for good or for bad.
ReplyDeleteRachel Newman
Pd. 3
Ok, first things first, did we not write an essay on this? I could swear we had to explain what makes a person we admire a leader. In a nutshell, a leader must be able to cope with anything that is thrown at him, be a voice for the people he is leading, and at least try to keep relations with other leaders calm and relaxed. With this recent overthrow of the Egyptian government we have seen what a leader must not do. Hosni Mubarak (sorry about the spelling) showed America, and every other nation, that leaders can't be the man behind the curtain who does what is best for him and not even bothering to see how it affects his people (On that subject, if a "president" has a giant portrait of himself hung in the capital city, can he be considered a dictator?). But, a leader does need to have a certain respect, they can't be like Thomas Jefferson and open the doors to their palace and talk to the common man. A leader must be between the common man and the emperor on the social scale.
ReplyDeleteTyler Levinson Pr-6
According to John C. Maxwell, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Basically, a leader is someone that takes charge. There are many different types of leaders. There are thos that lead by fear, meaning that people do what that leader says because they fear the consequences of if they didn't do it. Another type is a leader that leads with kindness, in which people follow that leader because they enjoy following him/her. A great example of a leader throughout history is Golda Meir, the former Prime Minister of Israel. According to the New York Times 1978 Obituary, "Mrs. Meir had a gift for making complex issues appear simple and expressing her views in plain but emotional terms: 'Our generation reclaimed the land, our children fought the war and our grandchildren should enjoy the peace.' Even when she spoke to an audience of thousands, it could sound as though she was speaking in her living room." She is a fantastics leader in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I am wondering which of you think of yourselves as leaders, and why. Please be honest.
Yuval S.
Period 3
As I read through these comments, something that I noticed was one thing that you all were missing about what a leader truly is. A leader is not a person who can "lead" people, yet really, a leader is a person who can convince the average Joe to follow him.
ReplyDeleteOne of the truly great leaders in history, as cruel as he may have been, was Adolf Hitler. Hitler was a man that was able to find people to support his opinion that the Jewish religion was a waste. In modern-day America, Israel, and other pro-Jewish nations, Hitler would be a despised man, and his opinions would not go anywhere. Yet, as Mrs. Cohen told us, Hitler was able to manipulate the average Joe into hating the Jews, with his powerful speech, and his convincing tactics. While Hitler stood for all the wrong reasons, his persuasive abilities were far more than enough to convince his followers of his opinions.
So what I'm trying to say is that a leader is not necessarily a person that can take a group of people and command them, yet a person that can round up this group of people with such power, that he is automatically in control of the situation. In Cat's post, she mentioned the captain of the basketball team. While he may not be the most skillful captain of the group, his precision in the way he jumps out at everyone and demonstrates that he truly is the leader of the group is what strikes him to be the top of his team, the captain. The "mean girl" mentioned in Cat's post could easily be the queen bee, just by proving that she is the one to be the center, even if she may not be the best at that.
So, being a leader is not about what one can do when they are in the middle, it is how they get to the middle that makes them a great leader.
Hmmmm... I am liking the different opinions that everyone is posting. :)
ReplyDeleteSo here's another question: do you consider a leader more successful if he raises a bunch of followers who completely adore him (as with Yuval's example) or if he is greatly disliked but tries to do the best he can to improve conditions for his people and succeeds?
I, of course, am saying "he" to stand for "he/she". Women can be leaders, too. :)
@Yuval - To be honest, I think of myself as a leader, in some ways. I am pretty good at controlling a group (but not in a dictator kind of way) and I am good at public speaking, I am responsible, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think leaders should be forceful, know how to control people, and have a role model kind of over-all personality.
Some leaders may be extremely forceful and control their followers with power, while other may sit back and simply guide their pupils with words of guidance. There are all different kinds of leaders, though, I feel a successful leader has people that look up to them in aspiration for the good deeds or positive actions they have and continue to do.
Lauren White
Period 5
@Craig we did an essay about people we consider are leaders, not what a leader is. A lot of people think that if someone is popular, then they are a relatively good leader but this is not true. A leader has to be able to make decisions for all of their followers. So how is a cliquey mean girl a leader? Who is she making decisions for if the other girls don't like her but envy her? I just feel that these kinds of people aren't always great leaders. As for me, I believe that I'm kind of a follower in some aspects. I never make decisions for others and pretty much do whatever I'm told for like a project or something. But in other aspects, I view myself as a leader as well. On the football field, for example, I always try to give others advice on their technique on whatever position they play. I believe that in some ways we are leaders and in other ways we are followers.
ReplyDeleteI got really excited when I saw who was doing the blog post. :)
ReplyDeleteI have two questions, Cat. How can a man or woman be greatly (emphasis on greatly) disliked if he or she tries very hard to help the people and succeeds? Also, how can he or she be loved so much by the followers if there wasn't any effort in making them happy?
A real leader, in my opinion, is someone who can inspire others and leave behind an astounding legacy that motivates society decades after his or her death.
The type of leader I see mostly in middle school is someone who has a lot of friends and thinks highly of herself. The fourteen-year-old suddenly puts the idea in her head that she could very well be leading the pack. Soon, she's convinced that she has all the followers eating out of the palm of her hand. Inevitably, the followers will feed off the vibe and stick with that one big-headed kid.
Gabi Shim-Francis P5
The best character traits for a leader depend on what he/she is trying to get done. Overall though a leader is someone that gets stuff done and that they go on their morals not what the popular thing is or the easy way out. Also a good leader is someone that works hard and lies off when something is being done right.
ReplyDeleteEvan Harber p5
Well, for this, you kind of have to specify on what you mean by "successful". The dictionary defines it as "accomplishing an aim or purpose". So, I'll just go with that. I think some important characteristics are that they have to have good people skills. Even though this might sound very casual and not really appropriate for an official leader, the ability to communicate with other people is possibly the most crucial skill a leader could have. Like Fran said somewhere up there, Hitler was possibly one of the most evil people of the 20th century, but what made him rise so far up power-wise was that he could captivate the average citizen and somehow convince them that his way is the right way, in that case, that Jews were responsible for all the problems, blah blah blah. I also think that another extremely important characteristic a leader must have is confidence. If you get up onto a stage to talk, and then make no eye contact, are slumped over, and talk very softly, people aren't really going to follow what you're saying. But if you get up there, and just talk confidently, in a manner that says, "I'm right and I know it," people get the idea that, "Hey, this person is confident of what they think. They really truly feel that their way is correct." And then they might feel a bit more inclined to follow you.
ReplyDeleteI think there are different types of leadership styles. There's the "I'm so bossy, I just command everyone to do what I say" type. Then there's the "I'm so obnoxious, everyone just does what I say to shut me up" type. And last there's the "I do the best I can, and am nice to everyone. Because of that, people tend to follow me" type. Clearly, the last one is what many think of as the best, because those people are doing these things for the right reason, as in, not trying to purposely make others follow them.
I think a few examples of good leaders throughout history would be: Martin Luther King Jr., Adolf Hitler, Barack Obama, FDR, Mahatma Gandhi, and George Washington.
Mira Merchant
Period 3
I think a good leader is someone that shows respect, voices their opinion, is honest, and is true to themselves. Some people that are considered leaders, like the stereotypical clique girl that Cat mentioned, may be leaders for a little while, but they can't stay at the top of the "pack" forever. True leaders have the ability to always be a leader; they don't fade out after a little while. Also, a true leader has followers that are loyal. For example, the clique leader would have followers that are constantly stabbing her behind her back, so to speak. Like I said before, a good leader voices their opinion, so no one should be doing any backstabbing. Honestly, I hate when people talk behind my back. I would rather that person say it to my face.
ReplyDeleteTo continue, a successful leader should be proud of who they are. Who wants to follow someone who isn't confident?
Examples of good leaders include Vince Lonbardi, MLK, and Ronald Reagan.
I saw Mira post a list of her favorite leaders so here is mine:
ReplyDelete1. Reagan (shock)
2. Churchill
3. Teddy Roosevelt
4. Julius Caesar
5. JFK
6. FDR
7. Lincoln
8. Davy Crockett
9. Jefferson
10. Eisenhower
I think that a leader is someone who has confidence and can walk tall with their head up. A good leader is someone who can speak their mind and not care what people think about them. And I think that a good leader has a good heart and listens to what their friends have to say. For example, if there is a kid being bullied in the halls, a good leader would go up and stop what was going on. They wouldn't sit back because their reputation might be ruined if they help a "nerd" they would help the person because its right.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cliquey mean girls, people only follow them because they think that they are cool. When in reality they're not. Sooner or later the followers will realize who their leader is and will leave her.
Also, I noticed that no one really posted a female leader from the past which I thought was kind of strange because not all girls are mean.
Cleopatra, Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, and Mother Teresa are some good female leaders from history and present day.
-Marina Rubio Period 6
Okay, so we've seen the opinions on leaders that deal with grand-scale things (Presidents). How about those who have to lead in either a slightly smaller or much smaller setting such as corporation, small business, or task group? What characteristics should they possess to be successful?
ReplyDeleteImportant characteristics of a leader include being firm and confident. You don't want a leader who second guesses his or herself or asks for advice. Leadership styles can be cruel like a dictator or peaceful like a president. Both use different tactics to be heard. Many successful leaders are peaceful (such as MLK Junior or Ghandi), but some are violent (such as Hitler and Castro.)
ReplyDeleteRyan G p6
I think that some of the greatest characteristics that a leader needs to succeed are friendlieness, contol, and passion. If a person wants to become a great leader, they will need to be nice and kind to their followers. As a leader, one of the most important things is that your followers like you. Clearly, if a leader's followers like their leader, the leader has a great chace at being great. Also, a leader needs to have the element of control. You all saw what happened in the Middle Eastern area with corrupt government, and the citizens rebelling. These leaders and leading groups had no control over their people. If a leader is going to be successful, they are going to have to find a good way to control their people. Finally, to be a great leader, one must be passionate. If a leader is excited for their views, people will respect that. It also helps get points across to their followers. I find that one of the greatest leaders of all time has to be George Washington. He led a ragtag army to war, and beat the mighty british. He then helped develope the great country of America that we have today.
ReplyDeleteSorry that it's sort of in essay format but FCAT writes is on Tuesday and i'm practicing.
Kevin Scott Period 5
Nathalia bedoya period 1
ReplyDeletea leader is very simple to describe.
a leader
It’s ethics and honesty,
integrity and compassion.
It’s backbone and relationships,
and appreciation, too.
It’s organization and decisiveness,
strength and motivation.
It’s humor and humility,
and visionary, as well.
It’s positive and focused,
collaborator and listener.
It’s supportive and affirming,
and motivator, .
It’s agile and flexible,
perceptive and intelligent.
It’s appropriate and timely,
and present, for sure.
It’s being in charge…not in control,
desire to serve…not to impress.
You may not always agree…
but you can respect.
Now that’s a good leader! said Brenda Pfeiffer
and sheis definitely right a good leader should possess allo of thos characteristics and it is not about being in control but being in charge. Being a leader is a very difficult joband many don't get the chance to be one or do not have those qualities.
I disagree with Brenda Pfeiffer, that is not a good leader, that is a perfect leader. Knowing that no human is perfect, there are is no such thing as a perfect leader. We need to be more realistic to define a good leader.
ReplyDeleteI think that a leader should be very confident, compassionate, friendly, helpful etc. Not only should a leader be all of those things and more, they should be comfortable in front of their peers and should be able to take control of a situation if needed. Although, there are many different types of leaders (like the mean, popular girl). No matter what, those people are still leaders, whether they are leading people in the wrong direction is a different story.
ReplyDeleteBut, I do think that a leader will not be in charge forever, whether they have good or bad intentions.
~ Gabbi Solovay
Period 5
I think the number one quality that makes someone a leader is confidence. Having a high self-esteem and being self-assured is all someone needs. Of course, a leader needs many more qualities than that to be a GOOD leader, but that is the basic quality for any kind of leader. In fact, the leader could have no clue what he or she is even saying, but as long as he/she says it with assurance and in a dignified tone, there are sure to be followers. Some people are just born with that confidence. Others tend to follow along. But everyone has the potential to become a leader.
ReplyDelete-Courtney E.
All of the previous comments made point out qualities a leader should have to be effective. However, I believe a beneficial leader posses the ability to persuade and motivate. Leaders need to be honest and intelligent. More importantly, a leader must be able to inspire others. Providing inspiration is the key to persuading people to support the opinions of the leader. For instance, you can be confident and self assured, but need to still then influence and motivate people to follow your ideas. The skill of being able to move, motivate, and persuade people to think and act like you. This is what makes you stand out above others and defines you as a leader. For example, Fidel Castro had a lot of opposition during his terms in office. Nevertheless, was able to remain in power due to his persuasive skill.
ReplyDeleteDavid Rutner Pd. 6