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Social Sci LibreTexts

4.7: Leadership and the Qualities of Political Leaders

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  • Page ID 128427

  • Robert W. Maloy & Torrey Trust
  • University of Massachusetts via EdTech Books

Standard 4.7: Leadership and the Qualities of Political Leaders

Apply the knowledge of the meaning of leadership and the qualities of good leaders to evaluate political leaders in the community, state, and national levels. (Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for History and Social Studies) [8.T4.7]

FOCUS QUESTION: What is effective political leadership?

The letters of the word "LEADERSHIP", printed in black on a circular white background, are each enclosed within a colorful circle. Colorful arrows arc alternately over and under each colorful circle.

Standard 4.7 addresses political leadership and the qualities that people seek in those they choose for leadership roles in democratic systems of government.

Leadership involves multiple skills and talents. It has been said that an effective leader is someone who knows "when to lead, when to follow, and when to get out of the way" (the phrase is attributed to the American revolutionary Thomas Paine). In this view, effective leaders do much more than give orders. They create a shared vision for the future and viable strategic plans for the present. They negotiate ways to achieve what is needed while also listening to what is wanted. They incorporate individuals and groups into processes of making decisions and enacting policies by developing support for their plans.

Different organizations need different types of leaders. A commercial profit-making firm needs a leader who can grow the business while balancing the interests of consumers, workers, and shareholders. An athletic team needs a leader who can call the plays and manage the personalities of the players to achieve success on the field and off it. A school classroom needs a teacher-leader who knows the curriculum and pursues the goal of ensuring that all students can excel academically, socially, and emotionally. Governments—local, state, and national—need political leaders who can fashion competing ideas and multiple interests into policies and practices that will promote equity and opportunity for all.

The Massachusetts learning standard on which the following modules are based refers to the "qualities of good leaders," but what does a value-laden word like "good" mean in political and historical contexts? "Effective leadership" is a more nuanced term. What is an effective political leader? In the view of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be."

Examples of effective leaders include:

  • Esther de Berdt is not a well-known name, but during the Revolutionary War, she formed the Ladies Association of Philadelphia to provide aid (including raising more than $300,000 dollars and making thousands of shirts) for George Washington's Continental Army.
  • Mary Ellen Pleasant was an indentured servant on Nantucket Island, an abolitionist leader before the Civil War and a real estate and food establishment entrepreneur in San Francisco during the Gold Rush, amassing a fortune of $30 million dollars which she used to defend Black people accused of crimes. Although she lost all her money in legal battles and died in poverty, she is recognized today as the " Mother of Civil Rights in California ."
  • Ida B. Wells , born a slave in Mississippi in 1862, began her career as a teacher and spent her life fighting for Black civil rights as a journalist, anti-lynching crusader and political activist. She was 22 years-old in 1884 when she refused to give up her seat to a White man on a railroad train and move to a Jim Crow car, for which she was thrown off the train. She won her court case, but that judgement was later reversed by a higher court. She was a founder of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Women.
  • Sylvia Mendez , the young girl at the center of the 1946 Mendez v. Westminster landmark desegregation case; Chief John Ross , the Cherokee leader who opposed the relocation of native peoples known as the Trail of Tears; and Fred Korematsu , who challenged the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, are discussed elsewhere in this book.

The INVESTIGATE and UNCOVER modules for this topic explore five more women and men, straight and gay, Black and White, who demonstrated political leadership throughout their lives. ENGAGE asks who would you consider are the most famous Americans in United States history?

Modules for this Standard Include:

  • INVESTIGATE: Frances Perkins, Margaret Sanger, and Harvey Milk - Three Examples of Political Leadership
  • UNCOVER: Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver, and Black Inventors' Contributions to Math, Science, and Politics
  • MEDIA LITERACY CONNECTIONS: Celebrities' Influence on Politics

4.7.1 INVESTIGATE: Frances Perkins, Margaret Sanger, and Harvey Milk - Three Examples of Political Leadership

Three individuals offer ways to explore the multiple dimensions of political leadership and social change in the United States: one who was appointed to a government position, one who assumed a political role as public citizen, and one who was elected to political office.

  • Appointed: An economist and social worker, Frances Perkins was appointed as Secretary of Labor in 1933, the first woman to serve in a President Cabinet.
  • Assumed: Margaret Sanger was a nurse and political activist who became a champion of reproductive rights for women. She opened the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn in 1916.
  • Elected: Harvey Milk was the first openly gay elected official in California in 1977. He was assassinated in 1978. By 2020, a LGBTQ politician has been elected to a political office in every state.

Frances Perkins and the Social Security Act of 1935

An economist and social worker, Frances Perkins was Secretary of Labor during the New Deal—the first woman member of a President’s Cabinet. Learn more: Frances Perkins, 'The Woman Behind the New Deal.'

Painted portrait of Frances Perkins at her desk, by Jean MacLane

Francis Perkins was a leader in the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935 that created a national old-age insurance program while also giving support to children, the blind, the unemployed, those needing vocational training, and family health programs. By the end of 2018, the Social Security trust funds totaled nearly $2.9 trillion. There is more information at the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki page Frances Perkins and the Social Security Act .

Margaret Sanger and the Struggle for Reproductive Rights

Margaret Sanger was a women's reproductive rights and birth control advocate who, throughout a long career as a political activist, achieved many legal and medical victories in the struggle to provide women with safe and effective methods of contraception. She opened the nation's first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York in 1916.

Formal studio black-and-white photograph of Margaret Sanger, taken in 1921 by Underwood & Underwood.

Margaret Sanger's collaboration with Gregory Pincus led to the development and approval of the birth control pill in 1960. Four years later, in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the Supreme Court affirmed women's constitutional right to use contraceptives. There is more information at the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki page Margaret Sanger and Reproductive Rights for Women .

However, Margaret Sanger's political and public health views include disturbing facts. In summer 2020, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York said it would remove her name from a Manhattan clinic because of her connections to eugenics, a movement for selective breeding of human beings that targeted the poor, people with disabilities, immigrants and people of color.

Harvey Milk, Gay Civil Rights Leader

In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California by winning a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the city’s legislative body.

Photograph taken by Jacob Rodriguez of the California Hall of Fame exhibit for Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, on the first floor of the California Museum.

To win that election, Harvey Milk successfully built a coalition of immigrant, elderly, minority, union, gay, and straight voters focused on a message of social justice and political change. He was assassinated after just 11 months in office, becoming a martyr for the gay rights movement. There is more information at a resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki page, Harvey Milk, Gay Civil Rights Leader .

Suggested Learning Activities

  • What personal qualities and public actions do you think make a person a leader?
  • Who do you consider to be an effective leader in your school? In a job or organization in the community? In a civic action group?
  • How can you become a leader in your school or community?

Online Resources for Frances Perkins, Margaret Sanger, and Harvey Milk

  • Frances Perkins , FDR Presidential Library and Museum
  • Her Life: The Woman Behind the New Deal , Frances Perkins Center
  • Margaret Sanger Biography , National Women's History Museum
  • Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) , American Experience PBS
  • Harvey Milk Lesson Plans using James Banks’ Four Approaches to Multicultural Teaching , Legacy Project Education Initiative
  • Harvey Milk pages from the New York Times
  • Teaching LGBTQ History and Why It Matters , Facing History and Ourselves
  • Official Harvey Milk Biography
  • Harvey Milk's Political Accomplishments
  • Harvey Milk: First Openly Gay Male Elected to Public Office in the United States, Legacy Project Education Initiative

4.7.2 UNCOVER: Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver, and Black Inventors' Contributions to Math, Science, and Politics

Benjamin banneker.

Benjamin Banneker was a free Black astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, author, and farmer who was part of the commission which made the original survey of Washington, D.C. in 1791.

Ink-and-graphite poster entitled "Benjamin Banneker: Astronomer City-Planner", created by Charles Henry Alston in 1943. Includes pictures and text describing Banneker's achievements, though accuracy is not verified: "At 22, using a borrowed pocket watch as a model, a pocket knife as his only tool, he constructed the first clock made in America. It kept accurate time for over 20 years!", "On the advice of Thomas Jefferson, he was placed on the commission which surveyed and laid out the city of Washington, D.C.!", and "Planning for peace in time of war was advocated by Banneker in his famous Almanac in 1793!".

Benjamin Banneker was "a man of many firsts" ( Washington Interdependence Council, 2017, para. 1 ). In the decades before and after the American Revolution, he made the first striking clock made of indigenous American parts, he was the first to track the 17-year locust cycle, and he was among the first farmers to employ crop rotation to improve yield.

Between 1792 and 1797, Banneker published a series of annual almanacs of astronomical and tidal information with weather predictions, doing all the mathematical and scientific calculations himself ( Benjamin Banneker's Almanac ). He has been called the first Black Civil Rights leader because of his opposition to slavery and his willingness to speak out against the mistreatment of Native Americans.

George Washington Carver

Born into slavery in Diamond, Missouri around 1864, George Washington Carver became a world-famous chemist and agricultural researcher. It is said that he single-handedly revolutionized southern agriculture in the United States, including researching more than 300 uses of peanuts, introducing methods of prevent soil depletion, and developing crop rotation methods.

Bronze statue of George Washington Carver as a boy seated on a piece of rock, at the George Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri.

A monument in Diamond, Missouri, of a statue showing Carver as a young boy, was the first ever national memorial to honor an African American ( George Washington Carver National Monument ).

Benjamin Banneker and George Washington Carver are just two examples from the long history of Black Inventors in the United States. Many of the names and achievements are not known today - Elijah McCoy, Granville Woods, Madame C J Walker, Thomas L. Jennings, Henry Blair, Norbert Rillieux, Garrett Morgan, Jan Matzeliger - but with 50,000 total patents, Black people accounted for more inventions during the period 1870 to 1940 than immigrants from every country except England and Germany ( The Black Inventors Who Elevated the United States: Reassessing the Golden Age of Invention , Brookings (November 23, 2020).

You can learn more details about these innovators at the African American Inventors of the 19th Century page on the resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki.

  • Create 3D digital artifacts (using TinkerCad or another 3D modeling software ) that represent Banneker's and Carver's contributions to math, science, and politics.
  • Bonus Points: Create a board (or digital) game that incorporates the 3D artifacts and educates others about Banneker and Carver.
  • Using the online resources below and your own Internet research findings, write a people's history for Benjamin Banneker or George Washington Carver.

Online Resources for Benjamin Banneker, George Washington Carver and Black Inventors

  • Benjamin Banneker from Mathematicians of the African Diaspora , University of Buffalo
  • Mathematician and Astronomer Benjamin Banneker Was Born November 8, 1731 , Library of Congress
  • Benjamin Banneker, African American Author, Surveyor and Scientist, resourcesforhistoryteachers wiki page
  • George Washingto n Car ver , National Peanut Board
  • George Washington Carver, State Historical Society of Missouri
  • 16 Surprising Facts about George Washington Carver , National Peanut Board

4.7.3 ENGAGE: Who Do You Think Are the Most Famous Americans?

In 2007 and 2008, Sam Wineburg and a group of Stanford University researchers asked 11th and 12th grade students to write names of the most famous Americans in history from Columbus to the present day ( Wineburg & Monte-Sano, 2008 ). The students could not include any Presidents on the list. The students were then asked to write the names of the five most famous women in American history. They could not list First Ladies.

To the surprise of the researchers, girls and boys from across the country, in urban and rural schools, had mostly similar lists: Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, and Benjamin Franklin were the top five selections. Even more surprising, surveys of adults from an entirely different generation produced remarkably similar lists.

The researchers concluded that a broad "cultural curriculum" conveyed through media images, corporate advertising, and shared information has a far greater effect on what is learned about people in history than do textbooks and classes in schools.

Media Literacy Connections: Celebrities' Influence on Politics

During elections, celebrities might endorse a political candidate or issue in hopes that their fans will follow in their footsteps. Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama for President in 2008 has been cited as the most impactful celebrity endorsement in history ( U.S. Election: What Impact Do Celebrity Endorsements Really Have? The Conversation , October 4, 2016).

Do celebrity endorsements make a real difference for voters? Researchers are undecided. In 2018, 65,000 people registered to vote in Tennessee after Taylor Swift (who had 180 million followers on Instagram) endorsed two Democratic Congressional candidates - one candidate won and the other lost. Swift's endorsement was followed by more than 212,000 new voter registrations across the country, mostly among those in the 18 to 24 age group. Perhaps what celebrities say has more impact on younger voters?

Can you think of some examples of celebrities who have shared their political views or endorsements on social media? Who are these celebrities? In what ways did they influence politics?

In these activities, you will analyze media endorsements by celebrities, and then develop a request (or pitch) to convince a celebrity to endorse your candidate for President in the next election.

  • Activity 1: Analyze Celebrity Endorsements in the Media
  • Activity 2: Request a Celebrity Endorsement for a Presidential Candidate
  • As a class or with a group of friends, write individual lists of the 10 most famous or influential Americans in United States history.
  • Explore similarities and differences across the lists.
  • How many women or people of color were on the lists?
  • Investigate the reasons for the similarities and differences.
  • Returning to the Sam Wineburg study, "Why were Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and LGBTQ individuals left off the lists?" (see the full study here: " 'Famous Americans': The Changing Pantheon of American Heroes ")
  • Research an individual's work and contributions, and in 200-250 words describe who they are, why you selected them, and what aspect of their work is important to the field. Within your description, include at least 2 links relevant to this individual ( Plan from Royal Roads University ).

Standard 4.7 Conclusion

Effective political leadership is an essential ingredient of a vibrant democracy. Unlike dictators or despots, effective leaders offer plans for change and invite people to join in and help to achieve those goals. Effective leaders work collaboratively and cooperatively, not autocratically. INVESTIGATE looked at three democratic leaders who entered political life in different ways: Frances Perkins, who was appointed to a Presidential Cabinet; Margaret Sanger, who assumed a public role as an advocate and activist; and Harvey Milk, who was elected to political office. UNCOVER reviewed the life and accomplishments of Benjamin Banneker and George Washington Carver. ENGAGE asked who people think are the most famous Americans in United States history.

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What it takes to be a Political leader and important qualities of a Good Leader

Management is doing things right; Leadership is doing the right things.

– Peter Drucker

Mark Skousen says, “We shall never change our political leaders until we change the people who elect them.” Hence its important as citizens to elect the right leader who can create transformation.

But surprisingly today’s politicians say, “They are going to do one thing while they intend to do another. Then they do neither what they said nor what they intended.”

What it takes to be a good political leader?

A good political leader is one who is capable to take decisions, determined to work for the betterment, has the willingness to manage & rectify issues and importantly stand up for what is right. A political leader should not be worried about his/her position, power and authority. He should always work for the growth of the society and should value his citizens. Every political leader should inherit the skills and research capabilities to think and act towards future growth. A successful leader, should have five major virtues: Discipline, Trustworthiness, Courage, Humaneness, Intelligence.

Of all the leadership roles, political leaders are always on top of everyone’s mind because they are in the news always for one reason or the other. Around the world there are many aspiring political leaders but unfortunately, there are few leaders who live up to the ethics and principles. 

“The future lies with those wise political leaders who realize that the great public is interested more in Government than in Politics.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt

To better understand leaders visit

Click here.

In India, most of the political leaders lack the basic and important leadership qualities such as accountability, transparency, availability and integrity. Some of these leaders even indulge in corruption and other illegal activities. In the present generation the word “ political leaders ” has a negative opinion on the citizens, which is not a surprise. However, the present developments show us that the upcoming young leaders are following the leadership ideals. We are seeing some positive changes in Indian politics, which is welcoming.

Having responsible politicians in the governing body is important as they are the decision makers of the country, state and other public affairs. They have the power to manage, distribute the economic resources, build relationships with stakeholders and make decisions that can have a great impact on the well-being of a nation. As a responsible citizens we expect our politicians to focus more on long-term plans for the wellness of the nation than the short-term plans. 

Responsibility is one of the most important leadership qualities. Most political leaders point fingers at other leaders rather than taking the responsibility upon them. Leaders should acknowledge other leaders contribution towards society. They should accept their own faults/ failures /mistakes and should always work towards their betterment.

A leader who is honest, accountable and takes responsibility for his/her own decisions and actions has the quality to become a great leader.

“Not all civil servants admire strong political leadership. But if you want to change things for the better, you need strong political leadership”. – Harriet Harman

Important Qualities of a good political leader:

  • He/she must be capable of making tough and brave decisions for better future of public.
  • He/she should have the courage to stand up and say what needs to be said rather than just tell what people like.
  • He/she should work for people’s well-being rather than fighting for their better political positions.
  • He/she must listen to the people and represent them faithfully.
  • He/she should be loyal to the people he/she represents. And he/she should be loyal to other leaders so that they can work together and face problems together.
  • Regardless of political parties and opinions, one should work with a range of other peoples to achieve the greatest good for the general public.
  • He/she should resist themselves from various temptations of the political arena.
  • He/she should be humble and down to earth. He/she should consider that he is just a leader and not owner of the people he represents.

Importance of leadership in society:

  • Leadership is instrumental for social change. Overcoming social problems or modernizing and abolishing social norms has been impossible without the right kind of leadership.
  • Leaders work for goodness of society, respect their people’s voice, creates a positive and happy society, and keep these people motivated and inspired.
  • Leadership will emphasize the importance of education, picking the right career, working hard and focusing on performance.
  • Some communities and societies are often remembered by their leaders and its exceptional social phenomenon that one leader can’t shape the future of the general public. They make them feel closer to each other and strengthen their bonds.
  • Leader has a capable of visualize the people needs from different angles and plan things accordingly. This would enable proper distribution of development and ensure productive results.

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Political Leadership: What Defines Good Political Leadership?

Jun 16, 2020

Political Leadership

The two-party system in the United States is an exciting way to look at the qualities of good political leadership. What defines good political leadership? This post will explore what makes up influential leaders in both parties.

What defines good leadership? There are several points on the topic. Some argue that it is about being able to have a vision and implement that vision effectively.

In contrast, others believe it is about having the strength to stand out for what you believe in. These two aspects of leadership can sometimes contradict each other, but when they work together, they create an unstoppable force seen in some of history’s most influential leaders.

Detailed Concepts of Political Leadership

Political leadership is the act of leading a political organization, whether it be local or global. The leader should have complex concepts and strategies to lead his people toward success.

Political leaders should focus on building a solid foundation, and embracing new technologies and opportunities is essential.

Leadership is the activity of guiding, directing, or motivating people to help them achieve specific goals.

If you wish to be a leader, it’s essential to understand the intricacies of politics. Otherwise, you won’t have the necessary understanding of how things work in your country.

Personal Characteristics of Political Leaders

  • Great leaders are willing to take risks
  • They have a strong sense of justice
  • They are self-aware and know their strengths and weaknesses
  • They set an example for others to follow with integrity, honesty, and compassion in all they do
  • Franklin Roosevelt was a strong leader who had experience leading the country
  • Hitler was an authoritarian dictator who wanted to control all aspects of society
  • Gandhi believed in non-violent protest and led India to independence from British rule
  • A leader’s character is revealed through their actions
  • Leaders are constantly under pressure to make decisions that will affect the lives of many people
  • The way a leader interacts with other people can show what kind of person they are, including how they treat subordinates, opponents, and friends
  • A good leader is confident in their beliefs and willing to take risks
  • A good leader knows how to delegate tasks and responsibilities
  • A good leader has a vision for the future that they are passionate about
  • A good leader listens to opposing viewpoints before making decisions
  • Good leaders can unite people with different backgrounds when faced with adversity

What are the Characteristics of a Good Leader?

A good leader can motivate their followers to complete a task they would not do independently.

Great leaders are honest, ethical, and competent. Their subordinates and peers also respect them.

A good leader is intelligent, ambitious, and creative. They’re also social, so they can easily communicate with their followers.

A good leader is honest, polite, and professional.

A Quick Guide to Working on Modern Political Campaigns

When working on a modern political campaign, many things can be done. This article will review some of them and advise you on doing your best work.

The following is a guide to what you need to do to work on modern political campaigns.

An essential part of political campaigns is to decide which issues are most relevant to voters. This might not seem easy, especially if the candidate has little political experience or previous office-holding.

The most significant thing to remember about working on a campaign is being passionate about the candidate’s position. If you’re not, the work will seem like an uphill battle.

There are several factors to consider when running a modern political campaign. The most important one is having an effective team of campaigners that can get the job done right.

Working on modern political campaigns is both challenging and rewarding. It involves hours of grunt work for little money, but you can learn much about the world and how it works.

What Defines Good Political Leadership?

The quality of a confident leader is not defined by gender, age, or education. It’s defined by whether they can uplift the people and country that depend on them.

Today we’re going to be talking about what defines good political leadership.

Political leaders must have a broad world perspective, including understanding their people.

Good political leadership is a combination of morals and competence.

The actions of great leaders often define good leadership. For example, Nelson Mandela was a leader who fought for equal rights and overcame many obstacles.

What defines good political leadership? Your opinion may be different than mine. When I think of a leader, I want them to have integrity and empathy for those they lead, as well as an understanding that listening is just as essential as speaking up.

There’s also the matter of intellect- do you want someone who can make quick decisions or slow down and plan? The list goes on, and what should define good leadership in your mind is how it aligns with yours.

If we see eye-to-eye on these qualities, we could work together to shape the future through better policymaking and more open conversation. Reach us today to find out more about our Political Leadership Consulting services!

One way to get in touch is by filling out our online form on this site or give us a call at +91 9848321284. Let’s work together today!

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a good political leader essay

President Joe Biden

Must the president be a moral leader?

a good political leader essay

Professor of Philosophy, Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington

Disclosure statement

Michael Blake receives funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

University of Washington provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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The best presidents – including figures such as Abraham Lincoln and George Washington – are celebrated not only as good leaders, but as good men. They embody not simply political skill, but personal virtue.

Why, though, should anyone expect a president to demonstrate that sort of virtue? If someone is good at the difficult job of political leadership, must they demonstrate exceptional moral character as well?

Character and democracy

Former presidents Donald Trump,  Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, sitting alongside in a row,

Voters disagree about the extent to which the president must demonstrate moral leadership. Scholars who study political ethics disagree as well.

Those who insist that the president must be virtuous often begin with the thought that a person in that office will face new and unanticipated problems during his or her term. A president whose decision-making is informed by a consistent character, will, in the face of new challenges, rely upon the lessons that have built that character .

As scholar James David Barber wrote, the best way to understand a president’s likely responses to a crisis is to understand what that president values most highly.

Abraham Lincoln, for instance, consistently and publicly referred to the same set of moral values throughout his life – values centered on a deep, while imperfect, belief in the moral equality of people. These principles provided him with guidance throughout the horrors of the Civil War.

A president whose decisions are not grounded in the right sort of ethical values may be less well-equipped to respond well – and, more importantly, might be frighteningly unpredictable in his or her responses .

Other political ethicists have emphasized the ways in which democracies can fall apart in the absence of personal virtue . Conservative thinkers, in particular, have argued that political institutions can only function when all those who participate within them are capable of compromise and of self-government . Rules, to put it simply, don’t work unless people governed by those rules care about them and voluntarily choose to abide by them.

If this is true of citizens, it is even more true of the president, whose opportunities to damage the system through unprincipled actions are so much greater .

Vice and efficiency

A photograph of Niccolò Machiavelli in a book

These arguments have been met with powerful objections. Political philosophers – including, most prominently, Niccolò Machiavelli – have argued that the nature of political life requires a willingness to demonstrate habits of character that would ordinarily be understood as vices . The good leader, insisted Machiavelli, is morally right to do what is usually taken as wrong. He or she must be cruel, deceptive and often violent.

The philosopher Arthur Applbaum refers to this as role morality. What a person is right to do, argues Applbaum, often depends upon the job that person is doing . The good lawyer, for instance, may have to bully, browbeat or humiliate hostile witnesses. That is what a zealous defense might require. Machiavelli notes simply that, in a hostile and brutal world, political leaders might have similar reasons to do what is usually forbidden.

Modern philosophers such as Michael Walzer have continued this line of reasoning. If the world is imperfect, and requires a politician to lie, cheat or otherwise do wrong in the name of doing good, then there is sometimes a moral reason for the politician to do that wrong .

George Washington, for example, was quite happy to engage in deception, if that deception would help protect the United States. He consistently sought to deceive his adversaries about his intentions and his resources – and, importantly, sought to deceive his own subordinates, reasoning that a lie must be believed at home for it to be useful abroad .

A president who refused to engage in this sort of deception, argues Walzer, would be choosing to keep his or her conscience clear, instead of providing some genuine and concrete help to others. Walzer’s conclusion is that a good political agent must often refuse to be a good person. It is only by sometimes doing what is ordinarily wrong, that the politician can make the world better for all.

Virtue, vice and the presidency

These ideas have, of course, been a part of many long-standing debates about presidential morality. Henry Kissinger, for instance, defended the Nixon administration’s decision to seek the firing of the special prosecutor, based upon the need for that administration to present itself to the Soviet Union as both powerful and unified .

It was not necessary, Kissinger wrote later, that the American leadership displayed personal virtue. It was enough that their decisions enabled a society in which the American people were capable of demonstrating that virtue .

More recently, many evangelical supporters of President Trump have used the Biblical story of Cyrus the Great , an ancient Persian king, to explain their continued support for the president. Although Cyrus was not himself Jewish, he chose to free the Jews held as slaves in Babylon . Evangelical leader Mike Evans noted that that Cyrus, like Donald Trump, was an “imperfect vessel,” whose decisions nevertheless made it possible for others to live as God wished them to.

Former President Donald Trump speaking.

So, too, some evangelicals argue that President Trump’s own seeming lapses of virtue might not disqualify him from the presidency – so long as his decisions enable others to lead lives exemplifying the virtues he does not always show himself.

Effective vice

These debates – between those who seek a president who models ethical virtue, and those who would regard that desire as misguided at best – are likely to continue.

One thing that must be acknowledged, however, is that even the best defenses of presidential vice cannot be taken to excuse all forms of moral failure.

Machiavelli, and those who follow him, can at most be used to defend a president whose vices are effectively able to create a more ethical world for others. Not all sorts of wrongdoing, though, can plausibly be thought to have these effects.

Some vices, such as an outsized confidence, or the will to use violence in the name of justice, may be defended with reference to the ideas of Machiavelli or Walzer.

Other ethical failings, however – such as a vindictive desire to punish perceived enemies – often seem less likely to lead to good results. This sort of failure, however, appears to be common among those who have sought the presidency. It is a failure, moreover, that does not depend upon party affiliation.

In recent years, for example, both Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Nixon took particular delight in humiliating and degrading their political adversaries. Both, perhaps, might have been better leaders, had they been more reflective about when and how to wrong.

In presidential politics, all parties might at least agree on this much: If there is sometimes a reason to seek an ethically flawed president, it does not follow that all ethical flaws are equally worth defending.

  • Citizenship
  • Donald Trump
  • Abraham Lincoln
  • George Washington
  • Henry Kissinger

a good political leader essay

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a good political leader essay

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Men or women: who’s the better leader, a paradox in public attitudes.

Americans believe women have the right stuff to be political leaders. When it comes to honesty, intelligence and a handful of other character traits they value highly in leaders, the public rates women superior to men, according to a new nationwide Pew Research Center Social and Demographic Trends survey.

The paradox embedded in these survey findings is part of a wider paradox in modern society on the subject of gender and leadership. In an era when women have made sweeping strides in educational attainment and workforce participation, relatively few have made the journey all the way to the highest levels of political or corporate leadership.

Why not? In the survey, the public cites gender discrimination, resistance to change, and a self-serving “old boys club” as reasons for the relative scarcity of women at the top. In somewhat smaller numbers, respondents also say that women’s family responsibilities and their shortage of experience hold them back from the upper ranks of politics and business.

What the public does not say is that women inherently lack what it takes to be leaders. To the contrary, on seven of eight leadership traits measured in this survey, the public rates women either better than or equal to men.

For example, half of all adults say women are more honest than men, while just one-in-five say men are more honest (the rest say they don’t know or volunteer the opinion that there’s no difference between the sexes on this trait). And honesty, according to respondents, is the most important to leadership of any of the traits measured in the survey.

The next most important leadership trait, in the public’s view, is intelligence. Here again, women outperform men: 38% of respondents say women are smarter than men, while just 14% say men are smarter, and the remainder say there’s no difference between the sexes.

Finally, women have big leads over men on the last three traits on the public’s rankings of the eight items measured: being compassionate (80% say women; 5% say men); being outgoing (47% say women; 28% say men) and being creative (62% say women; 11% say men).

For anyone keeping score, that’s women over men by five to one, with two ties, on eight traits, each of which at least two-thirds of the public says is very important or absolutely essential to leadership. Notably, nearly all of these gender evaluations are shared by men as well as women, though the margins are more heavily pro-woman among female respondents than among male respondents.

The survey also asked respondents to assess whether men or women in public office are better at handling a range of policy matters and job performance challenges. On the policy front, women are widely judged to be better than men at dealing with social issues such as health care and education, while men have a big edge over women in the public’s perception of the way they deal with crime, public safety, defense and national security.

As for job performance skills, women get higher marks than men in all of the measures tested: standing up for one’s principles in the face of political pressure; being able to work out compromises; keeping government honest; and representing the interests of “people like you.”

To be sure, the fact that such a large majority of respondents (69%) say that women and men make equally good political leaders is itself a measure of the profound changes in women’s role in society that have taken place over the past several decades.

Women make up 57% of all college students, about half of all law and medical school students, and more than four-in-ten students who earn masters degrees in business. They make up 46% of the total private sector workforce and 38% of all managers.

However, it’s still lonely for women at the very highest rungs of the corporate and political ladder. Women are just 2% of the CEOs of the nation’s Fortune 500 companies. In the political realm, they make up just 17% of all members of the U.S. House of Representatives; 16% of all U.S. senators; 16% of all governors; and 24% of all state legislators. Internationally, the U.S.ranks in the middle range — 85th in the world — in its share of women in the lower house of its national legislative body.

Next in the pecking order of explanations is the time pressure that comes with trying to balance work and family; 27% of the public cites this as a major reason there aren’t more women leaders in politics. Some 26% say that a big reason is that women don’t have the experience required for higher office. The least common explanations — chosen as a major reason by just 16% and 14% of respondents, respectively — are that women don’t make as good leaders as men and that women aren’t tough enough for politics.

It’s possible that in a survey of this nature, some respondents with negative or biased attitudes do not report their true feelings because they don’t want to appear out of sync with prevailing social norms.

To test for hidden gender bias, the Pew Research Center did a second survey, this one conducted online with a different methodology, a different set of questions and a different group of respondents.

In this experiment, two separate random samples of more than more than 1,000 registered voters were asked to read a profile sent to them online of a hypothetical candidate for U.S. Congress in their district. One random sample of 1,161 respondents read a profile of Ann Clark, described as a lawyer, a churchgoer, a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, an environmentalist and a member of the same party as the survey respondent. They were then asked to indicate what they liked and didn’t like about her, whether they considered her qualified and whether they were inclined to vote for her. There was no indication that this was a survey about gender or gender bias.

A second random sample of 1,139 registered voters was asked to read a profile of Andrew Clark, who — except for his gender — was identical in every way to Ann Clark. These respondents were then asked the same questions: What did they like and not like about Mr. Clark? Was he qualified? Were they inclined to vote for him?

The results were clear: Gender didn’t matter. Ann Clark and Andrew Clark got about the same number of “votes” from their respective samples. The study found that about a third of all voters had a very favorable impression of Ann Clark (giving her a rating of 8, 9 or 10 on a scale that ran from 1 to 10)—and virtually the same proportion held Andrew Clark in equally high regard (34% vs. 32% respectively, with average ratings of 6.7 and 6.6 out of 10).

Similarly, both samples viewed their respective candidates as nearly equally prepared for the job. Some 24% rated Ann as highly qualified, compared with 27% for Andrew. (The average ratings were even closer: 6.3 for Andrew vs. 6.2 for Ann).

And when it came to the bottom line, virtually identical proportions of voters said they were very likely to vote for Ann as said they were very likely to vote for Andrew (25% vs. 24%, with identical average ratings of 6.2 on the 1 to 10 “likeliness to vote for” scale).

The Paradox in Public Attitudes

Taken together, the findings of the experimental online survey and the more comprehensive telephone survey present a complex portrait of public attitudes on gender and leadership.

On the one hand, the public asserts that gender discrimination against women and the public’s resistance to change are key factors holding women back from attaining high political office. But at the same time, the public gives higher marks to women than to men on most leadership traits tested in this survey — suggesting that, when it comes to assessments about character, the public’s gender stereotypes are pro-female.

Moreover, a separate survey designed specifically to probe for hidden gender bias against women in voters’ assessments of candidates for Congress finds no evidence that such bias exists.

Is there a way to resolve — or, at the very least, better understand — this apparent paradox? Several possible explanations suggest themselves.

It could be that had this survey measured a broader range of leadership traits, the public’s evaluations would have been more pro-male. Over many decades, numerous controlled experiments in work-related settings by psychologists and management researchers have found that participants see men as more dominant and assertive and women as more socially-skilled and egalitarian — and that they value the male traits more highly in top leadership positions. However, studies have also shown that these perceived gender differences on some key leadership traits are not as strong now as they were in the 1970s and 1980s.

Or it could be that the key factors that explain women’s relatively slow march into top leadership positions in politics have less to do with the public’s gender stereotypes and more to do with other obstacles. For example, a number of recent studies have shown that women do about as well as men once they actually run for office, but that many fewer women choose to run in the first place.

One possible explanation for this gender gap at the “starting line” of political campaigns is that party leaders are reluctant to seek out women candidates, especially for highly competitive races. A recent Brookings Institution study puts forward another possible explanation. It suggests that women may be constrained by their own shortfall in political ambition– which, the study theorizes, is the sum of many parts: they have more negative attitudes than men about campaigning for office, they under-value their own qualifications for office; and they are more likely than men to be held back by family responsibilities.

The Pew survey was conducted by telephone from June 16 through July 16, 2008 among a nationally representative sample of 2,250 adults, including 1,060 men and 1,190 women. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points for the full sample. For a complete description of the survey methodology, see page 44.

• Negative Gender Stereotypes : In addition to asking about the eight leadership traits, the survey asked about four traits that are often viewed in a negative light. By a lopsided margin, respondents say that women (85%), not men (5%), are the more emotional sex, and by a two-to-one margin they say women (52%) rather than men (26%) are more manipulative. On the other side of the ledger, some 70% of respondents say men are the more arrogant sex. And 46% of respondents say men are the more stubborn gender, compared with 32% who say that about women.

• Gender Solidarity : In this survey, women see themselves in a more favorable light than men see women. Likewise, men seen themselves in a better light than women see men. However, for men, gender solidarity goes only so far. Overall, they give their gender the better ratings on just five of the 12 traits (decisiveness; hard work; ambition; not being emotional; not being manipulative) and they give themselves inferior ratings on seven (honesty; intelligence; compassion; creativity; being outgoing; being stubborn; being arrogant). By contrast, while women say they are more emotional and more manipulative than men, they give themselves higher marks than men on the 10 other traits measured.

• Gender and Race : Of all demographic groups, black women are distinctive in the degree to which they say women are superior to men in their evaluations of character traits. Nearly eight-in-ten (78%) black women (compared with 51% of white women and 50% of all adults) say women are more honest than men. About two-thirds (65%) of black women (compared with 37% of white women and 38% of all adults) say women are smarter than men. And about half (49%) of black women (compared with 33% of white women and 28% of all adults) say women are more hardworking than men.

• Twice as Hard; Half as Far : The feminist rallying cry that women have to work twice as hard to get half as far as men in their careers finds some statistical support from this survey, as least with regard to leadership evaluations. Survey respondents who rate men better than women on key character traits have a sharply increased likelihood of saying that men make better political leaders than women. But respondents who rate women better than men on these same traits have only a slightly increased likelihood of saying women make better leaders than men.

• It’s a Man’s World : By a ratio of nearly two-to-one, Americans say that, all things considered, men rather than women have a better life in this country. Women believe this in greater numbers than men do, and younger and middle-aged adults believe it in greater numbers than older adults do. The view that men have the better life than women is not as strong now as it was 15 years ago, when the public said by a ratio of about three-to-one that men had the better life. However, still farther back in time, attitudes were much different. In 1972, during the early days of the modern gender revolution, slightly more adults said women had the better life than said that about men.

• Generational Differences Among Women : Older women are more inclined than younger women to see the need for more social change to ensure that women have equal rights; seven-in-ten women ages 50 and over say more change is needed, a view shared by just 53% of women ages 18-29. At the same time, younger and middle-aged women are more inclined than older women to say that men rather than women have the better life in this country.

• Discrimination and Equal Rights : A majority of adults (57%) say the nation needs to continue to make changes to give women equal rights with men. A similar majority (54%) says discrimination against women is either a serious or somewhat serious problem in society. However, a bigger majority (63%) says that discrimination against blacks is a serious or somewhat serious problem.

• Admiration for Hillary Clinton : The survey asked no questions about Sen. Hillary Clinton or the 2008 presidential campaign. However, in answer to an open-ended question, Clinton and Sen.Barack Obama were each named by 13% of respondents as the political figure in the U.S. that they admire most. President Bush was the third most frequently mentioned figure, named by 7% of respondents. Women are more than twice as likely as men to name Clinton as the figure they admire most; and Hispanics are much more likely than blacks and somewhat more likely than whites to name her as the figure they admire most.

About the Survey

Results for this survey are based on telephone interviews conducted with a nationally representative sample of 2,250 adults living in the continental United States. A combination of landline and cellular random digit dial (RDD) samples was used to represent all adults in the continental United States who have access to either a landline or cellular telephone. A total of 1,500 interviews were completed with respondents contacted by landline telephone and 750 from those contacted on their cellular phone. The data are weighted to produce a final sample that is representative of the general population of adults in the continental United States.

  • Interviews conducted from June 16 to July 16, 2008
  • 2,250 interviews
  • Margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points for results based on the total sample at the 95% confidence level.
  • When complete results of a question are presented, percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding. Trend data from other surveys cited in this report may use slightly different rounding rules.
  • Note on terminology: Whites include only non-Hispanic whites. Blacks include only non-Hispanic blacks. Hispanics are of any race.

Survey interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Interviews conducted in English or Spanish.

Read the full report for more details.

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Table of contents, striking findings from 2021, public sees black people, women, gays and lesbians gaining influence in biden era, economy and covid-19 top the public’s policy agenda for 2021, 20 striking findings from 2020, our favorite pew research center data visualizations of 2019, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

How to Write an Essay about a Political Leader

presidents

The simplest political systems are found in tribes. Tribal societies do not seem to have political leaders in the sense that we expect to see in the 21 century. But still, political power is peculiar either to ancient or modern times. It is represented by such outstanding political leaders as Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Napoleon Bonaparte, Otto von Bismarck, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Elizabeth II, Barack Obama and many others who have taken up the duty to govern a tribe, city, state, region or even an entire nation.

And now, you need to write an essay about a political leader, for example, who inspires you or who you consider as the most powerful in the world. Do we guess right? So if you are here now, it is true. And we’re ready to help with writing this particular essay – what to include and in what order. Let’s find out together!

Table of Contents

Political Leadership over the Early Years

Our modern civilization is indebted to the people of ancient Greece and Rome. Know why? Despite the fact that these societies made considerable contributions to the fields like art, literature, philosophy , the greatest gift to future generations was the modern perception of government. Today’s idea of democracy is grounded by the political struggles in the city of Athens. Know that the citizens of Athens managed to have equal political rights, freedom of speech, and the opportunity to participate directly in the political arena in the 5th to 4th century BCE? And now, you can use this fact in your essay speaking about the Athenian democracy .

In The Roman Republic , different forms of governance started appearing – from monarchies and oligarchies to militaristic societies and proto-democracies. This way, a republic as a new form of government has been copied by many countries for centuries – Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Dutch Republic, Swiss Confederation, Cuba, Republic of China, Russian Republic, etc. For example, the government of the USA is based partly on Rome’s model. Most are sure that America now looks like Rome before the fall of the Republic .

All that information means that there was a necessity to have a leader to govern. Aristotle describes the role of politics and the political community in his book, Politics . In his opinion, politics is supposed to bring about the virtuous life in the citizenry . Additionally, it is better to get familiar with this work of political philosophy in more detail. Today, views on political leadership are ambiguous than ever. On the one hand, two world wars put a deep mistrust of political leaders. On the other hand, the complexity of modern society causes a demand for effective political leaders. Let’s describe them below.

Who Are They, These Political Leaders, Today?

When thinking about people in the position of political power, one tends to think of them as representatives of some other breed of human beings. After all, they’ve managed to rise so high and keep their positions, they have to deal with unimaginable problems on a daily basis, they decide the fate of millions of people and, by extension, of the world in general. Surely they cannot be the same as common men, right? Yes and no.

On the one hand, contrary to popular belief, political leaders aren’t necessarily more intelligent than the majority of so-called ‘common men’ – or rather, they possess some other kind of intelligence, different from what is conventionally meant by this word. This intelligence helps them rise up high, intuitively understand how to deal with people and prevail over opposition; it doesn’t necessarily help them in dealing with any other problems.

Come to think of it, it is hard to understand where people get the idea that personalities in the positions of power are in any way special and better suited to making important decisions. Anybody with at least a passing acquaintance with history and awareness of current events sees that typical political leaders regularly make decisions that are nothing short of idiotic – not in hindsight, but right from the get-go. The only thing one needs to be a successful politician is to be likable. And in order to be likable, one doesn’t have to possess either knowledge or intelligence. In fact, history knows many political leaders who were able to inspire loyalty and sympathy while being complete ciphers as individuals.

What we all should understand is that a typical and even a good political leader isn’t the same as a good human being. In fact, to believe that a politician you back is a good person is almost morbidly optimistic as history tells us quite explicitly: percentage of decent human beings in politics, irrespectively of a nation, epoch, and system of government is infinitesimally negligible, with the chance of one getting into a position of true power being even less probable.

There is no such thing as good or bad political leaders. There are only those that are bad and those that are even worse. Therefore, the choice between different political leaders is not a choice between good or evil, right or wrong – it is the choice between a greater and a lesser evil. It is exactly what we all should understand when dealing with different people promoting different agendas. A typical politician cannot be trusted by definition – politics is an art of influencing people , and one cannot influence people being good and honest all the time.

Of course, all political leaders want us to perceive them as honest, compassionate and consistent people whose only goal in life is to help us improve our lives. Reality is, of course, different. A typical political leader pursues his or her own goals; an atypical leader is very unlikely to rise high enough to matter.

5 Essay Writing Steps

5 essay writing steps

Now, you know what to write about in the essay “Political Leaders”. It is time to know how to write an essay on the same topic step by step.

  • Prepare an outline of your ideas on the topic. Your thoughts must be well-organized in an essay. An outline allows to do it. Don’t rush into writing an essay immediately after sitting at a desk. List all your main ideas leaving space under each one so that you will be able to add some subpoints.
  • Write a thesis statement. After you collect all the ideas for an essay, proceed with writing the main idea of your essay. Usually, a thesis statement has two parts – the topic itself and the main point of the essay. For instance, imagine you are writing about George Washington and his impact on the United States. Your thesis statement will lool, “George Washington has influenced the future of our country while being the first American president.”
  • Develop the body of your essay. If you think we are wrong providing this tip after creating a thesis statement, be sure it is an effective step to write an essay. When the main part of your essay is prepared, it is much easier to come up with the logically complete introduction and conclusion. Reveal all the main points in the body with all the relevant subpoint, details and examples.
  • Introduce the topic of your essay briefly. Based on the written thesis statement, you can broaden the first part of the essay – an introduction. Just add several sentences and voila you are coming to the end of writing.
  • Conclude the essay logically. After your essay consists of the introduction and body, something is missed. This part is called ‘conclusion’ where you sum up all the above mentioned in a logical way – what is presented and why.

Hopefully, the writing process in the essay “A Political Leader” is simplified by our step-by-step guide. If no, you are welcome to our service where you’ll find an experienced writer of any essay you are struggling with now or have no time to struggle with.

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  • LEADING EFFECTIVELY ARTICLE

12 Characteristics of a Good Leader

A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should be learning agile and flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively. See how these key leadership qualities can be learned and improved at all levels of your organization.

What Are the Characteristics and Qualities of a Good Leader?

Leaders shape our teams, organizations, communities, and world.

We need good leaders to help guide us and make the essential decisions, big and small, that keep things moving forward.

Our society is usually quick to identify a bad leader, but how can you identify a good one? What would most people say are the qualities of a good leader?

What Good Leadership Looks Like

Based upon our decades of research and experience working with leaders at thousands of organizations around the world, we’ve found that the best leaders consistently possess certain fundamental qualities and skills. Here are 12 essential leadership traits.

12 Essential Leadership Qualities

  • Self-Awareness
  • Communication
  • Learning Agility
  • Collaboration

TIP: Download an action guide & summary of these essential characteristics of a good leader in PDF format to keep this list of leadership qualities at your fingertips as a reminder.

Infographic: 12 Characteristics of a Good Leader. 1. Self-Awareness. 2. Respect. 3. Compassion. 4. Vision. 5. Communication. 6. Learning Agility. 7. Collaboration. 8. Influence. 9. Integrity. 10. Courage. 11. Gratitude. 12. Resilience.

1. Self-Awareness

While this is a more inwardly focused trait, self-awareness and humility are paramount qualities of leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you can be as a leader. Do you know how other people view you and understand how you show up at work and at home? Take the time to learn about the 4 aspects of self-awareness and how to strengthen each component.

Treating people with respect on a daily basis is one of the most important things a leader can do. It helps ease tensions and conflict, fosters trust, and improves your effectiveness.  Creating a culture of respect  is about more than just the absence of disrespect. Respectfulness can be shown in many different ways, but it often starts with showing you truly value others’ perspectives and making an effort to build belonging in the workplace — both critical components of supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

3. Compassion

Compassion is one of the most powerful and important acts of leadership. It’s more than simply showing empathy or even listening and seeking to understand — as compassion requires leaders to act on what they learn. After someone shares a concern or speaks up about something, they won’t feel truly heard if their leader doesn’t then take some type of meaningful action on the information, our researchers have found. This is the core of compassionate leadership , and it helps to build trust, increase collaboration, and decrease turnover across organizations.

Motivating others and garnering commitment are essential parts of leadership. Purpose-driven leaders ensure they connect their team’s daily tasks and the values of individual team members to the overall direction of the organization. This can help employees find meaning in their work — which increases engagement, inspires trust, and drives priorities forward. You’ll want to communicate the vision in ways that help others understand it, remember it, and go on to share it themselves.

5. Communication

Effective leadership and effective communication are intertwined . The best leaders are skilled communicators who can communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information and storytelling to soliciting input and using active listening techniques . They can communicate well both orally and in writing, and with a wide range of people from different backgrounds, roles, levels, geographies, and more. The quality and effectiveness of communication among leaders at your organization will directly affect the success of your business strategy, too.

6. Learning Agility

Learning agility is the ability to know what to do when you don’t know what to do. If you’re a “quick study” or are able to excel in unfamiliar circumstances, you might already be learning agile. But anybody can foster and increase learning agility through intentional practice and effort. After all, great leaders are really great learners.

7. Collaboration

The most effective leaders can work with a variety of colleagues of different social identities , locations, roles, and experiences. As the world has become more complex and interconnected, good leaders find themselves spanning boundaries and learning to work across various types of divides and organizational silos. When leaders value and embrace collaboration, whether within their teams or cross-functionally, several benefits arise — including increased innovation, higher-performing teams, and a more engaged and empowered workforce.

8. Influence

For some people, “influence” may sound unseemly. But as a leader, you must be able to influence others to get the work done — you cannot do it all alone. Being able to persuade people through thoughtful use of appropriate influencing tactics is an important trait of inspiring, effective leaders. Influence is quite different from manipulation, and it needs to be done authentically and transparently. It requires high levels of emotional intelligence and trust.

9. Integrity

Integrity is an essential leadership trait for the individual and the organization. It’s especially important for top-level executives who are charting the organization’s course and making countless other significant decisions. Our research has found that leader integrity is a potential blind spot for organizations , so make sure you reinforce the importance of honesty and integrity to managers at all levels.

10. Courage

It can be hard to speak up at work, whether you want to voice a new idea, provide feedback to a direct report, or flag a concern for someone above you. That’s part of the reason courage is a key leadership trait — it takes courage to do what’s right! Leaders who promote high levels of psychological safety in the workplace enable their people to speak up freely and share candid concerns without fear of repercussions. This fosters a  coaching culture that supports courage and truth-telling . Courage enables both team members and leaders to take bold actions that move things in the right direction.

11. Gratitude

Being thankful can lead to higher self-esteem, reduced depression and anxiety, and better sleep. Sincere gratitude can even make you a better leader. Yet few people regularly say “thank you” in work settings, even though most people say they’d be willing to work harder for an appreciative boss. The best leaders know how to show frequent gratitude in the workplace .

12. Resilience

Resilience is more than the ability to bounce back from obstacles and setbacks — it’s the ability to respond adaptively to challenges. Practicing resilient leadership means you’ll project a positive outlook that will help others maintain the emotional strength they need to commit to a shared vision, and the courage to move forward and overcome setbacks. A good leader focuses on resilience, both taking care of themselves and also prioritizing leading employee wellbeing , too — thereby enabling better performance for themselves and their teams.

Develop the Qualities of a Good Leader

Download a PDF action guide and summary of these characteristics of a good leader, so you always have a visual reminder available of these 12 qualities of good leadership.

10 Characteristics of a Good Leader download cover

Develop the Characteristics of a Good Leader in Yourself & Others

Our 3 core beliefs about leadership & leadership development .

At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we’ve been researching the qualities of a good leader and the role of leadership for over 5 decades. Here are 3 of our core beliefs about good leaders and effective leadership.

Good leaders are made, not born.

First, we believe that leaders are made, not born. Put another way, leadership is a skill that can be developed . Good leaders are molded through experience, continued study, intentional effort, and adaptation. So you can strengthen any of these 12 characteristics of a good leader, if you’re open to growth, use your experiences to fuel development , and put in the time and effort toward self-improvement.

Similarly, organizations can help their people hone these top leadership qualities by providing ample opportunities for training, offering support for learning from challenges, and providing access to coaching and mentoring programs .

Leadership is a social process.

It’s also essential to recognize that  leadership is less about one strong or charismatic individual, and more about a group of people working collectively to achieve results together . If you demonstrate several of the characteristics of a good leader, but fail to grasp this key point, chances are you won’t get very far on your own. You may be well-liked and respected, but it will be challenging to accomplish team or organizational goals. At CCL, we like to say that the  outcomes of leadership are about creating direction, alignment, and commitment, or DAC , within a group.

Good leadership never stops.

Also, we believe that leadership isn’t a destination, it’s a journey   — it’s something that you’ll have to work at regularly throughout your career, regardless of what level you reach in your organization or what industry you work in. Different teams, projects, and situations will provide different challenges and require different leadership qualities and competencies to succeed. So you will need to be able to continue to apply these leadership characteristics in different ways throughout your career. Just continually keep learning and growing, and you’ll be an agile learner with a long career .

We Can Help You Develop the Qualities of a Good Leader

Organizations can strengthen leadership qualities and foster deeper levels of engagement at work through providing a variety of on-the-job learning experiences, mentoring, and formal development opportunities. At CCL, we have many award-winning leadership solutions with clients around the world, and we’d be honored to work with you and your organization as well.

But individuals don’t have to wait to begin strengthening these leadership characteristics within themselves. If you decide you want to work proactively on developing your leadership qualities and skills,  download our action guide & visual summary  of this content. And get our tips on how to  convince your boss to make an investment in you  and your future. We’re here to support you every step of the way on your journey to becoming a better leader!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

After you download the 12 Characteristics of a Good Leader , keep on learning and growing: never miss our exclusive leadership insights and tips — subscribe to our newsletters to get our research-based articles, webinars, resources, and guides delivered straight to your inbox. 

Download Now: A Summary of the Characteristics & Qualities of a Good Leader

Keep these qualities of a good leader top of mind in the future: download a PDF summary of this article as an action guide and visual reminder of the leadership qualities to nurture in yourself, on your team, and at your organization in the future.

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Plutarch. How to be a leader: an ancient guide to wise leadership

Thierry oppeneer , ghent university. [email protected].

This book is part of the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series of Princeton University Press, which aims to make the practical wisdom of the ancient world available to modern readers through lively, new translations of classical thinkers. In the present instalment, Jeffrey Beneker turns to Plutarch of Chaeronea as an ancient expert on wise leadership. This is an excellent choice given Plutarch’s profound engagement with the subject, not only in his massive biographical project, the Parallel Lives , but also in his Moralia . In How to Be a Leader , Beneker provides fresh translations of Plutarch’s three most important political essays: To an Uneducated Ruler (Πρὸς ἡγεμόνα ἀπαίδευτον), Precepts of Statecraft (Πολιτικὰπαραγγέλματα) and Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs (Εἰ πρεσβυτέρῳ πολιτευτέον). The book offers the Greek text, taken from the Loeb Classical Library, and a facing translation in English. Each text is accompanied by a short introduction and a section with explanatory notes.

In the introduction (pp. ix-xix), Beneker briefly sets out the historical context in which Plutarch operated. He succinctly describes what it meant to be a leader in a Greek city under Rome. Emphasis is rightly drawn to the competitive nature of local politics and the dynamic interplay between civic leaders, their communities and the Roman authorities. The basic principle of Plutarch’s political thought, and the common thread to the works translated, is aptly summarised as ‘city before self’ (p. x).

The first and shortest essay is To an Uneducated Leader . In this treatise, Plutarch explains how moral philosophy can make us better leaders. Good leadership, he argues, is inextricably linked to the leader’s moral state and development. Above all else, a leader should ground his actions in reason. Without reason as a firm foundation, there is no hope of controlling your emotions and impulses. Although, in Plutarch’s view, a lack of reason would be a bad thing for anyone, it is particularly harmful in people who are in a position of leadership and whose actions have an impact on the entire community. As Beneker rightly observes, To an Uneducated Leader gives us the essence of Plutarch’s political thinking and thus serves as a convenient introduction to the other two treatises included in the volume. Of the three essays, it is clearly the most ‘philosophical.’ For Plutarch, however, moral philosophy is not a theoretical system that is opposed to, or divorced from, practice. In Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs , we can read, for example, that practicing philosophy is not “a matter of conducting dialogues from a chair and reciting lectures from books” (p. 325), but rather “the continuous practice of both politics and philosophy, which may be observed on a daily basis in deeds and in actions” (p. 327). In Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs and Precepts of Statecraft , these deeds and actions take centre stage.

In Precepts of Statecraft , translated by Beneker as How to Be a Good Leader , Plutarch sets out his instructions on local politics for the benefit of the aspiring politician. After defining reason as the only proper motivation for a political career, a concept already familiar to the reader from To an Uneducated Leader , Plutarch considers how one should prepare for a life in politics. The topics he treats are diverse: from the power of speech and knowing your place and strengths to political rivalries and the uses and dangers of friends in politics. Many of these topics will resonate with the contemporary reader. Public image, self-fashioning and knowing your audience are as important to the leaders of today as they were to their ancient counterparts. Although Plutarch’s instructions are aimed at political leaders, his advice frequently touches on topics that are relevant for leadership more broadly conceived. His instructions on how to prevent or mitigate the envy that results from personal success, for example, can be applied to any field that is marked by strong competition, and he has much to say about how to cooperate effectively with superiors, peers and subordinates. Plutarch’s Precepts of Statecraft thus has much to offer to modern-day leaders, in politics or other contexts.

The third and final translation Beneker offers his readers is of Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs . Whereas Precepts of Statecraft was aimed at political newcomers, this work is addressed to the older, more experienced politician. This difference in perspective allows Plutarch to shed some new light on many of the topics already treated in Precepts of Statecraft . In the first part of the text, Plutarch aims to answer the question of whether or not old people should still engage in politics (The Value of the Senior Politician, pp. 197-289). According to Plutarch, older people have much to offer, not only on account of their years of experience, but also because they are less prone than their younger colleagues to give in to their passions. Older people, he argues, are more reasonable in their judgements and less inclined to impulsiveness than young people. Having answered the question whether old people should engage in politics with a decisive ‘yes’, the second part of the treatise discusses how they can be of use (The Role of the Senior Politician, pp. 291-339). For Plutarch, the primary function of senior politicians was to teach their younger colleagues in both word and deed. He instructs his readers, for example, on how to support young leaders and how to correct them without giving offense or creating hostility. In this way, older politicians could pass on their wisdom and experience to the next generation of leaders.

At the end of the volume, Beneker includes a section on ‘Important Persons and Terms’ that provides information on the political figures and terminology that feature in Plutarch’s texts. This is followed by a section with notes (pp. 365-384) in which Beneker clarifies those passages that would otherwise puzzle the present-day reader. When Plutarch employs the language of contemporary athletics, for example, to warn his readers not ‘to strip for’ (ἀποδύω) every position of leadership (p. 133), Beneker usefully explains: “[w]e would say “suit up,” but the Greeks competed naked in athletic contests, and so they stripped for action” (p. 372n33).

Beneker’s book delivers on its promises. With regard to its aim—making the practical wisdom of the ancient world accessible for modern life—the book is a success. Beneker offers to the broader public a lively, fresh translation that opens up several key texts of an ancient expert on leadership. For To an Uneducated Ruler and Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affair , this volume presents the first English translations since those of Fowler in the Loeb Classical Library almost a century ago. [1] Whereas the Loeb edition is often hard on the modern ear, Beneker’s translation is elegant and easy to digest. [2] It successfully renders Plutarch’s long and often convoluted sentences in clear, accessible English. The text is edited very well and mistakes are virtually absent. [3] Given the evident quality of the translations, it would have been nice if the editors had included the traditional Stephanus page numbers in addition to the chapter numbers from the Loeb edition. Without these it is difficult to consult Beneker’s translation with a specific passage in mind. This is especially the case for How to be a Good Leader where, in contrast to the other two treatises, the Loeb chapter numbers are also absent. The reason for this probably is that a considerable part of the essay has been cut out. [4] Although this may be a defensible editorial choice given the book’s intended audience, readers should have been made aware that what they have in front of them is not the entire essay. This does not detract, however, from the overall success of the volume. Beneker has produced a valuable resource. His work has succeeded in making the practical wisdom of the ancient world available to the modern reader and that at a very reasonable price. The book successfully conveys the essence of wise leadership according to an ancient expert on the subject. The practical orientation of Plutarch’s advice is most evident in Precepts of Statecraft and Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs , where his instructions on wise leadership are firmly grounded in the experiences, successes, and failures of the great leaders of the past. [5] These examples of effective as well as ineffective leadership provide the reader, both ancient and modern, with positive models for emulation and negative models to avoid. Although few present-day readers of Plutarch are likely to entertain the hope of becoming the next Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar, they can strive to apply the principles of good leadership illustrated by these exempla to their own lives. By turning these historical figures into examples of leadership that can be imitated and learned from, Plutarch aimed to unlock the educational potential of the past. Beneker’s volume now continues this pedagogical project by making his works accessible to the modern reader.

[1] Harold N. Fowler, Plutarch. Moralia, Volume X (Cambridge, Mass., 1936). For a more recent translation of Precepts of Statecraft , see Donald Russell, Plutarch, Selected Essays and Dialogues (Oxford, 1993).

[2] E.g.: “The noise o’ the barrier’s fall was in his ears” (Loeb, 804e) vs. “the sound of the race’s start filled his ears” (p. 91).

[3] I have spotted only a few: note 11 on p. 217 is slightly out of place; ‘distributions of land ’ (p. 235); “when a punished by” (p. 273). A final observation concerns the nautical simile that concludes Plutarch’s discussion of φιλοτιμία (820c). Beneker translates (pp. 185-187): “Just as the person who sails past Syrtis but then capsizes crossing the sea has done nothing great or noble, so the politician who has supervised the treasury and public revenue but then fails to measure up in the presidency or the town hall (περὶτὴν προεδρίαν ἢ τὸ πρυτανεῖον) not only strikes against a high promontory but likewise ends up sinking.” Beneker takes this simile to mean that “honors should not be awarded too early in a politician’s career for doing well in minor offices” (375n55). Yet, what Plutarch refers to with προεδρία and πρυτανεῖον are the prestigious honours of the right to reserved seats in the front rows of the theatre and dinner at public expense in the Prytaneion. The simile thus intends to make clear that φιλοτιμία can be just as detrimental to the politician’s career as φιλοκέρδεια. Cf. Antonio Caiazza, Plutarco. Precetti politici (Napoli, 1993) 271.

[4] Left out: 802a-c; 802e-804b; 805b-e; 807e-809b; 810a-811a; 811e-812b; 812f-813a; 815d-816a; 816f-819b; 820d-e; 820f-825f.

[5] The works translated by Beneker have been included among Plutarch’s practical ethics, a group of texts that were meant to provide the reader with philosophically inspired but practically oriented instructions on how to be successful within society. See Lieve Van Hoof, Plutarch’s Practical Ethics: The Social Dynamics of Philosophy (Oxford, 2010).

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Can Good Leaders Become Great Politicians?

A leader is any person who is appointed to be in charge of a body or a group of people and to take care of all their interests in an impartial way. He has to be strong mentally and able to guide his followers to success based on facts and considering the risks involved in making a move towards a specific set of goals. A politician, on the other hand, is a person who leads a group of people with common interests and holds or aspires to hold a position in a government. He has to be elected by the masses and has the obligation to represent their interests in the office that he holds and lead his or her subjects towards a bright future based on their interests. He must have great leadership skills in order to be considered successful.

One of the qualities of a great leader is the ability to be unselfish . A good leader must put the interests of his people first. One of the main challenges that a leader faces is ensuring that he considers the people’s interests above his own ones when making any decision. For instance, he has to award a tender. Some leaders fall into the temptation of awarding tenders to companies in which they have interests and end up paying more than they should at the expense of the organization that they are in charge of. If such a leader went ahead to be a politician in charge of a country, he or she would make inter-governmental deals, for example, import of goods, based on what they will gain on a personal level instead of looking at what the deal will be worth to the country. However, a leader who overcomes such a challenge will definitely make a great politician .

Being impartial is another quality of a good leader. The ability to treat everyone equally will make a difference between a good and a bad leader . Some organization heads will allocate staff to departments based on the ones they favor and not the ones that deserve it. This leads to some overstaffed and understaffed departments of the same organization, which affects the overall performance. An impartial leader will make a great politician , as he will allocate resources to the whole country based on its needs and not on whether the region supported him or her to the office or not. They will also appoint people to government offices based on their performance and not on their political affiliation. This will be to the benefit of the whole country and not just of a particular region.

Good decision making is another aspect of good leadership . Leaders have a responsibility to make decisions on behalf of the people who have appointed them to the position and the interests of the organization. Inability to do this leads to formation of poor policies and guidelines to the detriment of the company. The same case applies to a politician who is the President of a country . His sound decision making will lead to the development of his country politically, socially and economically. On the other hand, poor decision making will result in slow economic development , political instability and other unpleasant consequences.

Another aspect of a good leader is the ability to inspire. Being a leader involves guiding people positively and giving them hope in tough times. The world financial crisis was one of the challenges that called for inspiration of the people by their leaders . Companies were facing losses and had to make tough decisions, for example, budget cuts and staff retrenchment in order to stay afloat. Leaders who managed to inspire their staff through the tough financial times by giving them hope for a brighter future managed to guide their organizations through the crisis and quickly recover after the stabilization of the world economy. Such leaders would make great political heads, as they are able to inspire their countries through various social and economic challenges. These include unemployment, famine, poor housing and social security . We have an example of the current president of the United States of America who provided inspirational leadership through the world financial crisis. This turned out to be one of the reasons the people voted for him at the presidential elections .

Another aspect of a good leader is the ability to inspire. Being a leader involves guiding people positively and giving them hope in tough times. The world financial crisis was one of the challenges that called for inspiration of the people by their leaders . Companies were facing losses and had to make tough decisions, for example, budget cuts and staff retrenchment in order to stay afloat. Leaders who managed to inspire their staff through the tough financial times by giving them hope for a brighter future managed to guide their organizations through the crisis and quickly recover after the stabilization of the world economy. Such leaders would make great political heads, as they are able to inspire their countries through various social and economic challenges. These include unemployment, famine, poor housing and social security . We have an example of the current president of the United States of America who provided…

The four examples above are some of the many pointers to the fact that a good leader will make a great politician. A great leader is a product of good leadership and there is no way we can separate the two of them. A successful politician must have all the qualities of good leader, otherwise his or her government will be lacking in many aspects and this will affect the country’s growth negatively.

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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!

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.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 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, introduction.

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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Poll Ranks Biden as 14th-Best President, With Trump Last

President Biden may owe his place in the top third to his predecessor: Mr. Biden’s signature accomplishment, according to the historians, was evicting Donald J. Trump from the Oval Office.

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President Biden standing at the top of the steps leading to Air Force One.

By Peter Baker

Peter Baker has covered the past five presidents, ranked seventh, 12th, 14th, 32nd and 45th in the survey.

President Biden has not had a lot of fun perusing polls lately. He has a lower approval rating than every president going back to Dwight D. Eisenhower at this stage of their tenures, and he trails former President Donald J. Trump in a fall rematch. But Mr. Biden can take solace from one survey in which he is way out in front of Mr. Trump.

A new poll of historians coming out on Presidents’ Day weekend ranks Mr. Biden as the 14th-best president in American history, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan and Ulysses S. Grant. While that may not get Mr. Biden a spot on Mount Rushmore, it certainly puts him well ahead of Mr. Trump, who places dead last as the worst president ever.

Indeed, Mr. Biden may owe his place in the top third in part to Mr. Trump. Although he has claims to a historical legacy by managing the end of the Covid pandemic; rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure; and leading an international coalition against Russian aggression, Mr. Biden’s signature accomplishment, according to the historians, was evicting Mr. Trump from the Oval Office.

“Biden’s most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessor’s hands this fall,” wrote Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus, the college professors who conducted the survey and announced the results in The Los Angeles Times .

Mr. Trump might not care much what a bunch of academics think, but for what it’s worth he fares badly even among the self-identified Republican historians. Finishing 45th overall, Mr. Trump trails even the mid-19th-century failures who blundered the country into a civil war or botched its aftermath like James Buchanan, Franklin Pierce and Andrew Johnson.

Judging modern-day presidents, of course, is a hazardous exercise, one shaped by the politics of the moment and not necessarily reflective of how history will look a century from now. Even long-ago presidents can move up or down such polls depending on the changing cultural mores of the times the surveys are conducted.

For instance, Barack Obama, finishing at No. 7 this year, is up nine places since 2015, as is Grant, now ranked 17th. On the other hand, Andrew Jackson has fallen 12 places to 21st while Wilson (15th) and Reagan (16th) have each fallen five places.

At least some of that may owe to the increasing contemporary focus on racial justice. Mr. Obama, of course, was the nation’s first Black president, and Grant’s war against the Ku Klux Klan has come to balance out the corruption of his administration. But more attention today has focused on Jackson’s brutal campaigns against Native Americans and his “Trail of Tears” forced removal of Indigenous communities, and Wilson’s racist views and resegregation of parts of the federal government.

As usual, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson top the list, and historians generally share similar views of many presidents regardless of their own personal ideology or partisan affiliation. But some modern presidents generate more splits among the historians along party lines.

Among Republican scholars, for instance, Reagan finishes fifth, George H.W. Bush 11th, Mr. Obama 15th and Mr. Biden 30th, while among Democratic historians, Reagan is 18th, Mr. Bush 19th, Mr. Obama sixth and Mr. Biden 13th. Other than Grant and Mr. Biden, the biggest disparity is over George W. Bush, who is ranked 19th among Republicans and 33rd among Democrats.

Intriguingly, one modern president who generates little partisan difference is Bill Clinton. In fact, Republicans rank him slightly higher, at 10th, than Democrats do, at 12th, perhaps reflecting some #MeToo era rethinking and liberal unease over his centrist politics.

The survey, conducted by Mr. Vaughn, an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University, and Mr. Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston, was based on 154 responses from scholars across the country.

Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent for The Times. He has covered the last five presidents and sometimes writes analytical pieces that place presidents and their administrations in a larger context and historical framework. More about Peter Baker

Our Coverage of the 2024 Presidential Election

News and Analysis

A new super PAC supporting former President Donald Trump has emerged with plans to air ads during the presidential general election . The group, Right for America, is backed by a member of his private club, Mar-a-Lago.

Anger within the Democratic Party over Biden’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza has been building for months . Michigan’s upcoming primary will measure that discontent for the first time .

Immigration Politics:  President   Biden’s aides are looking at the Republicans’ decision to kill a bipartisan border measure as an opportunity to bolster his re-election campaign. But there are risks to such a strategy .

An Invisible Constituency: Asian Americans are largely underrepresented in public opinion polls. Efforts are underway to change that .

 On Wall Street:  Investors are already thinking about how financial markets might respond to the outcome of a Biden-Trump rematch , and how they should trade to prepare for it.

Opinion: We know how voters feel about Trump and Biden. But how do the experts rank their presidencies?

Wax figures of nine American presidents.

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Presidents Day occurs at a crucial moment this year, with the presidency on the cusp of crisis as we inexorably shuffle toward a rematch between the incumbent and his predecessor. It’s the sort of contest we haven’t seen since the 19th century, and judging by public opinion of President Biden and former President Trump, most Americans would have preferred to keep it that way.

But the third installment of our Presidential Greatness Project , a poll of presidential experts released this weekend, shows that scholars don’t share American voters’ roughly equal distaste for both candidates.

Biden, in fact, makes his debut in our rankings at No. 14, putting him in the top third of American presidents. Trump, meanwhile, maintains the position he held six years ago: dead last, trailing such historically calamitous chief executives as James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson. In that and other respects, Trump’s radical departure from political, institutional and legal norms has affected knowledgeable assessments not just of him but also of Biden and several other presidents.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets supporters as he arrives at a campaign stop in Londonderry, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Opinion: Panicking over polls showing Donald Trump ahead of President Biden? Please stop

Like Biden, Obama and Reagan had rough reelection polls. Too many journalists treat polls as predictive, but political professionals use them to inform campaigns.

Jan. 24, 2024

The overall survey results reveal stability as well as change in the way scholars assess our nation’s most important and controversial political office. Great presidents have traditionally been viewed as those who presided over moments of national transformation, led the country through major crises and expanded the institution of the presidency. Military victories, economic growth, assassinations and scandals also affect expert assessments of presidential performance.

The presidents at the top of our rankings, and others like ours, reflect this. Hallowed leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and George Washington consistently lead the list.

Our latest rankings also show that the experts’ assessments are driven not only by traditional notions of greatness but also by the evolving values of our time.

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Jan. 13, 2021

One example is the continuing decline in esteem for two important presidents, Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson. Their reputations have consistently suffered in recent years as modern politics lead scholars to assess their early 19th and 20th century presidencies ever more harshly, especially their unacceptable treatment of marginalized people.

More acutely, this survey has seen a pronounced partisan dynamic emerge, arguably in response to the Trump presidency and the Trumpification of presidential politics.

Proponents of the Biden presidency have strong arguments in their arsenal, but his high placement within the top 15 suggests a powerful anti-Trump factor at work. So far, Biden’s record does not include the military victories or institutional expansion that have typically driven higher rankings, and a family scandal such as the one involving his son Hunter normally diminishes a president’s ranking.

Biden’s most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessor’s hands this fall.

Trump’s position at the bottom of our rankings, meanwhile, puts him behind not only Buchanan and Johnson but also such lowlights as Franklin Pierce, Warren Harding and William Henry Harrison, who died a mere 31 days after taking office.

Trump’s impact goes well beyond his own ranking and Biden’s. Every contemporary Democratic president has moved up in the ranks — Barack Obama (No. 7), Bill Clinton (No. 12) and even Jimmy Carter (No. 22).

Yes, these presidents had great accomplishments such as expanding healthcare access and working to end conflict in the Middle East, and they have two Nobel Prizes among them. But given their shortcomings and failures, their rise seems to be less about reassessments of their administrations than it is a bonus for being neither Trump nor a member of his party.

Indeed, every modern Republican president has dropped in the survey, including the transformational Ronald Reagan (No. 16) and George H.W. Bush (No. 19), who led the nation’s last decisive military victory.

Academics do lean left, but that hasn’t changed since our previous surveys. What these results suggest is not just an added emphasis on a president’s political affiliation, but also the emergence of a president’s fealty to political and institutional norms as a criterion for what makes a president “great” to the scholars who study them.

As for the Americans casting a ballot for the next president, they are in the historically rare position of knowing how both candidates have performed in the job. Whether they will consider each president’s commitment to the norms of presidential leadership, and come to rate them as differently as our experts, remains to be seen.

Justin Vaughn is an associate professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University. Brandon Rottinghaus is a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

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In historians' Presidents Day survey, Biden vs. Trump is not a close call

Bill Chappell

a good political leader essay

President Biden is rated highly in a survey of historians on presidential greatness — but he's in a tight election race with former President Donald Trump, who is ranked last. Jim Watson and Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

President Biden is rated highly in a survey of historians on presidential greatness — but he's in a tight election race with former President Donald Trump, who is ranked last.

President Biden is in a tight race to keep former President Donald Trump from reclaiming the White House, recent polls show . But that's not how 154 historians and presidential experts see it: They rate Biden in the top third of U.S. presidents, while Trump ranks dead last.

The 2024 edition of the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey has Biden in 14th place, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson and Ronald Reagan. Trump comes in 45th, behind fellow impeachee Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan, the perennial cellar-dweller in such ratings due to his pre-Civil War leadership.

"While partisanship and ideology don't tend to make a major difference overall, there are a few distinctions worth noting," said political scientists Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston and Justin S. Vaughn of Coastal Carolina University, who first published their greatness survey in 2015 .

Experts responding to the survey who self-identified as conservatives rated Biden No. 30, while liberals put him 13th and moderates ranked him 20th. All three of those same groups ranked Trump, whose presidency was marked by his flouting of historical norms, in the bottom five.

Trump ordered to pay over $355M for fraudulent business practices in New York

Trump ordered to pay over $355M for fraudulent business practices in New York

On the survey's 0-100 scale of "overall greatness," a rating of 50 means a president was average, while zero means a president is considered a failure. Only the top three presidents — Abraham Lincoln at No. 1, followed by Franklin D. Roosevelt and then George Washington — scored above 90. The drop-off was sharp from there, with no one else above an 80 rating. Roughly half the presidents were rated below 50.

Trump's overall rating was 10.92, easily the worst showing, while Biden's 62.66 had him tied with John Adams. Some of Biden's appeal could be due to the person he followed in the Oval Office: Trump was seen as "by far the most polarizing of the ranked presidents, selected by 170 respondents," according to a summary of the survey.

The survey emerges as these two contenders for the 2024 presidential race are running against distinctly different headwinds. While historians might prefer Biden, polls show a lack of confidence in his handling of key policy areas, and he is routinely criticized over his age. And Trump appears to be romping his way to another Republican nomination to lead the U.S. despite facing 91 felony criminal counts and lingering disapproval over his one-term presidency.

In a sign of partisan divide, the academics wrote, "Republicans and Conservatives rank George Washington as the greatest president," while Democrats, moderates and independents slotted the nation's founding president in second or third place.

"There are also several presidents where partisan polarization is evident — Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Obama, and Biden — but interestingly not for Bill Clinton," the survey's authors said.

In fact, Clinton fared a bit better among right-leaning respondents, who put him at No. 10, than among liberals and moderates, both of whom had Clinton as the 12th-best president.

Here's what matters to voters — and what could change their minds if it's Biden-Trump

Here's what matters to voters — and what could change their minds if it's Biden-Trump

Measuring presidential greatness is, of course, both subjective and selective. Historians routinely reanalyze leaders' successes and failures — and in today's polarized political climate, those qualities can look very different, depending on whom you ask. It can also be difficult to extract distinct criteria for presidential greatness, other than helming the United States during critical moments in history — such as helping found the country or keeping the nation together.

For instance, the survey's greatest leader, Lincoln, is praised for preserving the Union and ending slavery. But Washington, who fell from second to third place in the new survey, was a practitioner of that abomination. Even Roosevelt, credited with both enacting New Deal policies that reshaped the country and leading the U.S. through the bulk of a world war, is also criticized for ordering the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

The survey's goal is to give historians and experts on the presidency a chance to state their opinion of where today's leaders stand in a broader context. To do so, Rottinghaus and Vaughn sent requests to current and recent members of the Presidents and Executive Politics section of the American Political Science Association .

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The Death of Alexey Navalny, Putin’s Most Formidable Opponent

By Masha Gessen

A blackandwhite portrait of Alexey Navalny.

Alexey Navalny spent at least a decade standing up to the Kremlin when it seemed impossible. He was jailed and released. He was poisoned, and survived. He was warned to stay away from Russia and didn’t. He was arrested in front of dozens of cameras, with millions of people watching. In prison, he was defiant and consistently funny. For three years, his jailers put him in solitary confinement, cut off his access to and arrested his lawyers, piled on sentence after sentence, sent him all the way across the world’s largest country to serve out his time in the Arctic, and still, when he appeared on video in court, he laughed at his jailers. Year after year, he faced down the might of one of the world’s cruellest states and the vengeance of one of the world’s cruellest men. His promise was that he would outlive them and lead what he called the Beautiful Russia of the Future. On Friday, they killed him. He was forty-seven years old.

Hours after the news of his death broke, his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, addressed the Munich Security Conference. “I don’t know whether to believe the news, the terrible news, which we are only getting from state-controlled sources in Russia,” she said, from the conference’s main stage. “As you all know, for many years we’ve been unable to believe Putin and his government. They always lie. But, if it is true, I want Putin and everyone around him, his friends and his government, to know that they will be held responsible for what they have done to our country, to my family, and to my husband. The day of reckoning will come very soon.”

In Russia, Vladimir Putin was visiting an industrial park in Chelyabinsk, in the Urals. He took questions from staff and students, who were seated a safe distance from the Russian President on what appeared to be the plant floor. Putin seemed to be in an unusually good mood. He bantered and flirted with the audience. He boasted that Western sanctions in response to the war in Ukraine had boosted industrial production inside Russia. He hadn’t seemed so jovial in public in years.

In exactly a month, Russia will hold a ritual that it calls an election. With no actual alternative to Putin, who has total control of the media and the so-called electoral institutions, the current Russian President will be crowned for another six-year term, extending his time in power to thirty-one years. Navalny tried to run against Putin six years ago, but the rigged system stopped him. His very name was banished from the airwaves. Still, even when the system shut him out, and, later, when it put him in prison, Navalny remained Putin’s most formidable opponent.

Putin could only envy Navalny’s ability to mobilize Russians. In July, 2013, as the political crackdown that accompanied the beginning of Putin’s third official Presidential term intensified, a court in the provincial city of Kirov sentenced Navalny to five years behind bars on trumped-up embezzlement charges. That evening, thousands of people risked arrest by taking to the streets in Moscow in a rare spontaneous protest. The following morning, Navalny was summarily released from prison, in violation of established legal procedure. Putin had long been terrified of mass protests. Now he had to be equally afraid of Navalny, a man whose very existence seemed to make people capable of overcoming their own fears.

It’s tempting to see Navalny’s apparent murder, as some American analysts have, as a sign of weakness on the part of Putin. But a dictator’s ability to annihilate what he fears is a measure of his hold on power, as is his ability to choose the time to strike. Putin appears to be feeling optimistic about his own future. As he sees it, Donald Trump is poised to become the next President of the U.S. and to give Putin free rein in Ukraine and beyond . Even before the U.S. Presidential election, American aid to Ukraine is stalled, and Ukraine’s Army is starved for troops and nearing a supply crisis. Last week, Putin got to lecture millions of Americans by granting an interview to Tucker Carlson . At the end of the interview, Carlson asked Putin if he would release Evan Gershkovich , a Wall Street Journal reporter held on espionage charges in Russia. Putin proposed that Gershkovich could be traded for “a person, who out of patriotic sentiments liquidated a bandit in one of the European capitals.” It was a reference to Vadim Krasikov, probably the only Russian assassin who has been caught and convicted in the West; he is held in Germany. A week after the interview aired, Russia has shown the world what can happen to a person in a Russian prison. It’s also significant that Navalny was killed on the first day of the Munich conference. In 2007, Putin chose the conference as his stage for declaring what would become his war against the West. Now, with this war in full swing, Putin has been excluded from the conference, but the actions of his regime—the murders committed by his regime—dominate the proceedings.

Russian prison authorities have said that Navalny felt ill after returning from his daily walk, lost consciousness, and could not be revived. They have ascribed his death to a pulmonary embolism. Anna Karetnikova, a prisoners’-rights activist and a former member of the civilian-oversight body of Russia’s prison system, has said that prison authorities routinely use embolism as a catchall term. Sergey Nemalevich, a journalist with the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, noticed that the ostensible timing of the death didn’t seem to jibe with Navalny’s recent description of his schedule in solitary confinement: he had said that his daily walk took place at six-thirty in the morning, but prison authorities claimed that, on the day of his death, he returned to his cell in the afternoon. Nemalevich suggested that Navalny was dead long before an ambulance—which authorities said took a mere seven minutes to travel twenty-two miles to the prison—was called to declare him dead.

Navalny, who was educated as a lawyer, became active in politics in the early two-thousands and emerged as a public figure around 2010. His early politics were ethno-nationalist, at times overtly xenophobic, and libertarian. He advocated for gun rights and a crackdown on migrants. But he found his agenda and his political voice in documenting corruption. He built a movement based on the premise that citizens, even in Russia, could and should exercise control over the way that government money is spent. In the ensuing years, he evolved from an ethno-nationalist to a civic nationalist, from a libertarian to a social democrat. He learned new languages, read incessantly, and incorporated new ideas into his program. He focussed, increasingly, not only on political power but on social welfare. During the past three years, he used the pulpit provided by an endless series of court hearings to air his political views. In a courtroom speech on February 20, 2021, he outlined a vision for a country with a better health-care system and a more equitable distribution of wealth. He proposed changing the slogan of his political movement from “Russia will be free” to “Russia will be happy.” He continued to assert this hopeful agenda, even as he grew more and more gaunt and even as he was forced to appear in court on a video screen, separated from his audience by glass, a grate, and thousands of miles.

Navalny’s public voice was full of irony without being cynical. He saw the targets of his investigations as ridiculous men with large yachts, small egos, and staggeringly bad taste. He took their abuses seriously by cutting them down to size. This was half of his charisma. The other half was his love story. More than anything else in the world, it seemed, he wanted to impress Yulia. Confined to a cube in a courtroom, he put his hands in the shape of a heart, gesturing at her. He sent love notes from prison, which were posted to social-media for him. On her birthday last July, he posted,

You know, Yulia, I’ve made several attempts at writing the story of our meeting. But every time after I write a couple of sentences, I stopped in terror and couldn’t keep going. I am terrified that it could have not happened. I mean, it was a coincidence. I could have looked in the other direction, you could have turned away. The one second that determined the course of my life, could have turned out differently. Everything would have been different. I probably would have been the saddest person on earth. How awesome is it that we looked at each other back then and that now I can shake my head, drive away these thoughts, rub my forehead, and say, “Phew, what a weird nightmare.”

This seemed the only thing that could have scared him. Reading his wildly popular social-media accounts felt like watching a romantic comedy, but one that starred a superhero.

A year after the Kremlin’s attempt to put Navalny away failed, Putin took a hostage: Alexey’s brother Oleg was jailed on trumped-up charges. It was an old reliable tactic. The henchmen assumed that, with Oleg behind bars, Alexey would cease his political activities to keep his brother safe. But the brothers made a pact to keep going. Alexey built a sprawling organization that expanded far beyond documenting corruption. He ran for mayor of Moscow. He built a network of political offices that could have enabled a Presidential race if such a thing as elections actually existed. He grew frustrated that journalists weren’t following his leads or undertaking investigations of their own, and so he founded his own media: YouTube shows and Telegram channels that publicized the results of his group’s investigations. Navalny’s work spawned an entire generation of independent Russian investigative media, many of which continue working in exile, documenting not only criminal assets but also war crimes and the activities of Russia’s assassins at home and abroad.

The state harassed Navalny, placed him under house arrest, pushed the organization out of its offices, jailed some of its activists and forced the rest into exile, declared them “extremists,” and started going after people who had donated even a small amount of money to the group. Then, in August, 2020, the F.S.B. poisoned Navalny with Novichok , a chemical weapon. He was meant to die on a plane. But the pilot made an emergency landing, doctors administered essential first aid, and Yulia took over the superhero role, pressuring the authorities to let her take Alexey to Germany for treatment.

After weeks in a coma, Navalny emerged and teamed up with another investigator, Christo Grozev, a Bulgarian journalist then working with Bellingcat. Grozev got the receipts: the flight manifests that showed that Navalny had been trailed by a group of F.S.B. agents, some of whom also happened to be chemists. Navalny supplied the performative flair. He called his would-be murderers on the phone and managed to get a guileless confession out of one, complete with the detail of where the poison had been placed: in the crotch area of Navalny’s boxer shorts. The scene would later be incorporated into the film “ Navalny ,” which won an Oscar for Best Documentary, but, before that, Navalny put it in his own made-for-YouTube movie, titled “I Called My Killer. He Confessed.” It was released on December 21, 2020.

A month later, Navalny flew back to Moscow . His friends had tried to talk him out of it. He wouldn’t hear of staying in exile and becoming politically irrelevant. He imagined himself as Russia’s Nelson Mandela: he would outlive Putin’s reign and become President. Perhaps he believed that the men he was fighting were capable of embarrassment and wouldn’t dare to kill him after he’d proved that they had tried to. He and I had argued, over the years, about the fundamental nature of Putin and his regime: he said that they were “crooks and thieves”; I said that they were murderers and terrorists. After he came out of his coma, I asked him if he had finally been convinced that they were murderers. No, he said. They kill to protect their wealth. Fundamentally, they are just greedy.

He thought too highly of them. They are, in fact, murderers.

All over Russia on Friday, people were laying flowers in memory of Navalny. In the few cities where memorials exist to past victims of Russian totalitarianism, these monuments became the destinations. Police were breaking up gatherings, throwing out flowers, and detaining journalists. ♦

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    About one-in-five (21%) say men make the better leaders, while the vast majority — 69% — say men and women make equally good leaders. The paradox embedded in these survey findings is part of a wider paradox in modern society on the subject of gender and leadership. In an era when women have made sweeping strides in educational attainment ...

  16. How to Write an Essay about a Political Leader

    It is represented by such outstanding political leaders as Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Napoleon Bonaparte, Otto von Bismarck, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Elizabeth II, Barack Obama and many others who have taken up the duty to govern a tribe, city, state, region or even an entire nation.

  17. 12 Characteristics and Qualities of a Good Leader

    Collaboration. Influence. Integrity. Courage. Gratitude. Resilience. TIP: Download an action guide & summary of these essential characteristics of a good leader in PDF format to keep this list of leadership qualities at your fingertips as a reminder. 1. Self-Awareness.

  18. Good Political Leader

    8 Pages Open Document Analyze This Draft Good Political Leader View Writing Issues File Edit Tools Settings Filter Results "The meaning of a message is the change which it produces in the image". [1] In order to be a good political leader, you have to progress certain traits over time.

  19. Three Criteria Of A Good Political Leader Politics Essay

    In political science and history, there are three criteria used to determine what makes for a great, good or a successful political leader. The three criteria are: responding to crisis, utilizing the UK Essays .com

  20. The Characteristics Of Good Efficient Leader Politics Essay

    A good leader knows when to lead and when to follow. a leader when chosen the peoples who chose is expecting that the person the have is can accomplish the tasks and duties as stated on him or her being a leader is not only served for a man to manage and handle whoever women can be a leader also.

  21. Plutarch. How to be a leader: an ancient guide to wise leadership

    The first and shortest essay is To an Uneducated Leader. In this treatise, Plutarch explains how moral philosophy can make us better leaders. Good leadership, he argues, is inextricably linked to the leader's moral state and development. Above all else, a leader should ground his actions in reason.

  22. Can Good Leaders Become Great Politicians?

    A good leader must put the interests of his people first. One of the main challenges that a leader faces is ensuring that he considers the people's interests above his own ones when making any decision. For instance, he has to award a tender.

  23. Essays on Leadership for Students

    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.

  24. Poll Ranks Biden as 14th-Best President, With Trump Last

    Among Republican scholars, for instance, Reagan finishes fifth, George H.W. Bush 11th, Mr. Obama 15th and Mr. Biden 30th, while among Democratic historians, Reagan is ...

  25. Experts rank Biden among the best presidents. Trump? Not so much

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  26. Biden vs. Trump is not a close call in historians' Presidents Day

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  27. The Death of Alexey Navalny, Putin's Most Formidable Opponent

    The opposition leader, who died in prison, had been persecuted for years by the Russian state. He remained defiant, and consistently funny, to the very end.

  28. Putin critic Alexei Navalny dies in Arctic Circle jail, says Russia

    Alexei Navalny was Russia's most prominent opposition leader of recent times Russia's most significant opposition leader for the past decade, Alexei Navalny, has died in an Arctic Circle jail, the ...

  29. Alejandro Mayorkas: House votes to impeach homeland security ...

    The House of Representatives has narrowly voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, making him the first cabinet member to face impeachment in nearly 150 years. Many ...