Some say that leaders are born rather than brought up. Leaders, in this context, are implied to have certain characteristics. For instance in this view, a leader is someone who is forthright, brave, optimistic and able to read their surroundings. These charactersitics portray traditional leading. In ealier classes we have determined that leadership comes in many diffrernt forms. We have established that it is the situation and its needs that bring forth a variety of leadership.
To Stanley McChrystal, a veteren army soldier, being a leader meant that you had to be strong and brave. It wasn’t until he entered the army that he was able to see his mode of thinking was skewed because of predetermined ideas of what a leader was. Thorughout his time in the army, he came to believe that leadership wasn’t easy. He also came to realize that a leader is good because of his willingness to learn and trust. His account on what leadership means to him reaffirms that leadership is not subject to a certain set of charcteristics. Leaders arise in times of need and are not subject to one set of ideals, but vary in description amongst people based upon experiences and mindsets.
What is your view on what influences someone’s idea of leaders?
If you wanna hear from Stanley on what he thinks about leadership click here.
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