how to be good leader essay

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What Makes A Good Leader: Essay Hints

Table of Contents

In this essay, you need to discuss the essential qualities needed for becoming an effective leader. In fact, different situations require different types of leadership styles, so it may be hard to choose the qualities that define good leaders admired by people from bad ones.

Besides, there are common misconceptions about their role. In this article, we will try to answer the question of “what makes a good leader essay” and give you some recommendations about the aspects you should focus on.

Essay structure and key points to cover

Wondering what the best way to approach an essay on leadership qualities is? Leadership essays can be written in the expository style and structured to include different subtopics:

• Discussion of major leadership theories.
• Personality traits defining great leaders.
• Leadership styles and how they work.
• Leadership principles and core values.
• Examples of leaders in different spheres of society.
• People you consider to be leaders in your life.
• Leadership skills you have.

It’s important to demonstrate an original personal understanding of leadership concept and provide impressive illustrative examples taken from today’s real life or history. That’s the best thing to do when reviewing various leadership qualities.

What are the qualities of a good leader: essay ideas

When we take an in-depth look at history, we see countless leadership qualities that were adopted by both good and bad leaders. When writing what are the qualities of a good leader essay, you should focus on the characteristics and strengths of a leader, and how they help influence and motivate other people along with achieving own goals.

These are emotional and behavioral characteristics of well-known leaders that helped them succeed:

• Vision – effective leaders have exciting ideas, they usually are forward-looking, and have excellent strategic planning skills.
• Communication – communicating ideas clearly and concisely is essential to ensure teamwork towards the same goal.
• Integrity – they are honest and can always tell the truth in any situation.
• Confidence – they dare to take risks to achieve their goals and never give up.
• Responsiveness – good leaders value their team, listen to people they lead, and quickly change their behavior to match different situations.
• Determination – good leaders are passionate about what they do and can motivate people by demonstrating their own commitment.
• Empathy is the most important skill which allows to create strong bonds of trust and build successful teams.

Tips on writing a winning essay on leadership

When working on what makes a good leader essay, students should follow certain basic steps.

• Research relevant sources on the internet to get a better understanding of the concept, read a lot, and make notes of interesting ideas which can be used in your paper.
• Brainstorm ideas to write about, formulate a strong thesis statement and create a detailed working outline. Organize information in a logical order.
• Start writing a draft with an introduction. Engage readers with a hook – provocative question, anecdote, stunning fact, convincing statistics. Introduce a subject, providing relevant background information. End introductory paragraph with a specific thesis that sums up your ideas.
• Devote separate body paragraphs to specific points supporting the main argument. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, presenting key points, give detailed explanations, and provide additional evidence and examples. Include appropriate citations with proper referencing. Sum up and demonstrate how each paragraph contributes to the logical argument.
• Create a convincing conclusion to wrap up the paper’s key points.
• Revise the first draft , make improvements in content, logic, and sentence structure. Edit to improve word choice and clarity.
• Proofread the final version – fix minor errors and typos. Create references list and check the formatting of the entire paper.

The use of a leadership essay sample

Still not sure that you can write a good leader essay that will impress your readers? Read biographies of famous people who played crucial roles in human history, created big successful businesses, managed large corporations to learn which qualities contributed to their success.

Besides, you may want to check out some good paper examples.

Find out how powerful papers on this topic are structured and what interesting points they cover. Use essay samples as templates or models to follow.

See this short sample paragraph which discusses one of the leadership qualities for inspiration.

Empathy, an ability to recognize other’s feelings and perspectives and understand other people’s needs is crucial in leadership. Being empathetic means you can step into another person’s world and this character trait is essential for success due to several reasons. It’s impossible to effectively lead people you don’t understand. You can effectively motivate and influence someone if you know their feelings. Empathy is one of the keys to successful leadership because it helps build relationships with people they lead and create an environment of open communication. Luckily, empathy is natural for humans and we can even learn to be more empathetic and demonstrate this ability to people around us.

No time to write your essay on leadership? We’ve got plenty of time here! Our writers strive to help you out. Click the button faster and get yourself a perfect essay with no struggle!

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Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on  in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point  is  give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born. 

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions. 

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.  

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

• What are the main qualities of the leader?
• Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
• The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
• The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
• The role of female leadership
• What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
• How college helps students develop leadership skills?
• Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them 
• Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
• Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
• Top techniques for developing leadership skills
• The interconnection of creativity and leadership 
• Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
• Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
• Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
• The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
• Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
• Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
• Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
• The role of cognitive abilities for the leader 

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What Is Positive Leadership? An Employer’s Guide

What makes a positive leader? Great leadership comes in many forms, with a positive leadership style focusing on positive behavior. Learn more about it, why it’s beneficial, and how to adopt this leadership style.

Positive leadership is a leadership style that borrows ideas from positive psychology. It focuses on positive behavior and inclusive techniques to encourage, support, and lead. While some leadership styles focus on authoritative methods or control to manage people, positive leadership, by contrast, is about empowerment and is shown to have an upward effect on morale, job satisfaction, engagement , and confidence.

In this article, you’ll learn about the types of positive leadership, when this type of leadership is beneficial, and the traits of a positive leader, as well as steps to implement this leadership style.

Types of positive leadership styles

Positive leadership is a term that encompasses many leadership styles. These styles generally focus on encouraging and inspiring rather than using what not to do as the goal. When you adopt a positive leadership style, you encourage others through positive emotions. This includes modeling positive behavior, as well as using techniques to enhance positivity as a way to bring about self-awareness, optimism, motivation, and change. 

You’ll find many leadership styles that come under the category of positive leadership. Let’s take a look.

Read more: Company Culture: Why It Matters

Transformational leadership

Transformational leaders are inspiring and motivating. With this leadership style, you motivate others to work toward a goal by creating a strong, exciting vision that people buy into and collectively motivate them to achieve. If this is your style, you are empowering, with a skill for sharing the bigger picture and encouraging others through modeling trust, commitment, and a strong work ethic.

Authentic leadership

An authentic leader is a person who is open, honest, and true to themselves. This type of leader means inspiring others through trusting relationships, focusing on inclusivity, transparency, and a genuine interest in your team, their strengths, and preferences. Authentic leadership is about embracing mistakes, learning from them, modeling learning, and developing in a safe, supportive environment with honest, constructive feedback and encouragement.

Coaching leadership

Coaching leadership is characterized by your ability to help team members achieve their goals through encouragement, positive reinforcement, and a careful balance of praise and highlighting where improvement is needed. It is about goal setting, challenge, and accountability from someone who emanates trust, support, and encouragement.

Charismatic leadership

If you are a charismatic leader, you are excellent at engaging with people and persuading them to work toward your vision. You are inspiring, motivating, and have a personality people want to collaborate with and be around. Your enthusiasm and passion are catching.

Traits of a positive leader

As you’ll have noticed above, positive leadership comes with certain traits that define the style and put people at the center. Let’s take a look at some in more detail:

Care and support

As a positive leader, you stand up for your team; they know you have their back and genuinely care about their well-being and how you can assist them. Look at root causes and support your team with any challenges they face should results fall short.

Empowerment

Empowering people is an essential part of positive leadership. It’s not just about supporting your team but inspiring and motivating them to achieve their potential. You do this by creating a supportive environment where people can solve problems, learn from mistakes, and use their strengths.

Read more: 4 Steps to Build Employee Empowerment

Part of positive leadership is having passion and commitment to your vision and leading by example. Passion and dedication are inspiring to others and encourage people to want to contribute to and achieve the vision you’ve mapped out.

Authenticity

Your authentic self is vital in positive leadership. It involves being open, transparent, and someone your team can relate to and feel safe with and supported by. Being authentic also means crediting others where it’s due and recognizing the individual contributions others make to the team.

As a good leader, you are confident in yourself, your approach, and the abilities and contributions of your team. Being confident in your decisions inspires confidence in others, who, in turn, can trust you as their leader.

Self-awareness

As a positive leader, self-awareness is important. You can quickly identify your strengths and weaknesses and address them, know how to ask for feedback, and use it to improve.

Who uses positive leadership?

Positive leadership is a style anyone can use regardless of where they are. Leadership styles are a preference, and positive leaders are everywhere. Anyone can employ the techniques and traits needed to become a positive leader.

Some famous examples of positive leaders include the following people:

• Martin Luther King

• Colin Powell

• Abraham Lincoln

• Mother Teresa

• Oprah Winfrey 

Pros and cons of positive leadership

As with any leadership style, you’ll see advantages and disadvantages. Leadership styles are a personal preference, and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for someone else.

Pros of positive leadership

Positive leadership has many benefits. Putting people first creates a caring, supportive environment where people feel comfortable sharing ideas, putting themselves forward, and problem-solving, even if they make mistakes. It has been linked to high job satisfaction, enhanced performance, and boosted morale.

Cons of positive leadership

Positive leadership also has downsides. When employers unquestioningly trust their employees, managers may ask fewer questions and believe everything is going well. This can lead to difficulties in addressing issues later on or failure to bring people in line who need closer management.

How to get started with positive leadership

If positive leadership is the right leadership style for you, here are some steps you can take to adopt this approach.

Change your language

Positive leadership focuses on encouraging positive behavior, so positive language is important. Rather than focusing on what not to do, use language that inspires, motivates, and builds confidence.

Empower your team

Empowering your team is critical with this type of leadership. Work with your team to achieve a goal, but give them the space, tools, and resources to solve problems and develop their own innovations rather than micro-managing.

Lead by example

Be the leader your team looks up to by modeling what you want from them and supporting them to do as you do. Being supportive, getting to know your team and their strengths, allowing yourself to make mistakes, and learning from them are great ways to build a team that promotes positive leadership from the top down.

Promote peace

Positive leadership is about creating a supportive, empowering environment where people can grow and thrive. There isn’t room for negativity, so you must have skills in conflict resolution and use these to model a peaceful environment.

Take a course

Part of positive leadership is encouraging and supporting your team to develop, and you must model this behavior. A great way of doing this is to bolster your leadership skills through a course or Professional Certificate .

If you want to learn more about leadership styles and ways to improve yours, you’ll find many online courses on Coursera. You may consider the Leading Peoples and Teams Specialization delivered by the University of Michigan or Connected Leadership from Yale University as a starting point. 

Keep reading

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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10 Tips for Becoming a Better Leader

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Getty Images

How would you describe a strong leader? In one study, leadership qualities such as assertiveness, adaptability, intelligence, and conscientiousness were cited as the most important.

Transformational leaders are positive, empowering, and inspiring. They value followers and inspire them to perform better. So what can you do to embrace these valued leadership qualities and become a stronger and more effective leader?

Transformational leaders are usually described as enthusiastic, passionate, genuine and energetic. These leaders are not just concerned about helping the group achieve its goals; they also care about helping each member of the group reach his or her full potential. 

Consider some of the following tips for how to become a better leader and think about ways that you can implement these strategies in your daily life.

Start by Understanding Your Leadership Style

Understanding your current leadership style is essential. What are your strengths? Which areas need some improvement? One way to start assessing your skills is to take this leadership style quiz to get a general idea of how you lead.

Once you have completed the quiz, read about the major characteristics of your dominant style. Are these qualities helping or hindering your leadership? Once you've determined which areas need some work, you can begin looking for ways to improve your leadership abilities.

Encourage Creativity

Intellectual stimulation is one of the leadership qualities that define transformational leadership. Followers need to be encouraged to express their creativity . Effective leaders should offer new challenges with ample support to achieve these goals.  

One way to foster creativity is to offer challenges to group members, making sure that the goals are within the grasp of their abilities. The purpose of this type of exercise is to get people to stretch their limits but not become discouraged by barriers to success.

Serve as a Role Model

Idealized influence is another of the four key components of transformational leadership. Transformational leaders exemplify the behaviors and characteristics that they encourage in their followers. They walk the walk and talk the talk. As a result, group members admire these leaders and work to emulate these behaviors.

Research suggests that leaders are able to foster a specific belief and then transmit that inspiration to their followers.   As a result, followers are optimistic and have high standards for performance and achievement.

If you want to become a better leader, work on modeling the qualities that you would like to see in your team members.

Be Passionate

Would you look to someone for guidance and leadership if they did not truly care about the goals of the group? Of course not! Great leaders are not just focused on getting group members to finish tasks; they have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for the projects they work on.  

You can develop this leadership quality by thinking of different ways that you can express your zeal. Let people know that you care about their progress. When one person shares something with the rest of the group, be sure to tell them how much you appreciate such contributions.

Listen and Communicate Effectively

Another important quality of transformational leadership involves a focus on providing one-on-one communication with group members. Transformational leadership is effective when leaders are able to communicate their vision to followers, who then feel inspired and motivated by this vision.  

Good leaders should express sincere care and concern for the members of their group both verbally and nonverbally .

By keeping the lines of communication open, these leaders can ensure that group members feel able to make contributions and receive recognition for their achievements.

Have a Positive Attitude

Transformational leaders have an upbeat, optimistic attitude that serves as a source of inspiration for followers. If leaders seem discouraged or apathetic, members of the group are likely to also become uninspired.

Even when things look bleak and your followers start to feel disheartened, try to stay positive. This does not mean viewing things through rose-colored glasses. It simply means maintaining a sense of optimism and hope in the face of challenges.

Encourage People to Make Contributions

Let the members of your team know that you welcome their ideas. Leaders who encourage involvement from group members are often referred to as democratic or participative leaders . While they retain the final say over all decisions, they encourage team members to take an active role in coming up with ideas and plans.

Research has shown that using a democratic leadership style leads to greater commitment, more creative problem-solving and improved productivity.  

Motivate Your Followers

Transformational leaders also provide inspirational motivation to encourage their followers to get into action.   Of course, being inspirational isn't always easy. Fortunately, you don't need motivational speeches to rouse your group members.

Some ideas for leadership​ inspiration include being genuinely passionate about ideas or goals, helping followers feel included in the process and offering recognition, praise, and rewards for people's accomplishments.

Offer Rewards and Recognition

Another important quality of a good leader involves knowing that offering effective recognition and rewards is one of the best ways to help followers feel appreciated and happy.   It may also come as no surprise that happy people tend to perform better at work.

Keep Trying New Things

Who says leadership is a one-way relationship? As you work toward developing some of these leadership qualities, don't forget to look to your followers for feedback and inspiration. Pay attention to the things that have been effective in the past and always be on the lookout for new ways to inspire, motivate, and reward group members.

Cekmecelioglu, HG, Ozbag, GK. Leadership and creativity: the impact of transformational leadership on individual creativity. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences . 2016;235(24):243-249. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.11.020

Hayati D, Charkhabi M, Naami A. The relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement in governmental hospitals nurses: a survey study .  Springerplus . 2014;3:25. doi:10.1186/2193-1801-3-25

Steinmann B, Klug HJP, Maier GW. The path is the goal: how transformational leaders enhance followers' job attitudes and proactive behavior .  Front Psychol . 2018;9:2338. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02338

Amanchukwu RN, Stanley GJ, Ololube NP. A review of leadership theories, principles and styles and their relevance to educational management . Management . 2015;5(1):6-14. doi:10.5923/j.mm.20150501.02

Riggio, RE. The 4 elements of transformational leaders . Psychology Today . November 15, 2014.

Gillbert SL, Kelloway, EK. Leadership, recognition and well-being: a moderated mediational model . Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences . 2018;35(4):523-524. doi:10.1002/cjas.1477

Bass BM, Riggio, RE. Transformational Leadership (2nd ed.). Erlbaum; 2016.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Introduction

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

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Leadership Essay for Students and Children

500+ Words Essay on Leadership

First of all, Leadership refers to the quality of leading people. Probably, it is one of the most important aspects of life. Above all, Leadership has led to the progress of human civilization . Without good Leadership, no organization or group can succeed. Furthermore, not everyone has this quality. This is because effective Leadership requires certain important characteristics.

Qualities of a Good Leader

First of all, confidence is the most quality. A leader must have strong self-confidence. A person lacking in confidence can never be a good leader. A person must be confident enough to ensure others follow him. The leader must have confidence in his decisions and actions. If he is unsure, then how can people have the desire to follow him.

A good leader must certainly inspire others. A leader must be a role model for his followers. Furthermore, he must motivate them whenever possible. Also, in difficult situations, a leader must not lose hope. How can a leader inspire people if he himself is hopeless?

Honesty is another notable quality of a leader. Honesty and Integrity are important to earn the love of followers. Above all, honesty is essential to win the trust of the people. Probably, every Leadership which loses trust is bound to fail. People will not work with full effort due to an immoral leader.

Good communication is a must for a good leader. This is because poor communication means the wrong message to followers. Furthermore, good communication will increase the rate of work. Also, the chances of mistakes by followers will reduce.

Another important quality is decision making. Above all, if a leader makes poor decisions then other qualities will not matter. Furthermore, good decision making ensures the success of the entire group. If the leader makes poor decisions, then the efforts of followers won’t matter.

A good leader must be an excellent innovator. He must display a creative attitude in his work. Most noteworthy, innovation is a guarantee of survival of a group or innovation. Without creative thinking, progress is not possible.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Real-Life Examples of Good Leadership

Mahatma Gandhi was an excellent example of a good leader. He was a staunch believer in non-violence. With his brilliant Leadership skills, he made the British leave India. Probably, this was the most unique independence struggle. This is because Gandhi got freedom without any violence.

Abraham Lincoln was another notable leader. Most noteworthy, he ended the slavery system in the United States. Consequently, he made many enemies. However, he was a man of massive self-confidence. His struggle against slavery certainly became an inspiration.

Sir Winston Churchill was a great patriotic Englishman. Most noteworthy, he led Britain in the 2nd World War. Furthermore, he was extremely inspirational. He inspired Britain to fight against Nazi Germany. His great communication motivated the entire country at a time of hopelessness.

To conclude, Leadership is required in probably every sphere of life. Good leadership is the door to success. In contrast, bad leadership is a guarantee of failure. Consequently, good leaders are what make the world go round.

FAQs on Leadership

Q.1 Which is the most important quality for being a good leader? A.1 The most important quality for being a good leader is self-confidence.

Q.2 Why Sir Winston Churchill is a good leader? A.2 Sir Winston Churchill is a good leader because he inspired Britain to fight in 2nd World War. Furthermore, his excellent communication also raised the motivation of his people.

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Key Qualities of Good Leader

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Published: Jul 15, 2020

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Leaders, Make Curiosity the Core of Your Organizational Culture

• John Coleman

Keeping a competitive edge requires constant questioning.

Great corporate cultures are not just good for performance, but for the flourishing and engagement of the people who work in them and to deliver greater meaning and purpose. But oft overlooked is the central role that curiosity plays in crafting an organizational culture. To unlock the potential of their institutions and the people within them, great leaders need to demonstrate consistent curiosity in four key areas. First, they must be curious about the values and motivations of their employees in shaping and maintaining a corporate culture. Second, curiosity must be extended to customers to find out not just about your products and services but about “why” your customers love your organization. Third, leaders must reflect with open-mindedness and curiosity on their own roles, especially as they change. Finally, leaders must stay curious about the changing nature of their companies and contexts over time, and adjust their cultures accordingly.

Organizational culture is a remarkable competitive advantage. McKinsey & Company, for example, has found that top quartile cultures outperform median cultures by 60% — and bottom quartile cultures by 200% — and that those company’s cultures are both difficult for competitors to replicate and allow the organization to better adapt to changing circumstances. These findings are echoed in the research of Alex Edmans of London Business School, who found similar outperformance among companies with exceptional cultures.

• JC John Coleman is the author of the HBR Guide to Crafting Your Purpose . Subscribe to his free newsletter, On Purpose , follow him on Twitter @johnwcoleman, or contact him at johnwilliamcoleman.com.

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Is listening to music a hobby, was fidel castro a good or a bad leader.

Image: britannica.com

The following review example can serve as a guide for students trying to find inspiration when writing an assignment on the question “Was Fidel Castro a good leader?”

Fidel Castro, a central figure in communist governance, led Cuba for 47 years, enduring tough sanctions. He was viewed differently: some saw him as a harsh dictator who eliminated political rivals and restricted freedoms, while others hailed him as a hero for the working class, advocating for equality and fairness. These contrasting views make him a contentious figure in history. Despite the debates, his impact on Cuba and global politics in the 20th and 21st centuries is undeniable. This is the story of Fidel Castro’s eventful life.

Was Fidel Castro good?

How did Fidel Castro’s leadership shape Cuba’s social and economic landscape? Under Castro’s rule, Cuba saw significant human rights advancements, including remarkable improvements in healthcare and housing. His government also spearheaded a major initiative to boost literacy rates, achieving notable success. Until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the subsequent impact of the US trade blockade that severely affected its economy, Cuba presented a model of development for regional countries.

Unlike right-wing dictatorships in countries like the Dominican Republic or Panama, which were notorious for human rights abuses and ran corrupt capitalist systems backed by the USA, Cuba focused on the welfare of its people. The living standards of working-class Cubans before 1991 were arguably higher compared to those in many neighboring countries, considering the significant strides in feeding, educating, and maintaining the health of its population.

Even during the difficult ‘Special Period’ in the 1990s, when Cuba faced severe economic challenges, including a drastic reduction in oil supplies, the country made extraordinary progress. This period necessitated innovation in sustainable agriculture and the development of efficient food production and distribution systems. These systems, born out of necessity rather than ideology, positioned Cuba as a pioneer in sustainable organic agriculture. These advances are particularly noteworthy, considering they occurred during a time of acute resource scarcity and could provide valuable lessons for global food security and environmental sustainability.

However, Castro’s regime was not without its criticisms. The absence of elections for decades, the one-party rule, and the suppression of political dissent are points of contention. Castro was undeniably a dictator, and his governance style, while avoiding the pitfalls of a corrupt two-party system, was far from what is traditionally considered democratic. The command economy, although less efficient in commodity distribution compared to market economies, needs to be viewed in the context of Cuba’s limited export options, primarily sugar, rum, and tobacco.

In a broader context, for a small island nation with limited resources, Cuba’s achievements under Castro’s leadership are remarkable. The focus on fundamental human needs like health, education, and housing set Cuba apart from many of its neighbors. The innovations in agriculture and food systems during the ‘Special Period’ demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Fidel Castro expanded social services, making healthcare and education free while guaranteeing employment for every Cuban.

In summary, Fidel Castro’s Cuba, with its mixed legacy of human rights improvements, educational and health achievements, alongside its political and economic challenges, offers a complex but significant case study in governance and development. The island’s journey under Castro’s rule highlights both the potential and limitations of a particular path of socialist governance, in a world dominated by different political and economic ideologies.

Was Fidel Castro bad?

What was the impact of Fidel Castro’s policies on freedom of expression and justice in Cuba? Castro’s 49-year rule, while notable for its social policy achievements, was also marked by a harsh suppression of freedom of expression. After assuming power in 1959 and establishing a provisional government, Castro orchestrated trials against members of the previous regime. These trials led to hundreds of summary executions, drawing international criticism for their perceived unfairness.

Fidel Castro’s 49-year reign was characterized by a ruthless suppression of freedom of expression.

Castro defended these actions by emphasizing the moral basis of what he termed “revolutionary justice,” asserting that those executed were not innocent or political opponents, but murderers who deserved their fate. This stance reflected a broader approach to justice under his regime, which deviated from traditional legal norms and focused on what was perceived as moral righteousness. Such actions fueled debates about the nature of justice and human rights under revolutionary governments, particularly in the context of transitioning from an oppressive regime to a new political order.

Cuba, under Castro’s rule, retained the death penalty for serious crimes. This policy was consistent with the government’s stance on dealing firmly with what it considered grave offenses against the state and society. However, it is important to note that the use of the death penalty decreased over time during Castro’s tenure. This decline might reflect a gradual shift in the government’s approach to criminal justice, possibly influenced by international perspectives and internal discussions about human rights and legal processes.

Despite these changes, the issue of freedom of expression remained a contentious one throughout Castro’s rule. The government’s tight control over media and public discourse, along with its response to dissent, attracted significant criticism from human rights organizations and international observers. The suppression of dissenting voices was often justified by the government as necessary for protecting the revolution and maintaining social order. However, critics argued that such measures stifled democratic freedoms and hindered the development of a more open and participatory political system.

The legacy of Castro’s approach to justice and freedom of expression is complex. On one hand, his government’s actions in the early years were seen as a necessary part of the revolutionary process, aimed at eliminating remnants of the previous oppressive regime and establishing a new social order. On the other hand, the prolonged suppression of dissent and limitation of freedoms raised serious concerns about the government’s commitment to fundamental human rights.

This dichotomy highlights the challenges faced by revolutionary governments in balancing the need for rapid and decisive action in the aftermath of a regime change with the principles of justice, human rights, and democratic freedoms. Castro’s Cuba serves as an example of how difficult it can be to navigate these competing priorities, especially in a context of intense political and ideological struggles.

In summary, Fidel Castro’s long rule in Cuba was characterized by significant achievements in social policy, but also by a controversial approach to justice and freedom of expression. The government’s actions in the early years, including summary executions and the retention of the death penalty, along with the ongoing suppression of dissent, reflected a complex interplay of revolutionary ideals, moral convictions, and practical considerations in the face of internal and external challenges. This aspect of Castro’s legacy continues to provoke debate and analysis, contributing to the broader discourse on the nature of justice and governance in post-revolutionary societies.

Why was Fidel Castro bad?

The following factors contribute to why some consider Fidel Castro’s legacy negatively, focusing on the authoritarian aspects of his rule and the impact on political freedoms and economic conditions in Cuba.

• Suppression of Political Dissent: Castro’s government was known for its harsh treatment of political opponents. This included imprisonment, harassment, and, in some cases, execution of those who opposed his regime. The lack of political plurality and suppression of opposition parties limited political freedom in Cuba.
• Human Rights Violations: International human rights organizations frequently criticized Castro’s government for violations. These included restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, and movement. Political dissidents often faced arrest and imprisonment without fair trial.
• Economic Hardships: While Castro’s policies improved healthcare and education, they also led to significant economic challenges. The nationalization of industries and collectivist policies resulted in inefficiencies and periodic shortages of basic goods, impacting the standard of living for many Cubans.
• Lack of Democratic Process: Castro never allowed free and fair elections during his tenure. The one-party system under the Communist Party meant that there was no democratic way for the Cuban people to express dissent or seek change in government.
• International Isolation: Castro’s alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and antagonistic relations with the United States led to economic sanctions and political isolation, which further impacted the Cuban economy and its global relations.

Fidel Castro’s rule in Cuba was marked by significant social policy achievements but also faced criticism for suppressing political dissent, human rights violations, economic challenges, and lack of democratic process, leading to a complex and contentious legacy.

What type of leader was Fidel Castro?

As the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 to 2011, Fidel Castro adhered to Marxist-Leninist ideologies and Cuban nationalism. His administration transformed Cuba into a one-party communist state, nationalizing industry and business, and implementing socialist reforms across society.

What was Fidel Castro fighting for?

Fidel Castro fought for a transformative vision of Cuba, rooted in Marxist-Leninist principles and Cuban nationalism. His aim was to overthrow the Batista dictatorship and establish a socialist state. He sought to end economic inequalities and US influence in Cuba, nationalizing industries and implementing widespread socialist reforms. His goals extended beyond mere political change; he aimed to reshape Cuban society, economy, and foreign relations, prioritizing independence, social justice, and the establishment of a communist system aligned with his revolutionary ideals.

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