essay for leadership

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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Leadership Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on leadership.

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

Qualities of a Good Leader

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Real-Life Examples of Good Leadership

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

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

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

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

FAQs on Leadership

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

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

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Writing an Effective Leadership Essay: Tips and Examples

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Whether you’ve led a horse to water or led your team to a victorious championship, you’re probably more of a leader than you give yourself credit for. It turns out, college admissions officers want to hear about that horse and/or championship in your application essay. The leadership essay is one of the hallmarks of college essays, but what’s the right way to do it?

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay is a subset of college application essays that help college admissions officers understand your previous experiences as a leader. While that might seem extremely specific, it comes with the understanding that leadership looks and feels different based on the person and situation.

To give you a real world example: The president is ostensibly the leader of the United States. However, the president has a whole cabinet of other leaders for every other aspect of running a country. You might not be a leader of foreign policy, but you might be a leader on the football field or within your community volunteer group.

Leadership Essay Ideas and Topics

While you might see a few variations, almost all leadership essays go back to two main forms:

• What is your leadership style?
• Describe a moment when you showed leadership.

There’s inherently a bit of overlap with both of these. You’ll likely give an example of a leadership moment when talking about your leadership style, and you’ll probably talk about your leadership style when talking about a leadership moment.

In either case, the school will want you to use anecdotal evidence that demonstrates the idea. Go with what feels right, whether that’s leading a club or team in school or leading some ducklings across a busy highway. Even if your experience sounds cliché, it’s unique because it involves you.

How To Write a Leadership Essay

Probably the biggest trap that people fall into is “Well, I’ve never been a leader.” Even if you’ve never held some sort of leadership position at school or had an official title, chances are pretty high that you have exhibited some form of leadership at some point in your life. Beyond that, the actual writing of the leadership essay is fairly straightforward.

Formatting Your Leadership Essay

Your leadership essay will include an introduction paragraph, one or more body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Depending on the word or page limits, you can almost treat this like a five-paragraph essay .

• Introduction - Capture the reader’s interest, define good leadership in relation to you, and directly address the given prompt
• Body paragraphs - Give some background information using anecdotes to describe your leadership style or moment
• Conclusion - End with a compelling statement about your leadership qualities and how you hope to apply them to your education, career, and the world in general

How Long Should a Leadership Essay Be?

The length of the leadership essay depends on what the college or application system says. Thankfully, this is the one part of the essay that you don’t need to question. Nearly every school will provide a word limit, typically ranging from 250 words (for supplemental essays) potentially all the way up to 1,000 words.

In the rare event that you don’t see an obvious word limit, stick to a maximum of about 500 to 600 words.

Tips for Writing a Leadership Essay

Unfortunately, we don’t know your personal life, and we certainly don’t know moments where you exhibited leadership. So we can’t write your essay for you, but we can give you some tips to at least guide your writing process.

Define Good Leadership Before You Start

Before you begin writing your essay, think about what qualities make someone a good leader, at least in your opinion. What great leadership qualities do you have? What makes a “good leader”? Make a list before you begin writing your essay. 

Leadership qualities can include:

• The ability to motivate others
• Personal integrity
• Placing a value on relationships with team members
• Prioritizing the larger good over any individual

Review your list and choose the qualities you want to highlight. Write your own definition of what makes someone a great leader as it relates to the quality you chose. It should be one or two sentences long. Use that definition as the backbone of your essay.

Tell a Story About Your Leadership

It’s time to turn that list of potential leadership qualities into something meaningful and interesting. The best way to do that is with an engaging narrative.

You should obviously state good leadership qualities, but that shouldn’t be your entire essay. Tell a story about your leadership.

• Did you face a specific challenge?
• How did you overcome that challenge?
• How has your leadership style changed over the years?
• Was there a specific moment or experience that caused that change?

Really ask yourself questions and dig into the concept of leadership as a real thing that has had real effects on your life.

Write With Your Own Voice and Style

Although you shouldn’t be super informal in college application essays, they are also designed to help you display your own voice and personality. College admissions officers want to learn about you, and your writing style is inherently a big part of that, whether that means using humor or puns, maintaining a unique level of sincerity throughout the essay, or being invitingly verbose.

Don’t Be Down On Yourself

Whether it’s your personal statement , a supplemental essay, or this leadership essay, avoid being too down on yourself. Admissions officers want to hear about all your successes, trophies, and kittens saved from trees. They really don’t want to read a whole essay about you saying you’re a bad leader.

Humility is definitely an important leadership trait, but there’s a fine line between being humble and being hurtful to yourself. Even if you’re normally prone to some self-deprecation, try to keep it at a minimum for this essay.

Leadership Essay Example

If you’re not sure where to start, take some time to brainstorm ideas. Even the weirdest idea can blossom into something neat. If you need inspiration, one of the best things is to look at other examples of leadership. That could be from your favorite show, a good nonfiction book about sailors, or the essay below.

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Leadership Essay Introduction Example

The introduction should pull the reader in while directly answering the prompt. When in doubt, try to start with something concrete over something abstract. Or as writers and writing teachers like to say: Show, don’t tell.

The room was filled with the gentle hum of microphones and video cameras, cut only by the occasional cough or cleared throat. It was easy to feel out of place in this room full of wood furniture, leather seats, and powerful men capable of changing not just my life, but an entire sector of television programming as we knew it. I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I also knew that this was about something bigger than me, something that I could actually influence.

Leadership Essay Body Example

The body is where you’ll get more into the details of your narrative and connect it to ideas of leadership. Try not to get too hung up on the exact wording of what makes a leader. That can get far too abstract. Let your story speak for you.

I took a deep breath and began to talk. I wasn’t known to have a particularly commanding or powerful voice, but people always seemed to listen, including these men with their name placards and tall seats. They had been ready to cut funding for public broadcasting, which included programming that they had never seen. I was simply someone who lived in a neighborhood and cared about children’s education, beyond just math and reading. All I could do was be honest.

Leadership Essay Conclusion Example

Your conclusion considers the broader effects of your leadership. How might your leadership evolve or change? How can you apply that leadership to your education, job, or community?

To me, leadership is about connection. I know that I have a voice and an immense dedication to emotional intelligence in children. My ability to focus on other people goes hand-in-hand with my ability to speak through a tiger puppet. Both are about closing gaps and bringing people closer to a basic understanding. I hope to use my leadership abilities within the field of psychology to build more connections between people and communities.

Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

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

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

What is a good leadership essay?

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

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

How to write a Leadership essay?

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

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

Introduction

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

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

Body Paragraphs

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

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

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

Leadership Essay Examples

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

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

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

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

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

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

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

20 leadership essay topics

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

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

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• How to Structure a Leadership Essay (Samples to Consider)

Leadership is a complex concept, but it’s essential for boosting your career. That’s why a leadership essay focuses on applying the theoretical models and concepts of successful management to real-life situations. 

If you don’t know where to start writing such a paper, please read on for professional tips!

What Is Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay is a paper that analyzes leadership concepts and their application to real-life situations that may involve everyday business management, crisis situations, and other scenarios. 

Every essay on leadership is about defining a concept. Then, it’s either comparing it to similar management tools or proving that it’s useful (or not).

While some students enjoy writing such papers, other learners hate them. The below samples will come in handy, no matter which group is yours.

What Does Leadership Mean to You? (Essay Sample)

It is one of the most popular topics for a leadership essay. If you need to write a paper like that, ask yourself:

• Who is a good leader?  
• What style do they use?  
• What are the situations when they might switch styles?

You may take a more personal approach to such an essay if your professor allows you to. In the example below, you will see the academic approach to this topic. It analyzes three leadership styles to discover which one corresponds to the meaning of leadership if one thinks of it as guidance and support.

Why I Want to Participate in a Leadership Program (Essay Sample)

It’s another example of a popular topic. Such papers often have a meaning beyond the classroom since they may decide whether you plan to participate in a specific program. It’s critical to make them as effective and compelling as possible.

A personalized approach is the best when it comes to essays like this. In the example below, you will see the paper that relies on individual beliefs and a personal life story to explain why it’s so important for the specific student to participate in the chosen program.

How to Write a Leadership Essay

Like every other essay, this paper has an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion summarizing your thoughts. (1) The most important part of the introduction is the final sentence,  aka  a thesis statement. That’s where you state your claim to prove or develop in your leadership essay.

Each body paragraph should correspond to the purpose of your essay. To ensure you don’t stray from the aim you’ve established in the thesis statement, write the topic sentences for all your paragraphs in the outline . In simple words, write the first sentence of every paragraph to define its development in advance and see if you cover everything you need.

And now, to the conclusion:

Its most essential element is thesis restatement or the first sentence of that paragraph. It’s not just paraphrasing your thesis; it’s also considering the new information you’ve discovered while writing the essay.

Structure :

• Introduction (End it with a thesis statement.)
• Body paragraphs (Each one starts with a topic sentence.)
• Conclusion (Start it with a thesis restatement.)

Understand the purpose of a leadership essay

When starting to write, think about why you’re creating this paper. Before you sit down and type the words, think about the ideas you want to convey and their meaning in your life:

Can this essay teach you to take responsibility? Or maybe will it help you understand how to be a leader in crisis situations? When you’ve answered the “why” question, begin outlining.

Build a strong thesis

Always start with your thesis statement. It will help incorporate your answer to that notorious “why” question into your essay. Once done, you can plan out the rest of the paper and start working on the body paragraphs as soon as you finish the introduction.

There’s another important tip —don’t rush into writing the conclusion before you finish everything else!

It might seem like a good idea to create a thesis statement and thesis restatement right off the bat. However, you’ll find yourself with more refreshing ideas after completing all the research and thinking necessary for the introduction and each body paragraph.

Decide on a structure; format accordingly

Even if your essay about leadership seems not so formal, and you can use personal pronouns, you still need a clear structure.

The best way to write any academic paper is to keep your introduction and conclusion as short as possible. (But no shorter than three sentences and four lines of text). 

Another important tip is to try making all your body paragraphs equal in length. That way, you’ll give the same attention to all the vital points of your essay.

Ready to Write Your Essay on Leadership Now?

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the most critical elements of a leadership essay. 

Remember the structure, grammar, and appropriate academic style to create a top-level paper. Please don’t forget to answer the “why” question and remember  why  you’re writing. Then you’ll impress everyone with your results!

References:

• https://lsa.umich.edu/onsf/news-events/all-news/directors-blog/writing-leadership-essays.html
• Essay samples
• Essay writing
• Writing tips

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A Full Guide On How To Create Good Leadership Essay

Attempting a leadership essay isn’t such a daunting task, provided you have a grasp of the necessary information needed for a leadership paper. To write this special essay, you’ll need to redefine what exactly an essay on leadership is, how to choose the perfect topic, what should be in the content, and how to organize and structure the paper. Let’s delve deeper!

What Is A Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay is a well-formatted, organized and specialized type of formal writing which elaborates on a generic leadership topic or a superior human figure exercising a great influence on people and transmitting desire and optimism to achieve goals.

What Makes A Good Leader Essay?

There are some peculiarities needed to infuse in your write-up if, for example, you’re trying to learn how to write a leadership essay about yourself.

Also, if you’re just trying to produce leadership essays for college, then you’d first and foremost, learn  how to structure an essay , among other skills needed for this type of essay. Here are some qualities which can be found in a good essay about leadership.

• Choose a creative topic
• Avoid the passive voice (the active voice sounds stronger)
• Search for and study leadership essay examples
• Follow the appropriate essay style
• Focus on the essay structure
• Review the essay

How To Choose A Topic And Make A Great Title?

To choose a topic for a paper on leadership, you need to do some research on the concept of a leader (whether in the corporate industry, political society or even in the criminal world). You have to know the current leadership tendencies in organizational groups or society. You can choose to make a leader the point of your reference by explaining the consequences of their leadership abilities or inabilities.

In the body of your essay, don’t forget to mention several types of leadership styles and point out which one the subject portrays. Finally, you should not rule out making comparisons of famous leaders in the modern world or in history. An example of a great prompt for a leadership essay that deploys the comparison technique would be the leadership styles of President Trump and The Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte as both leadership styles have been subjected to political reviews in recent times since their emergence as president of their respective countries.

Outline For A Leadership Essay

When writing a college or professional essay such as -long and short essays on leadership, planning is the key to perfection. The general outline for any essay, including leadership papers, include an introduction, the body paragraphs (which must be properly linked with transition words and/or phrases) and a recapitulating or finding-based conclusions. Here’s what your outline should look like:

Introduction

Knowing how to start a leadership essay depends on your introduction writing ability. The introduction is the gateway to the essay. Aided by punchy opening words, which are the hook, the purpose of the introduction is to draw the reader’s attention. The introduction presents the thesis statement and leaves the body paragraphs to sustain the reader’s interest.

Body Paragraphs

Having informed the readers of the topic of the essay in the introductory paragraph(s), the body paragraphs follow immediately.

Here, you can elaborate on the concept of leadership and do a meaningful interpretation of the subject – the topic or the thesis statement. Don’t forget to talk about your leadership philosophies and leadership experience in whatever capacity you might have found yourself in. Remember, people are more interested in personal experiences. They are great in helping to sustain readers’ attention.

Remember to state a thesis or hypothesis in the opening paragraphs – which is the intro. In each of the body paragraphs of the essay, try to relate your points to the thesis and use each point to prove its validity.

The conclusion is the end part of any well-structured essay. Its purpose is a no-brainer. You don’t want to leave your reader hanging by ending the essay cold turkey. Any standard essay without a conclusion is just as useless as an essay with no purpose. However, be careful not to present new ideas not mentioned in the body.

As mentioned, the conclusion serves to summarize the developed points, restate the thesis and/or present the findings. It is your last opportunity to create an impression on the reader, and this is where they take the message away. If your conclusion is weak, then we might say the essay’s objectives are not achieved.

What To Include In A Leadership Essay?

Here are some tips on what your leadership essay should include.

Your Definition Of A Good Leader And Why He Or She Is Important

Since your essay revolves around leadership and the traits of a good leader, you’ll need to define what it takes to be one. You may also take this opportunity to trash some common myths on what a leader is (i.e., a manager being confused for a leader).

For reference purposes, the concepts of leadership and being a good leader are explained:

Leadership is the quality of a leader and is that person capable of exercising a great influence on people and transmitting desire and optimism to achieve goals. A leader is a guide; someone with ideas and goals that can spread to a large group of people who still believe he or she can lead them in the right direction.

There are many types of leaders and therefore, of leadership since people generally always look for a person or group that shows them a direction to follow. You can find religious, political, social, or philosophical leadership. Leadership can be exercised in a traditional way. In many countries, there is a monarchy. The king or queen is a leader with limited political power, at least in western democracies, but still have the respect and consideration of the people. Their words continue to be heard and taken into account, especially in problematic times. There are other types of leadership that are not given by birth, such as legitimate leadership exercised by, for example, political leaders freely chosen by their people, or charismatic leaders.

In a way, charismatic leaders are what many understand as leaders since they are people who, by their way of behavior and characteristics, get many people to follow and adhere to their ideas. Some charismatic leaders can become legitimate leaders if they choose the path of politics. A traditional leader can also be charismatic. There have always been kings loved by his people more than others. But it can also be a person who prefers independent movements outside of power.

Charisma is the personal magnetism a person has. It is something very difficult to define but makes one capable of convincing others without too much effort, making people follow and trust the leading figure. Charisma can be used positively or negatively. The leaders of the most destructive sects are very charismatic people that are capable of convincing their followers of the eeriest ideas, including donating all their belongings or committing collective suicide.

Examples Of Your Leadership Style

In the content of your essay, you may consider giving an interpretation to your (or your chosen leader’s) leadership traits. Below are some examples of leadership qualities that separate a good leader from a bad leader.

What qualities are necessary for leadership

• Communication
• Emotional intelligence
• Strategic thinking
• Commitment and passion
• Knowledge and experience
• Leading by example
• Active listening
• Ability to enhance talent
• Setting goals and expectations
• People investment
• Discernment
• Concentration
• Positive attitude
• Problem-solving
• Self-discipline

Leadership Essay Example

To know how to do essay fast, you’ll need some ready-made essay examples for the sake of guidance and inspiration. You may find below a leadership essay written by Oliver Smith useful in your leadership paper.

Writing a leadership essay should be easy. A good essay on leadership starts from the hook, and the thesis statement in the introduction. The points developed in the body paragraphs help affirm the hypothesis. Finally, the conclusion offers the reader a summary through the restatement of the essay’s main idea.

As required for every essay type, your essay on leadership has to follow a definite style and format. Examples are MLA, APA, Chicago and AP styles. Take your time in choosing a creative but new topic and also in writing the content. By following this guide, everything should be as perfect as possible.

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Your Complete Guide to Writing a Compelling Leadership Essay

• Essay Writing Guides

True leadership lies at the heart of human well-being and success. Every positive step humanity ever took required great and responsible leadership. Therefore, people have studied leadership for many edges to unravel its different underlying factors. 

But how do you write a great essay that demonstrates your grasp of this sacred call? This post shares practical insights on how to write a leadership essay . Keep reading it to sharpen your skills in this assignment niche. 

What Is a Leadership Essay ?

Before proceeding to see how best to draft a perfect leadership essay, let’s answer the big question, “ What is leadership essay ?” A leadership essay is an assignment that falls under student application essays. This paper provides student admission officers with insight into your previous leadership experience. 

While this assignment appears to be specific, it acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can greatly vary depending on context and individuals. 

Leadership Essay Ideas and Topics

Selecting the best topics for your essays on leadership is vital. When composing this paper, you will focus on two main areas revolving around your leadership style and the memorable moment when you demonstrated leadership. Please note that these two areas usually overlap because while recounting that moment you demonstrated leadership, you will also show your leadership style. 

Whichever area you choose to focus on, use anecdotal evidence that proves the idea. Here, you can freely go with what feels best for you. Just ensure that the instance you use to demonstrate leadership is a real-life experience. This way, you will be best placed to choose a topic that makes your readers enjoy your paper.

How to Write a Leadership Essay

While this paper might sound like an introduction on leadership essay , it doesn’t mean you aren’t a leader or can’t lead people. So, how do you compose a killer leadership essay that impresses student admission officials? Here are ideas on how to write leadership essay that fetches good grades and makes a positive impression of your leadership potential. 

• As earlier hinted, you must research to choose a good topic that will impress your readers and portray you as an upcoming great leader.
• When writing about a leadership concept, take notes of some credible sources of information. Find out what others have written about that topic.  
• Outline your essay to organize all the details you want to include. This way, you won’t forget to include anything your readers need. 

Alternatively, you can check out past papers written on your chosen leadership topics. This way, you will have a strong basis for further expansion of your arguments and incorporating relevant ideas into your paper. However, remember to follow intellectual property laws to avoid plagiarism.

Formatting Your Leadership Essay

Your essay about leadership requires correct formatting to ensure everything flows well. Like other types of papers, leadership essays follow a five-paragraph pattern. It has an introduction, a body section, and a conclusion, depending on its word count or page limits.  

• Introduction: This section captures the reader’s interest, defines good leadership in relation to you, and directly addresses the given prompt.
• Body paragraphs: The body section gives some background information using anecdotes to describe your leadership style or moment.
• Conclusion: This finishing section is a compelling statement about your leadership attributes and capabilities. It also shows how you hope to apply them to your life and solve other people’s problems.

Tips for Writing a Leadership Essay

Do you want tips to help you write the best leadership essays that will garner good grades? Here are tips and insights to help you compose excellent leadership essays .

Define Good Leadership First

It would be best to define good leadership before proceeding. Take time to think about the best attributes that make one a great leader. Of these qualities you have figured out, which ones do you have? Outline the qualities you demonstrated in your memorable leadership moment. These attributes could be, but aren’t limited to:

• The ability to motivate and inspire others.
• Valuing others.

Lastly, review your list and select the traits you would wish to focus on. 

Moderate Your Humility 

Humility is an invaluable virtue that needs to flow through your papers. However, don’t overdo it when highlighting your leadership moment. So, draw the line between humility and self-humiliation. Just let your readers know what you did to benefit other people’s lives—period.

Don’t Use Another Person’s Voice and Style

When highlighting your leadership abilities and experience, remember to use your personal style and voice. Admission officers want to hear your voice and “see you” in the essay. Thus, allow them to see your personality in the paper the best way you know how to put it. You can use your reasonable sense of humor without overstepping boundaries. 

Tell a Story About Your Journey 

When addressing college admission officers, use your storytelling skills to describe your leadership journey. Give them an engaging story that shows them your true leadership potential. Your story should exhibit the traits you believe are instrumental in helping you lead others. The narrative should tell the readers about the following:

• That you faced a real-life challenge.
• How you solved the problem. 
• How your leadership style and potential have grown over the years.
• Any specific challenge or moment that has helped you grow in your leadership. 

Choose a Case in Which You Played a Key Role

Your leadership doesn’t necessarily mean you are always at the help of things or people. Instead, it means that you helped solve a problem that affected others. Thus, don’t fear highlighting a moment just because you were not calling the shots. Why? Because the officials are looking for the results you helped bring to the table and not necessarily the position you occupied in the story. 

Thus, you should focus more on the improved position others found themselves in after your intervention instead of the position you occupied. Also, don’t mind more about the story’s title, especially when brainstorming. If you tell an impactful story, the title will automatically fall in place. 

Acknowledge Other People’s Contributions

We said in previous sections that you should tell the reader more about your leadership skills and journey. Up to this point, so good. However, you shouldn’t become so egoistic that you assume you aren’t an island. Your personal statement should indeed be personal, but it’s better to remember that other people still have a stake in your journey. 

So, give other people their deserved credit wherever they contributed to your success. Credit others for their loyalty, hard work, and any insights they offer. This way, you will portray your leadership as inclusive and not a one-man army that gives all the credit to one man. 

Solve Problems

Lastly, your essay should focus on solving problems. There is no point in telling a long story if it doesn’t bring out this element. Why? Because leadership essentially solves other people’s problems. If this element is missing, then you were not leading. Most likely, you were merely occupying a position or exercising authority but not leading. 

Do you remember how you solved that issue on your team amicably? Did you negotiate peace between team members whose rift was threatening to tear the team apart? Then, tell it out because that is all the admission officers are looking for in the narrative. 

Leadership Essay Example

Nothing will power your leadership writing skills like a perfect example of leadership essay . This section has three excellent excerpts from the introductions, bodies, and conclusions of leadership papers. 

• Introduction 

The floor was full of press cameras and microphones ready to capture a critical event. The venue was filled with different types of furniture, leather seats, and the who-is-who in the media industry that could change the entire media industry. Until then, I never saw myself as a leader, although I knew that this event was bigger than me, a moment that I could positively influence for the benefit of everyone present.

Gaining experience is one of the pillars of growing up in one’s leadership journey. The reason is that leadership isn’t a theory or concept captured in the heads, arguments, or counterarguments of so-called leadership gurus. Instead, it’s about practical life engagements that solve people’s problems in the real world. Thus, experience is the best tool to provide leaders with the opportunities to face and solve problems, make sound decisions, and learn from their failures and successes. All great leaders cherish such experiences and use them to grow and develop their leadership. 

• Conclusion 

In my view, leadership is about solving problems and meeting people’s needs, period. That’s the big picture, and the rest are minor details. My ability to empathize with others and give them a helping hand instead of pointing fingers at them summarizes my leadership philosophy. I hope to use this drive to be on the solution side of life, to prescribe solutions instead of just describing and decrying problems. 

Final Word 

Do you want to boost your writing skills on the topic of leadership? We’ve created this post to give you valuable and practical insights to accelerate your leadership research and writing journey. We hope you will use them to compose a perfect essay on effective leadership .

• Academic Writing Guides
• Citation Guides
• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Research Paper Topics
• Research Paper Writing Guides
• Study Tips and Tricks

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How to write an essay about leadership

Leadership essays, or essays where you are asked about your work as a leader in your school or community, are not as common as you might imagine. Given all of the emphasis schools and clubs put on leadership roles and titles, essays asking students to dive deeply into this work are actually pretty rare in college applications. That said, it is important to consider leadership very broadly! You do not need to be the President or Founder of a club to write an effective essay for one of these prompts. In fact, sometimes the less common considerations and definitions of “leadership” can make for more compelling essays.

Example Leadership Essay Questions:

• U of California: Describe an example of your leadership and a way that you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• U of Texas: How do you show leadership in your life? How do you see yourself being a leader at UT Austin?

LET'S BREAK DOWN THE ESSENTIAL POINTS YOU NEED TO HIT WHEN RESPONDING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT:

Leadership is more than titles – it is important, when you consider questions like these, that you reflect on activities where you have contributed to an accomplishment and learned something (about yourself, about your community). In fact, it would be a more powerful essay to reflect on a leadership contribution that was not connected to a title of leadership, but where you learned something important, than to reflect upon your activity where your leadership title is big “in name only.”

Sometimes leadership happens within your family – you do not need to limit your focus to leadership that happens during your school day.

You can consider this essay happening in two distinct ways: narrative structure – where you present a challenge you faced in a leadership role, actions you did that had an impact, and lessons you learned (skills you gained); OR montage structure – where you take on two different activities that both taught you a common lesson about leadership. Don’t muddle these together! Decide whether you want to write linearly (and chronologically in time) about one activity or if you want to write non-linearly about one leadership lesson.

THINGS TO AVOID:

Try to stay away from topics where your leadership takes the reader on a familiar journey. If you want to write about your leadership on an athletic team, that is wonderful, but try to avoid an essay about how your leadership of your team during The Big Game contributed to (winning/losing) The Big Game and the team becoming closer and being “one-strong-team.” Does that feel familiar to you? That’s because college admissions folks will have read thousands of essays that tell this type of story. If you select a common team to lead, take your essay in an uncommon direction.

Avoid lengthy introductions that take away from your word count and don’t actually support your essay response.

Avoid overemphasis on one aspect that detracts from your ability to talk about the other aspects of your story. In other words, if you spend half of your words outlining the challenge you faced, you only have ¼ of the remaining words to discuss your actions and ¼ to discuss the lessons you learned. This is not a good balance!

ADDITIONAL TIPS AND TRICKS:

• What did you do?
• What problems did you solve?
• What lessons did you learn?
• What impact did you have?
• How have you applied these lessons?

Answering these questions (and in this order) actually builds you an outline for this essay!

Do you have an extracurricular activity where the character count really limits you in terms of describing your work and impact? Consider using this essay to further highlight your contributions!

Do you have an extracurricular activity that speaks directly toward your intended major or field of study? This might be a great time to make your application stand out by sharing your leadership and contributions to this field! What problems have you solved? How can you use this prompt to share these solutions?

Elise holds a BA in Political Philosophy from Williams College and an MEd in Administration & Social Policy from Harvard. She has spent the past twenty years working in top-tier independent schools.

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How to Write the UC Essay on Leadership Experience

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine Livestream. You can watch the full Livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

What exactly is leadership, consider different types of leadership, mistakes to avoid.

The first of the University of California’s essay prompts states: 

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

This prompt is all about conveying your leadership experience. However, keep in mind that your essay does not need to be limited to an example of school-based leadership. Many of the better versions of this essay convey leadership in ways that are about neither academic leadership nor direct or positional extracurricular leadership.

It’s really easy to get lost in a definition of what leadership means with this prompt. Remember that leadership has a very expansive definition. What leadership looks like to each student will vary drastically, but, in other words, the prompt is asking you to describe how you have utilized your personal experience for the betterment of yourself and others. 

This prompt focuses on concrete actions that create tangible benefits for members of an organization, or even for an individual within the organization. Many students focus on how they have inspired their classmates or helped to resolve a conflict. While these are good examples of being a leader, try not to limit yourself to formal leadership positions and actions when brainstorming your response.

Leadership can range from formal leadership positions, such as being president of a club, to informal positions, such as mentoring a younger peer. Some examples of more formal leadership would be leadership positions in extracurricular activities including athletics , academics, and even work with non-profit organizations. Informal leadership, on the other hand, is leading in any capacity that is out of the ordinary, specifically when you do not have an official title.These are events or instances that you may not think of as leadership, but discussing such examples may actually help your essay stand out even more. 

A really powerful example of this could be a student helping peers deal with and overcome mental health struggles. Another example could be a student taking on more responsibility within their family by helping a sibling with their homework. The most compelling essays tend to be about informal examples of leadership, which are then supplemented by the formal leadership positions on your resume . 

Though there is no right or wrong answer for this essay prompt, here are a few things that you should avoid in your response.

Cliche Responses

A cliche essay response is any topic that reviewers may see repeatedly, and therefore is something you want to try and avoid in order to stand out among the applicant pool. Cliche responses for this essay prompt generally include examples about a club, such as a sports team, orchestra, or group, failing at something initially, and then the student helping the group succeed. It is possible to tackle such topics if you are an incredible writer, but if you aren’t then it may be hard for your essay to really make a lasting impact.

Restating Your Resume

Always avoid using the leadership experience prompt to restate your resume! It often seems that the most direct way to complete this essay is to speak about the leadership that can be found in your Activities section. Remember, however, that colleges already can see what’s on your resume. Therefore if you’re only expanding on the information in your application and using your essay to further list the clubs you led or your accomplishments, you’re not conveying anything new. You are missing an opportunity to add additional context to your application by doing this.

What the schools are really looking for are the qualities of leadership demonstrated through your experience – not the accomplishments or awards that you’ve accumulated from leadership positions. Instead of focusing on a title, focus on the impact of your leadership on others or on the approach used to build personal dynamics and relationships in leadership. Remember you want your essay to show which of your concrete actions have driven tangible benefits for others.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

627 Leadership Essay Topics & Examples

Looking for leadership essay topics to write about? Being both an exciting research area and a practical skill, leadership is definitely worth exploring!

• 🔝 Top 10 Essay Topics

📃 Leadership Essay: How to Write

• 🏆 Best Essay Examples
• 👍 Interesting Essay Topics
• 🎓 Simple & Easy Essay Titles
• 📌 Controversial Title Ideas
• 🥇 Good Topics to Write

✍️ Leadership Essay Topics for College

❓ leadership essay questions.

In your leadership essay, you might want to take a look at the sphere of government or elaborate on the role of leadership in business organizations. Here we’ve gathered most catchy leadership title ideas together with leadership essay examples. There are also useful tips on writing your introduction, conclusion, and formulating a thesis statement.

🔝 Top 10 Leadership Essay Topics

• Leadership as a research area and a practical skill
• Theories of leadership
• Functional leadership theory
• Autocratic and democratic leadership styles: compare and contrast
• Task-oriented leadership style: the key features
• Measuring leadership: the main approaches
• Gender and leadership in Western countries
• The concept of leadership: myths and misunderstandings
• Emotional intelligence and leadership: the connection
• Leadership in non-human animals

While writing a leadership essay, you may struggle with the subject, structure, titles, and other components. Don’t worry – these tips will help you to write the best leadership paper!

Tip 1. Choose your subject area first. If your professor did not provide specific topics, you would need to select one on your own. In order to do this, you may focus on an area of leadership that sounds interesting to you.

For example, if you consider working in the hospitality sector in the future, write about leadership in hotels or restaurants. Alternatively, you can browse leadership essay topics online and see if that gives you any clarity.

Tip 2. Narrow down the topic. To ensure that your essay earns high marks, you should avoid choosing an area of leadership that is too broad.

A college level paper should offer enough details and depth to receive an excellent grade. For instance, instead of overviewing a bunch of leadership styles, focus on how certain styles impede or facilitate teamwork. This will give you enough to talk about while limiting the scope of your essay.

Tip 3. Don’t confuse leadership with management! This is a common mistake that students make while writing leadership essays. Although the two concepts overlap, leadership is more about beliefs and vision, whereas managerial work is focused on specific tools and techniques.

Thus, a leader may or may not be a manager. To get more familiar with the subject of leadership, research various leadership styles, such as transformational, autocratic, and servant leadership.

Tip 4. Pay attention to the structure. In a great essay, ideas are always well-organized and follow one another in a logical sequence. First, write an introduction where you present your topic and thesis.

Then, write the main body, where you explain the key concepts and the relationships between them by reviewing relevant research evidence.

Lastly, write a conclusion summarizing your key points. A good leadership essay conclusion should also show how the information can be applied in practice.

Tip 5. Seek to answer any questions that readers might have. For your essay to show excellent depth, you need to address the points that might be interesting to readers in connection with your subject area.

For example, if you are reviewing a particular leadership style, you might want to discuss in which settings it would be useful and what are some of its limitations.

To make this part easier, you could search for leadership essay questions online to clarify what kind of answers readers expect you to cover.

Tip 6. Explain the importance and relevance of your paper. Because leadership is focused on effective strategies that can be applied in real life, you need to provide examples of how your essay may be used to support future practice and research.

Can leaders use the information you provided to improve their relationships with other employees? Can the proposed strategies influence performance?

Think about the potential uses of your research, as well as any gaps that are yet to be studied. Highlighting areas for future research will show your tutor that you are genuinely interested in the subject while also helping you plan for future essays.

We hope that these leadership essay tips will make it easier for you to write an outstanding paper! Make sure to check our website for sample essays on leadership!

🏆 Best Leadership Essay Examples

• Nelson Mandela Leadership Style Mandela’s fight for democracy and fulfilment of the majority will was also seen in his efforts to reconcile Libya with the rest of the world.
• Reed Hastings’ Leadership Style: Netflix CEO’s Strategy Since the work of a leader is crucial for the performance of the whole enterprise, it is essential to analyze the leadership style of a particular business leader through the perspective of his or her […]
• Google Democratic Leadership Style – Compared to Amazon Applying behavioural leadership style theories in Bezos and Schmidt’s case reveals that the Amazon CEO is an autocratic leader while the Google CEO is a democratic leader.
• Transformational Leadership Essay This requires the transformational leader to have the right communication skills to be able to relay the vision they have to a point of winning the willingness of the followers such that they too are […]
• Frederick Douglass Leadership Personality Traits Report (Assessment) The book was so humorous that he feared that he would be enslaved again for the weaknesses that he portrayed in the American lifestyle and how he was able to trick them with the attire […]
• Leadership Case Study This is mainly achieved through setting a pace in serving as a role model and creation of a working environment that allows members of the organization or employees to feel honored as part of the […]
• Barack Obama’s Charismatic Leadership In Obama’s Case, the sparkle and invisible energy as defined by Rao pushed him to the presidency and continues allowing him some loyal following albeit the fact that some are being disappointed by the slow […]
• Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership This report is an analysis of the behaviour and leadership style of Ghandi, the transactional and transformative aspects of his leadership and the way he used the power he had to help India gain Independence.
• Bernard Arnault’s Leadership One of Arnault’s leadership styles entails identifying brands that are preferred in the market and working on enhancing the quality of these brands. Bernard Arnault is a visionary leader who has helped LVMH to attain […]
• Teamwork and Leadership From diversity to team hierarchy, many factors influence the eventual output of the team, affecting the leader, team members’ performance, and client’s satisfaction.
• Foundations of Army Leadership BLC This paper examines the foundation of Army leadership, focusing on its levels and leaders’ characteristic features.
• Esther’s Leadership Qualities Essay The book of Ester narrates the story of a young Jewish woman who rose to the thrones of power but also reveals the life of the Jews under the Persian reign.
• School Leadership The multi-levelled pedagogic school leaders highly determine the mode of teaching students in schools and the effective application of the learning process.
• Starbuck Company Case: Howard Schultz Leadership Style Hence, he spends a lot of time with staff and guarantees that the company helps employees to grow both financially and intellectually.
• Leadership in Organization Leadership is applicable in the nurturing and development of constructive behavior patterns and organizational culture. Charismatic leadership is appropriate for the development of followers.
• Google Company’s Situational Leadership The current CEO of Google, Larry Page, is a considered a great leader because of his ability to apply situational leadership skills in resolving some of the problems that threaten the success of the company.
• Foundation of Army Leadership Essay The Army leaders therefore, need to be swift, adaptive, and multi-skilled both in the country and across the world. This ensures obedience of the Army to the authority of the President and his authority from […]
• Management and Leadership: Nokia Corporation The approach of the company is to have an innovative and outstanding teamwork; though the company has a departmental approach, the company ensures that it has teams in all sections that are mandated and empowered […]
• King T’Challa’s Leadership in “Black Panther” However, because Black Panther needed the help of the Jabari, he had to suppress some feelings of pride and act in the interest of his people.
• Toyota’s Culture and Leadership Strategy Toyota’s Leadership and Culture Irrespective of numerous difficulties, the company is still one of the leaders of the industry. To understand the essence of the lean leadership, it is crucial to consider some peculiarities of […]
• Ken Lay’s Leadership and Enron Company’s Downfall An analysis of Lay’s ethical conduct outlined below is conducted through the prism of Kidder’s ethical checkpoints, the principles of moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation, moral character, as well as the CEO’s power and […]
• Comparison of Leadership and Management In leadership, the leader uses his charisma and influence to elicit the help and support of the followers to achieve goals.
• Ethical Leadership: Martin Luther King All individuals were expected to consider his actions and embrace the idea of morality. Through the use of a positive community culture and empowerment tactics, King managed to model such desirable behaviors.
• Mercedes Company: Leadership and Management Essentials The idea behind theoretical investigation is to obtain enough background information on leadership styles, which might be applied to analysing the performance of Mercedes Benz in the light of the theory’s implications on the practice […]
• Nelson Mandela’s Leadership in the “Invictus” Film The film “Invictus” is a 2009 drama and biography that depicts the challenging initiative of Nelson Mandela to unite the country with the help of sport.
• The Leadership of Mao Zedong For example, the Great Leap Forward policy resulted in a food crisis that led to the death of many Chinese people. Mao was assertive in the development and implementation of his policies.
• Warren Buffett’s Leadership in Berkshire Hathaway The analysis is conducted within the appropriate business context after the examination of the history, structure, and organizational culture of Berkshire Hathaway.
• Leadership Style: Reflection and Analysis The concept of leadership is an essential part of the modern world due to the fact that it is one of the key determinants of successful management.
• Servant Leadership Research Paper | Term Paper In the context of organizations, leading entails the leader consolidating the efforts and resources of the organization and focusing on the future by setting up a vision for the organization which it intends to achieve […]
• Howard Schultz’s Leadership Style: Strengths and Weaknesses These results are in a large part due to his leadership style which can be characterised as transformational, the strengths of which are openness to new ideas and creativity, and among the weaknesses can be […]
• Leadership: Portfolio Project I will start by conducting a comprehensive analysis of my background in order to understand the factors that might have defined my leadership qualities in one way or the other.
• Leadership Self-Assessment Essay To a butcher, the organizational goals of increased productivity, the input of both the individual and groups in the organization remains invaluable. To this end, the strengths and weaknesses that are inherent in my style […]
• Meg Whitman – Leadership Style: What Do People Do When They Are Leading? This is due to the fact that it influences the extent to which employees are committed to attainment of the set organizational goals.
• Leadership Evaluation: Sir Richard Branson By the early 1990s, the airline had become the centerpiece of Branson’s interests and the capital needs of the airline made it necessary for him to acquire more capital.
• Autocratic Leadership Versus Participative Theory It will also critically analyse the effectiveness of both participative and autocratic leadership styles in an organisation to determine the most appropriate style to be adopted for the success of an organisation.
• Marriott International Leadership This paper aims to present the analysis of the prevalent leadership style typical of executives and directors in Marriott International; to discuss the connection between the leadership style and ethical practices; to determine possible ethical […]
• Walt Disney and Henry Ford Leadership Styles Disney devoted his time to art and had a dream of becoming a leader in the animation business. The employees started to fear him and could avoid the lobby whenever Disney was passing.
• Bill Gates’s Leadership and Impact on Organization This problem grew out of the practice that was common in Microsoft to challenge the ideas of one another, doubt them, and put them to the test.
• Conrad Hilton Leadership Styles and Principles Leaders in this category want to transcend the basic needs of a human being and to have a sense of life success.
• Participative Leadership: Strengths and Weakness The paper gives an overview of the approach, followed by the strengths and weakness of participative leadership. Organizational leadership, more so the approach of leadership is critical to the performance of an organization.

🎓 Simple & Easy Leadership Essay Titles

• Leadership in the hospitality industry His success in business has been attributed to the manner in which he attends to details such as research and collection of information, provision of clean and high quality products and services, and the logical […]
• Delta Airlines Company’s Traditional and Digital Leadership The aviation industry is one of the most performing sectors of the economy, generating considerable revenues to the respective airline companies across the globe.
• Leadership in the Management Practice: “Our Iceberg Is Melting” by John Kotter The resultant effect is that the taskforce charged with the responsibility of implementing change does not achieve the intended objective According to Kotter, developing a clear vision is critical in the process of implementing change.
• The Model of Primary Leadership Skills Theo was more successful in the role of manager of the new facility’s development than he was as the operations director because he needed to lead various groups of people that would help him to […]
• Organizational Culture & Leadership: Whirlpool Corporation At the heart of the discussion of management and leadership are the concepts of goal setting and results. Common to both managers and leaders is the focus on the results they produce, which are based […]
• Mark Zuckerberg’s Leadership Style Shareholders have complained about his leadership and failure to increase the stock price of Facebook, and others have claimed he is socially inept and too young and immature to be a CEO of a multi-billion […]
• Elon Musk’s Leadership Style and Accomplishments His business acumen is exemplified by his massive successes that he has achieved, mainly as the CEO of Space X and Tesla Motors, as well as other businesses, including Neuralink, the Boring Company, and Open […]
• Servant Leadership in Indian Culture and Hindu Religion The basis of this approach is the reorientation of the values of the leader, who considers the empowerment of followers as a means and goal of his activity.
• Leadership and Personality Traits of Hovard Schultz Schultz was able to look at the business from the client’s point of view and considered the client’s needs when expanding Starbucks across the globe.
• Relationship between Leadership and Management Additionally, it is apparent that the only constant in the business world is change, and for this reason, for employees to be sure of coping with such changes, there is need for them to acquire […]
• Democratic Leadership Styles and Patient Outcomes Democratic leadership positively impacts patient outcomes as it influences nurses to participate in all processes of the organization and contribute to its development.
• Orpheus Orchestra’s Leadership and Organizational Practices The orchestra satisfies the needs of every member. This permanent leadership encourages every member to be part of the orchestra.
• Leadership Behavior: Ratan Tata and Emotional Intelligence This shows that Ratan Tata, as a leader, was not eager to compete but rather searched for options to expand the market through acquiring businesses.
• Nursing: Leadership Development Plan I utilize the nursing process and evidence-based practice to work collaboratively with the core team, including the patient, staff members, primary care provider, registered nurse care manager, and patient support technician, and expanded team, including […]
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Malcolm X’s Leadership Styles Thesis: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both charismatic leaders, but the latter was more of a transformational leader as well because of his idealistic views and his ability to inspire his followers to […]
• Leadership Style of Richard Branson This means then they should have the will to use the power they possess together with the employee to execute innovative ideas brought forwards by the employees According to Branson, another quality of a leader […]
• James Madison’s Leadership Qualities It is only through humble submission as evidenced by the willingness to listen to the admonition and suggestions of a superior that the qualities of a good leader can be established in the person’s heart […]
• Effective Leadership: What It Means It is very imperative to bring a change in the organization and only successful leaders can bring this change in their organization and their team.
• Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore’s Leadership Hal Moore’s courage to fight on despite the odds that had afflicted his men was the major driving factor that led to the victory of his group over the Vietnamese.
• Leadership at The New York Times Newspaper Wisdom comes in handy when the leader is balancing the interests of shareholders such that the leader’s actions lead to the common good.
• Jim Jones Leadership Traits In essence, Solomon says that the core element of leadership is trust, which can make the group members to increase their commitment and devotion to the group.
• Red Bull Project’s Effective Leadership Measures However, the product failed to create wave in the market as expected and it is believed that the main cause of the failure was lack of proper leadership.
• Colonel Novak’s Effective Leadership Behavior In the case of Colonel Novak, he strived to spent time with the individuals in his unit at work and when off duty portraying consideration as effective leadership behavior. In addition, effective leadership is the […]
• Thyressa Williams’ Leadership Interview One of the most important aspects of leadership, according to the interviewee, is the ability to recognize and acknowledge talent amongst the people a leader is working with.
• Leadership Theory and Practice via an Account of BP’s Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill From the perspective of a rig operator, one of the morality issues that seem to be inherent at BP is the failure to follow the right procedures in making the rig machinery.
• Leadership and Management In the analysis of leadership and management approach within the non-for-profit sector, success in management and leadership revolves around complex approaches to the management of human services.
• Leadership Skills of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s It is possible to argue that Sheikh Mohammed was trained to be a leader because this is one of the traditions adopted in such dynasties.
• Hatshepsut’s Leadership and Accomplishments She was the leader of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt and ruled with the help of the two-year old Thutmose III.
• Leadership Motivation: Anita Roddick, Founder of Body Shop Specifically, the treatise adopts a reflective research in exploring the components of leadership and management such as transformational leadership, amanagerialism’, and organizational realities in the management style of Anita Roddick who founded the Body Shop.
• Leadership Style of Bill Clinton: What Can We Learn? To have a good understanding of Bill Clinton, we shall have a review and a brief description of his biography in order to understand about the background of Bill Clinton right from the time he […]
• Women’s Features in Administrative Leadership The idea of the “glass ceiling” was put forward in the 1970s and tried to explain the reasons it is quite so complicated for women to be promoted as leaders.
• Leadership Philosophy and the Theories of Leadership These theories are the trait theory of leadership, behavioral theory of leadership, and the contingency theory of leadership. In line with the chosen personal leadership philosophy that urges the leader to show empathy, the trait […]
• Astro Airlines: Burton’s Leadership Style While the company had every chance to be transformed from a small-scale business into a large corporation, Burton did not use the opportunities that he had as the head of the company.
• JC Penney & Ron Johnson: The Failed Leadership Following the failure of Ron Johnson’s vision and strategy, the new CEO, Ulman, faced the challenge of attempting to incorporate and revert to the strategy that had been in place before Ron Johnson’s tenure.
• Leadership at YouTube: Susan Wojcicki Educated at Harvard and the University of California, Wojcicki was involved in the founding of Google and was the person behind Google’s acquisition of YouTube in 2006.
• Leadership Action Plan To begin with, I will join a toastmaster that can support my communicational and leadership goals. For instance, the decision to join a toastmaster will support most of my needs.
• The Action-Observation Model: Leadership Discussion In the beginning, I tried to persuade some volunteers to agree with their assignments since they were helping to spread awareness of a good cause; however, as arguments started occurring, I decided that the best […]
• Level 5 Leadership, Humility, and Will A Level 5 leader has the ability of the initial levels of leadership. Collins describes the humility of a Level 5 leader has the ability to give credit to others.
• Mark Zuckerberg: Leadership Style on Practice Mark Zuckerberg is a bright example of how young people can become good leaders using their passion, desire to work, and attention to the details and people and prove that transformational leadership is a unique […]
• Leadership Issues: The Case of CEO Gary Kelly of Southwest Airlines One of Gary’s key strengths as chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines is predicated upon the capacity to use servant leadership style to foster organizational growth and development.

📌 Controversial Leadership Title Ideas

• Nelson Mandela: Speeches and Leadership Nelson Mandela is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest and the most inspiring political leaders of the 20th century, the embodiment of the human spirit’s limitless possibilities.
• Leadership of Jerry Yang, Co-Founder of Yahoo The creation of Yahoo is the story of the hobby and knowledge of two Yang people who wanted to make the Internet more convenient.
• Leadership Through Effective Communication At the phase of implementation of the business strategies, effective communication is essential in helping leaders to control and monitor the implementation of strategies to meet the desired goals and objectives.
• Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility A fundamental theme of corporate governance is the nature and extent of responsibility and accountability of specific individuals in the corporation’s hierarchy, and mechanisms that attempt to eliminate or mitigate the problems that arise due […]
• The Role of Civic Leadership Jeremy points out that a democratic leadership allows for cooperation in all aspects of decision making and that the leader’s decision is not unilateral as he or she has to depend on the input of […]
• Leadership and Motivation – Carlos Ghosn The purpose of this paper is to present a discussion of theories and concepts of leadership in current multinational businesses using the leadership style of Carlos Ghosn as a benchmark for effective leadership in the […]
• Proactive Leadership: Importance and Characteristics This paper will focus on proactive leadership, the importance of proactive leadership, and the characteristics of proactive leaders. For example, when a team leader is late on product shipment or delivery of products, they try […]
• Leadership Styles, Traits in a Nursing Professionals The leadership styles that are being utilized by my group members are servant leadership, charismatic leadership and transactional leadership.
• Leadership and Diversity Discussion A transformational leader should be ready to lead initiatives that make the organization work significantly different than it was before and convince the rest of the members and leaders to adopt them.
• Consolidated Products Managers’ Leadership Styles The leader determines the focus of the work of the entire team, interacts with personnel, affects the psychological climate and other aspects of the work environment.
• Leadership Styles of Yahoo, Blackberry, and Google Using the identified characteristics of transactional and transformational leadership styles in the literature review, the paper attempts to specify the leadership styles that each of the three organizations deploys using the primary data from the […]
• The Charismatic Leadership of Steve Jobs at Apple In this form of leadership style, leaders have full control over the operations of an organisation and have clear visions that they communicate to their followers. In conclusion, ethical leadership is necessary for the success […]
• Critical Examination of Strategic Leadership Guided by these introductory statements, this research paper aims at exploring the concept of strategic leadership with particular interests in exploring the characteristics of strategic leadership, the contextual factors, both internal and external that has […]
• The leadership of Amazon This is essential in counteracting the effect of competitors and adopting products and services that address the needs of customers and the market exhaustively.
• James D. Sinegal’s Leadership Analysis The present report aims to analyze Sinegal’s leadership from the perspective of traits theories and leadership and skill-based models. In their work, Judge, Bono, Ilies, and Gerhardt tested the use of the Big Five personality […]
• Ho Ching’s Leadership at Temasek Holdings In addition to her past experiences, she has legitimate power in Temasek Holding that allows her to influence her followers with the help of company rules.
• Mohammed Al Abbar: Leadership Project As a result, in order to explore the leadership style, approach, and views of Mohammad Al Abbar, it is necessary to begin with his personal, as well and professional backgrounds as the sources of his […]
• Reflective Practice in Leadership This model has made me understand that I need to orient myself to the organisational culture and values cherished by my subordinates to enable me to have beneficial exchanges with my subordinates.
• A Revolutionary Model of Leadership When the father of Ricardo Semler left his company in the early 80s, he never imagined that his son would transform Semco to be a leading and one of the best-known companies across the globe.
• The Five-Star Hotels Operational Management They will be discussed on the historic hotel to provide useful information for the improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations of the hotel.
• Organizational Leadership and Strategic Positioning for Shangri-la Hotels Shangri-La Hotels is classified among the strongest and iconic leaders in the luxury hotel space in Asia and it has been successful in other places in Europe and around the world.
• Nursing Leadership and Personal Skills The issues of leadership and management have been taken to mean the same thing. They govern the responsibilities of a nurse and determine the steps to take in various situations.
• Apple Inc.’s Leadership Effectiveness, Competitive Advantage, and Growth Strategy Apple Inc.’s current success can be attributed to the organization’s effective management and leadership abilities to quickly adapt to a highly dynamic business environment.
• Biblical Leadership and Ministry For the church to be more effective in fulfilling the commands in God’s word the leaders should have a spirit that is sensitive and satisfied.
• Leadership Case: Arthur Burton’s Behavior Burton paid a lot of attention to hiring employees, and he tried to make sure that novice employees would-be professionals who could use their creativity to contribute to the development of the company.
• Maxine Clark’s Leadership at Build-A-Bear Workshop How might her personality influence her behaviour as the CEO of Build-A-Bear? Maxine Clark is the founder and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop.
• Leadership Concepts in the “Seabiscuit” Drama Film The movie is the adaptation of the book about Seabiscuit, the thoroughbred racehorse that remains a legendary manifestation of the American dream.
• Tesla’s Strategic Plan for Leadership in Energy Sector The purpose of this report is to analyze Tesla’s strategic plan of technological leadership in the energy segment to strengthen its competitive position.
• Leadership Theories in the Automotive Industry At the same time, the changes in the industry and the economic environment of the recent years have led to the situation where the leaders of the field lost their definitive advantage and faced a […]
• “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell The law of process considers the fact that for a leader to achieve their goals, a process is clearly laid developed and followed, a step by step process is vital for success as one leads […]
• Transformational Leadership in Hotel Industry This research strives to contribute to the understanding of the functions of level three leaders in the hotel industry. The study’s contribution helps to shed light on the context of L3Ls in the hotel industry […]
• Personality and Leadership Style Relationship According to his approach and tests, stable and introverted people are phlegmatic, stable and extroverted are sanguine, unstable and introverted are melancholic, and unstable and extroverted are choleric.
• Chicago Bulls 1995-96 Championship: Team Leadership The coach of the team during the period was Phil Jackson. To begin with, the managers of the team identified the right players to support the targeted expectations.
• Importance and Role of Leadership in Globalization Leadership can be considered to be the provision of a vision to the people whom one has authority over and pushing through the understanding of the vision and the achievement of its goals for the […]
• Leadership Styles in the UK, USA, and Japan To the managers, the subordinates’ ability to be responsible means a lot for the firm and for their own ability to manage it.
• The Impact of School Governance on School Leadership The traditional school system in most states and territories took the form of the old public administration with school governance highly centralized in the Ministry of Education and the Education Department.
• Jamie Oliver and Leadership in the Food Industry He has a strong mastery of the market and the exact requirements of the customers to be his businesses end up matching the needs of the customers.
• Leadership Personality & Achievement: TELMEX and Carlos Slim Leadership is one of the most researched studies, and research on leadership has gained importance due to the contributions of leaders on the organizational achievements. Finally, research examines the accomplishment of organizational transformation through leadership’s […]
• The Concept of Laissez-Faire Leadership Style The manager does as little directing as possible and empowers employees. Employees must determine goals, make decisions, and solve problems themselves.
• Costco Company’s Business Diversity, Ethics, Leadership Colleagues and investors would easily dismiss the dreams of co-founders James Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman for the reason of failing to follow the conventional and counter-intuitive strategies. The competitors fail to realize that Costco’s success […]

🥇 Good Leadership Topics to Write

• Leadership and Organisational Change
• Culture and Leadership in a Safe Industrial Environment
• Leadership, Its Requirements, Roles and Objectives
• Workplace Management Styles: Autocratic Leadership
• Carlos Slim: Leadership Styles and Personality
• Alvis Corporation’ Leadership Information
• Leadership in “The Hunger Game” Movie
• Contingency Theory of Leadership
• Daimler-Chrysler Merger: Leadership Issue
• Leadership Styles in Organizations with Different Age Groups
• Chapter 6 of Northouse’s Leadership: Theory and Practice
• Bad Leadership: Causes and Effects
• Warren Buffet’s vs. Bernard Madoff’s Leadership Styles
• Reflection on an Interview on Leadership
• Leadership Challenges in the Church
• Leadership SMART Goal: Effective Communication
• John Terrill’s Leadership Style at DGL International
• Democratic vs. Autocratic Leadership Styles
• Mandela’s Leadership
• Success Factors and Leadership Strategies: Southwest Airlines and Emirates Airlines
• Dr. Maya Angelou and Her Leadership Abilities
• Leadership and Constitution
• The Importance of Leadership in Shaping the Direction an Organization
• Leadership: Alan Keith
• Pros and Cons of the Four Major Styles of Leadership
• Marissa Ann Mayer: Leadership and Motivation
• Leadership and Organizational Psychology of Vince Lombardi
• Leadership Internal and External Challenges
• Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Company’s Leadership Style
• The Leadership and Communication Style of Angela Ahrendts
• Regional Strategies for Global Leadership
• Charismatic Leadership
• Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles
• Organizational Motivation and Leadership in Workplace
• Modern Leadership: Trends and Challenges
• Authentic Leadership in Healthcare
• Leadership Qualities in Nursing
• Concept of Leadership and Safety
• Ann Fudge’s Leadership Lessons
• Leadership of Climber Arlene Blum
• Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill’s Leadership Styles
• Healthcare: Organizational Structures & Leadership
• Leadership Challenge: Who Gets the Project?
• The Ship Board: Management Styles and Leadership
• The Political Leadership Conception
• Kofi Annan Leadership Traits
• Transformational Leadership at Virgin Group
• Quality Management Systems
• Educational Leadership in School
• Leadership: Role, Benefits, and Limitations
• GlaxoSmithKline’s Leadership Management Framework
• Attitude Reflects Leadership: a Look at Leadership in your Professional Portfolio
• Transformational and Transactional Leadership
• Leadership in Diabetes Management
• Instructional Leadership
• The Significance of Strong Leadership in Business Organization
• Leadership at Qatar National Bank
• Leadership, Trustworthiness, and Ethical Stewardship
• Gene C. McKinney: Biography and His Leadership
• Professional Development Plan: Developing Leadership
• Nursing Leadership Skills Development
• Women in Top Leadership Positions
• Leadership in Sports Analysis
• Leadership on Boeing Analysis
• Leadership Role-Play Activity for Students
• Mary Barra’s Leadership at General Motors
• Relationship of Problem Solving to Leadership
• Leadership Style and Employee Motivation: Burj Al Arab Hotel
• Incompetent Management and Destructive Leadership
• Ethics Code in School Leadership
• Social Change and Servant Leadership Models
• Andy Garafallo’s Recipe in Leadership Theory and Practice
• Leadership Styles: Abraham Lincoln and Adolf Hitler
• Leadership: Johari Window and Transactional Analyses
• Team Leadership in “Apollo 13” by Ron Howard
• Elizabeth Bloomer Ford’s Leadership Development
• Transformational Leadership and Management Skills
• Public Safety Leadership Styles and Tools
• Autocratic, Democratic, Free-Rein, Coaching Leadership
• Jeff Bezos’s Leadership and the Amazon Revolution
• Warren Buffett’s Leadership Style in Business
• Mountain West Health Plans Company’s Leadership Styles
• School Leadership: Concepts and Evidence
• Leadership is Action and Not Position
• Leadership and Its Approaches: Strengths and Weaknesses
• Leadership Styles and Theories
• Relationship between Power and Leadership
• Culture Effects on Leadership Styles and Behavior
• Leadership Ideals of Robert Nardelli Under Various Trait Theories
• Lesson Plan ‘The Concept of Leadership’
• Leadership and Motivation Theories, Principles and Issues
• Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of leadership
• Ethical and Unethical Leadership in Healthcare
• Constructive Criticism in Leadership
• Leadership, Power, Corruption in Today’s Politics
• Leadership: Encouraging the Heart and Generosity
• Leadership in Quality Management
• Leadership Styles: Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher
• Team Leadership: Essential Features & Problems
• Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)
• The Main Characteristics of Servant Leadership
• Leadership Commitment Statement on Prevention of Workplace Violence
• Personal Leadership Style Analysis
• Personal Leadership Development Plan
• Modern Nurse’s Role: Leadership
• Leadership Approaches in Prison
• Future-Ready Leadership Strategies in the New Age
• Gates and Buffett: Global Leadership and Management
• The Leadership Qualities of Tony Blair
• Leadership Experience Critique
• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi: Leadership Analysis
• Nursing Team Leadership in a Dialysis Center
• Organizational Structures and Leadership in Hospitals
• Leadership Challenges During Public Health Crisis
• Carly Fiorina’s Leadership at Hewlett-Packard Company
• Ricardo Semler’s Leadership at Semco Partners
• Leadership: Top Talent Retention
• Leadership in a Working Environment
• Leadership in the Early Childhood Field
• Leadership Input to the Community Development
• Leadership Models: Problem Solving Analysis
• George Washington: Servant Leadership and Communication
• Workplace Diversity and Challenges of Leadership
• Scholarship, Practice and Leadership
• International Business Machines: Leadership Development
• Steve Jobs and Tim Cook Leadership Styles Comparison
• Organisational Performance and Leadership
• Mandela’s Leadership: Long Walk to Freedom
• Thomas Hobbes and John Stuart Mill’ Views on Leadership
• Steve Jobs’ Leadership Style
• Organizational Behaviour and Leadership
• “Twin Cities” Strategic Management & Leadership
• The Impact of Leadership Styles on Organizational Effectiveness
• Theories of Situational and Participative Leadership
• Experience with Negative Leadership
• Business Ethics in Multinational Corporations
• Leadership Management in the Hospitality Industry
• The Chartered Management Institute Leadership and Management
• The Concept of Leadership in Organizational Success
• A Leadership Development Plan’s Analysis
• The Servant Leadership Concept
• Leadership in the “Saving Private Ryan” Film
• Personal and Organizational Leadership
• Zappos Organization’s Leadership and Objectives
• Leadership Fostering Collaboration Within the Department of Juvenile Justice
• Barack Obama: Ambassador Leadership Style
• Emirates Airline HR Department: Leadership and Its Effect
• Leadership and Management as Applied to Criminal Justice Organizations
• My Leadership Achievements and Services to Our Community
• Effective Leadership: Character and Personal Growth
• Coaching Leadership: Presence and Pressure Concepts
• Social Change, Leadership, and Advocacy Comparison
• Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Traits and Virtues
• Youth Leadership Development
• Advantages and Limitations of Online Leadership
• Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide Company: Charlotte Beers’ Leadership
• Ursula Burns Leadership Style in Xerox Company
• Leadership and Organisational Change in MCFC
• Insomniac Games Inc.: Development of Leadership Strategy
• Leading Innovation and Change Management
• Mohandus Gandhi’s leadership
• The Importance of Strategic Leadership in the Global Business Environment
• Leadership in Early Care and Education
• Leadership Traits
• Transcendental Leadership and Total Quality Management Theories
• “Organizational Culture and Leadership” by Schein, Edgar H.
• Servant Leadership of Jeff Bezos
• Bedside Shift Reporting: Essentials of Nursing Leadership and Management
• The Volkswagen Group: Global Leadership and Management
• Leadership Styles: Democratic and Collective
• Nursing Leadership and Management
• Public Leadership and Its Qualities
• The Art of Leadership
• The Brexit Decision: Leadership and Culture
• Radical Leadership at Semco by Ricardo Semler
• Donald Trump: Leadership Ability
• Delta Airlines: Corporate Governance and Leadership Issues
• Leadership of Bill Gates and Meg Whitman
• Sergey Brin: Leadership Process and Organizations in Context
• Self-Awareness Importance in Effective Leadership
• Leadership Self-Assessment and Improvement Plan
• Positive Behaviour Leadership Model in Teaching
• Personal Leadership Action Plan
• Personal Vision Statement in Organizational Leadership
• Principal Leadership Style Role in Teacher Performance
• House of Fraser Company: Leadership and Managing Change
• Tim Cook’s Leadership Transformation and Action Logics
• Leadership Concepts in the “Coach Carter” Film
• Leadership Impact on Healthcare Delivery
• Ontology and Epistemology in Leadership Research
• Leadership in Management: Research Project
• Lubna Olayan’s Leadership Role Mode
• Julius Caesar’s and Czar Nicholas II’s Leadership
• Leadership and Partnership in Global Environment
• Peter Vyas’ Leadership and Project Management
• Hovey and Beard Company: Leadership and Management
• Global Leadership Development
• Leadership: Derek Jeter as an Effective Leader
• Leadership and Culturally Bound: Working and Communicating Together
• Leadership in the Workplace: Apple Inc.
• Jack Welch’s Leadership Style
• Poor Leadership at J.C Penney
• Ineffective Leadership in a Workplace
• “Tipping Point Leadership” by Kim and Mauborgne
• The Effect of Leadership in Project Management
• The Female Leaders’ Obstacles to Gain Leadership positions in Universities
• Performance Management: Key Strategies and Practical Guidelines
• Trait Approach to Leadership
• Definition of Strategic Leadership
• Gender Differences in Leadership Styles
• Effective Situational Leadership
• Leadership in the 21st Century
• Leadership and Supervising Influence in Human Services
• Contingency Theories of Leadership
• Leadership Effectiveness in the Film Elizabeth
• Leadership Evaluation: Roots Canada
• Machiavelli and Othello’s Leadership Skills
• The Failure of Leadership in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
• Strategic Change Leadership in Management
• Management vs. Leadership. What Leaders Really Do?
• Carnegie’s Leadership Strategy of Inspiring
• Leadership Qualities as a Part of a Team
• Spiritual Leadership and Citizenship Behaviors
• A Lollipop Moment in Leadership
• Organizational Theory: Democratic Leadership
• Leadership Under Cultural Influences
• Leadership in Healthcare Management
• Adaptive Leadership as a Style and Model
• Leadership: Self-Evaluation and Comparison
• Bill Gates’ Positive Leadership Behavior
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Leadership Program
• Task Specialization and Directive Leadership in Beaufort County School District
• Mindful Leadership in Managing Critical Change
• Strategic Leadership at The New York Yankees Team
• Leadership, Family, and Community Collaboration Project
• The Crucial Role of Courageous Followers in Effective Leadership
• Leadership in Group Counselling
• Relation Between Leadership and Police Ethics
• Leadership in the Educational Sector
• How Nursing Professionals Can Benefit From Servant Leadership
• Leadership and Innovations: Article Review
• Applying Five Leadership Practices
• Servant Leadership at St. Jude Children’s Hospital
• Transformational and Servant Leadership in Nursing
• Strategic Leadership in the United Arab Emirates
• Leadership: Theory and Practice
• The Plays “The Iliad,” “The Odyssey,” and “Agamemnon”: Understanding of Leadership
• Leadership Development Plan in Nursing
• Leadership: Character, Competencies, and Virtues
• Transformational Leadership Theory: Pros and Cons
• Nursing Practice: Leadership and Cooperation
• St James Settlement’s Leadership and Management
• Servant Leadership in Fannie Lou Hamer
• The Art of Communication as the Language of Leadership
• Organizational Leadership and Attitude-Behavior Theory
• Leadership and Ethical Requirements
• Measurement and Leadership Effectiveness in Business
• Leadership: Definition and Values
• Principles of Management and Leadership Positions
• Application of Irrefutable Laws of Leadership in the Military
• French and Raven’s Five Forms of Power: An Overview
• Leadership Style as an Important Element of the Nursing Practice
• Leadership Styles Across Generations Working in Wal-Mart Store
• Christ’s Approach to Leadership: Transformational Leadership Theory
• Morale and Leadership, Encouragement, Dedication, and Commitment Within a Band
• Elon Musk: Leadership, Financial Success, and the Future of Tesla
• Leadership in Turbulent Times: Key Takeaways
• Brand Leadership by Levi’s and Coca-Cola in Going Green
• Leadership Role of Creating Safe Nursing Environment
• Clinical Nurse Leadership Program
• Transformational Leadership at School Sites
• Fostering Effective Leadership and Collaboration in Human Services
• Behavioral and Situational Leadership: Pros and Cons
• Leadership Skills, Goals and Vision of Nurses
• Educational Theories and Leadership Studies
• Communication Style and Leadership
• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and Its Leadership Culture
• Effective Leadership Analysis
• Transformational Leadership: Essential Strategies
• The Book “The Power of Positive Leadership” by Jon Gordon
• Servant Leadership Characteristic Evaluation: Conceptualization
• Maintaining a Leadership Position in a Company
• A District Director Nurse’s Leadership Roles
• Effective Leadership: Traits and Behaviors
• Assignment: Student Integrity and Nursing Leadership
• How Contemporary Leadership Styles Are Relevant in Today’s Military
• Diversity as One of the Principles for Sustainability Leadership
• Leadership in Nursing Practice
• Exploring Power Constructs in Leadership: A Self-Reflective Study
• Servant Leadership: The Key Aspects
• Daniel Roth’s and Sam Hazen’s Personal Values in Leadership
• Leadership and Management: Reflection
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Leadership Reflection
• Leadership Foundations in Nursing Practice
• Culture, Communication, and Leadership for Projects in Dynamic Environments
• Presidential Leadership: Diplomatic History
• IoT and G.E.’s Leadership Position
• Leadership: Conflict and Conflict Management
• Principles of Leadership and Future of Terrorism
• Leadership at the Reuters Holdings PLC Company
• The Foundation of Army Leadership and Its Factors
• Leadership in a Multinational Organization
• The Ryno Firm’s Demands of Responsible Leadership
• Server Leadership and Followership
• Two Models of Political Leadership
• Change Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
• Followership and Servant Leadership in the Military
• The Role of Inclusive Leadership Strategy in Diverse Workplaces
• The Hempel Paints Firm’s Leadership for Strategic Execution
• Qatari German Medical Devices: Leadership for Strategic Execution
• The Home Depot’s Journey Towards Innovation and Effective Change Leadership
• Leadership Communication and Management
• Culture and Leadership in Health and Social Care
• Angela Merkel’s Leadership Style
• Abraham Lincoln Leadership: American Ex-Presidents
• Barack Obama’s Biography and Political Leadership
• Leadership Leverage at Gunderson Lutheran Health Facility
• Gender and Leadership in Healthcare Administration
• Leadership Theories and Styles
• Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• The Personal Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• Collaborative Leadership Model in Business
• Leadership: Summary of Media Interview
• Culture and Leadership in Organizations
• Ethics in Organizational Leadership
• The Doctor of Nursing Practice Leadership Program
• Personal Leadership Philosophies
• Leadership Types in Telemedicine
• Connective Nursing Leadership
• Aspects of Collaborative Leadership
• Aspects of Collaborative Leadership Plan
• Machiavellian Leadership Style
• Organizational Change: The Effect of Transformational Leadership on Employees
• Transparency: The Role in Leadership
• Nursing Leadership and Team Building Strategies
• My Involvement as a Leader, Leadership Coach, and Development Instructor
• Transformational Leadership and Abusive Supervision
• Aspects of Transformational Leadership
• Personal Leadership Philosophy in the Sports Industry
• The Role of Leadership in a Digitalized World
• The Importance of Leadership Training
• Emotionally Intelligent Leadership
• Holistic View of the Management and Leadership
• Servant Leadership: You Make the Call
• The Importance of Leadership Formation
• Leadership Skills for the Negotiation Process
• Measuring the Quality of Government Leadership
• Collaboration and Leadership in Healthcare
• Kouzes and Posner Model of Nursing Leadership
• Leadership Formation in the Medical Field
• The Leadership and Funding Relationship
• Transformational Leadership in a Healthcare Team
• Abortion Backlash and Leadership Issues
• Strategic Crisis Leadership: South Korea’s Response to Covid-19
• Leadership Role in Team Development
• Darwin E. Smith’s Level 5 Leadership Characteristics
• Change Leadership: Telehealth Technology at Orlando Health
• Leadership Style Personality Assessment
• The Basic Aspects of Leadership
• Leadership in a Digitized World
• International Leadership: Management Strategies
• Aspects of Leadership in Healthcare
• Behavioral Theories of Leadership
• Personal Leadership Style’s Improvement Areas
• Organizational Experiences Based on Leadership
• Leadership Analysis in Corporate Governance
• Aspects of the Sustainable Leadership Style
• Nursing Leadership in the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Martin Luther King’s Leadership Approach
• Self-Analysis on Democratic Leadership
• Leadership Ambiguity in Nursing Practice
• Importance of Leadership Skills for Employee
• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Development
• Interpersonal Leadership Skills in Bank of America
• Developing Organizations and Leadership
• Leadership Approaches in Healthcare
• Behavioral and Trait Leadership Theories in Medical Educational Setting
• Nursing Informatics: Leadership and Administration
• Developing Leadership Skills in Nursing: A Proposal
• Women’s Leadership During a Crisis
• Situational Leadership Analysis
• Leadership in Advanced Nursing
• Leadership for Happiness in Workplaces
• Leadership in Nursing: Organizational Servant Leadership
• Supportive Leadership During COVID-19
• The Type of Leadership Described by Daniel Goleman
• Transformational Leadership Benefits Innovation
• Transformational Leadership at the Walmart Organization
• Transformational Leadership in Nursing
• Machiavelli’s The Prince and Cheney’s Leadership
• Exploring Diversity and Inclusion Leadership
• The Significance in Shaping Emerging Trends in Leadership
• Authentic Leadership Style in Business
• Leadership Experience Example: Leading a User Research Team
• Importance of Leadership Attributes for Healthcare
• Importance of Leadership in Healthcare and Nursing
• Servant Leadership Benefits in Nursing
• Leadership and Its Three Major Models
• Adaptive Leadership: The Main Aspects
• Boris Johnson: Influence Tactics and Leadership
• Discussion of Servant Leadership Behaviors
• Analysis of Poor Leadership Experience
• Enterprise Holdings at Leadership Styles
• The Value of Leadership Skills and Teamworking
• Why Leadership and Management Are Different
• Personal Leadership Philosophy in Nursing
• Leadership Implementation Regarding Medication Incidents
• William White: Leadership Style
• Servant Leadership and Decision-Making in Nursing
• Leadership Behaviors, Passion, and Devotion
• Leadership Environment in Nursing
• Leadership in Lost TV Series
• Adaptive Leadership in Medical Practice
• Religious Views on Politics, Leadership, and Norms
• Leadership Styles and Their Applications
• Current Views on Leadership: Strategies to Motivate Your Team
• Health Management Reflection: Redefining Ethical Leadership
• Leadership and Opportunities for Improvement
• Leadership in Remote Team at Alibaba Limited
• Contemporary Leadership in London Energy Company
• Elon Musk: The Leadership Style
• Leadership Philosophy and Its Importance for Life
• New Business Realities and Leadership Theories
• Rise and Leadership of Genghis Khan
• The Leadership Development Challenges
• Nurses Perception of Leadership and Impact of Healthcare Changes
• The Concept of Ethical Leadership in Business
• Can a Dictator Who Developed an Economy Be Considered to Have Leadership?
• Does Leadership Affect Employee Commitment Management?
• Does Despotic Leadership Harm Employee Family Life?
• What Two Characteristics Best Describe Leadership?
• Are the Differences Between Management and Leadership?
• Does Leadership Style Impact on Projects Team Member Performance?
• Can Responsible Leadership Affect Work-Life Balance?
• Does Decentralized Leadership Influence the Performance?
• What Are the Key of Leadership Skills That Can Not Learn From?
• What Are the Critical Factors in Understanding the Nature and Dimensions of Leadership?
• How Does Leadership Emerge in a Group That Has No Common History?
• What Are Charismatic Leadership?
• How Bad Does Leadership Affect the Organization?
• How Are Culture and Leadership Linked?
• Does Cartel Leadership Facilitate Collusion?
• What Is the Role of Machiavellianism in the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Morality?
• Does Leadership Make a Difference?
• How Are Leadership and Management Similar?
• Are Leadership Fairness, Psychological Distress, and Role Stressors Interrelated?
• How Does Ethical Leadership Influence Employees?
• How Does Leadership Work in Different Gangs?
• Can Servant Leaders Fuel the Leadership Fire?
• Are Leadership Mentoring Programs Beneficial?
• Can Transactional Leadership Keep Your Team in Shape?
• How Does Authentic Leadership Influence Employee Proactivity?
• What Are the Differences Between Management and Leadership?
• What Leadership Behaviors and Management Systems Support?
• What Are Niccolo Machiavelli’s Ideas on Effective Leadership?
• Can Leadership Theory Improve Leadership Quality?
• What Is the Relationship Between Leadership Type and Organization Performance?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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What is leadership?

All leaders, to a certain degree, do the same thing. Whether you’re talking about an executive, manager, sports coach, or schoolteacher, leadership is about guiding and impacting outcomes, enabling groups of people to work together to accomplish what they couldn’t do working individually. In this sense, leadership is something you do, not something you are. Some people in formal leadership positions are poor leaders, and many people exercising leadership have no formal authority. It is their actions, not their words, that inspire trust and energy.

Get to know and directly engage with senior McKinsey experts on leadership

Aaron De Smet is a senior partner in McKinsey’s New Jersey office, Carolyn Dewar is a senior partner in the Bay Area office, Scott Keller is a senior partner in the Southern California office, and Vik Malhotra and Ramesh Srinivasan are senior partners in the New York office.

What’s more, leadership is not something people are born with—it is a skill you can learn. At the core are mindsets, which are expressed through observable behaviors , which then lead to measurable outcomes. Is a leader communicating effectively or engaging others by being a good listener? Focusing on behaviors lets us be more objective when assessing leadership effectiveness. The key to unlocking shifts in behavior is focusing on mindsets, becoming more conscious about our thoughts and beliefs, and showing up with integrity as our full authentic selves.

There are many contexts and ways in which leadership is exercised. But, according to McKinsey analysis of academic literature as well as a survey of nearly 200,000 people in 81 organizations all over the world, there are four types of behavior that account for 89 percent of leadership effectiveness :

• being supportive
• operating with a strong results orientation
• seeking different perspectives
• solving problems effectively

Effective leaders know that what works in one situation will not necessarily work every time. Leadership strategies must reflect each organization’s context and stage of evolution. One important lens is organizational health, a holistic set of factors that enable organizations to grow and succeed over time. A situational approach  enables leaders to focus on the behaviors that are most relevant as an organization becomes healthier.

Senior leaders must develop a broad range of skills to guide organizations. Ten timeless topics are important for leading nearly any organization, from attracting and retaining talent  to making culture a competitive advantage. A 2017 McKinsey book, Leading Organizations: Ten Timeless Truths (Bloomsbury, 2017), goes deep on each aspect.

How is leadership evolving?

In the past, leadership was called “management,” with an emphasis on providing technical expertise and direction. The context was the traditional industrial economy command-and-control organization, where leaders focused exclusively on maximizing value for shareholders. In these organizations, leaders had three roles: planners (who develop strategy, then translate that strategy into concrete steps), directors (who assign responsibilities), or controllers (who ensure people do what they’ve been assigned and plans are adhered to).

What are the limits of traditional management styles?

Traditional management was revolutionary in its day and enormously effective in building large-scale global enterprises that have materially improved lives over the past 200 years. However, with the advent of the 21st century, this approach is reaching its limits.

For one thing, this approach doesn’t guarantee happy or loyal managers or workers. Indeed, a large portion of American workers—56 percent— claim their boss is mildly or highly toxic , while 75 percent say dealing with their manager is the most stressful part of their workday.

For 21st-century organizations operating in today’s complex business environment, a fundamentally new and more effective approach to leadership is emerging. Leaders today are beginning to focus on building agile, human-centered, and digitally enabled organizations able to thrive in today’s unprecedented environment and meet the needs of a broader range of stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, and communities, in addition to investors).

What is the emerging new approach to leadership?

This new approach to leadership is sometimes described as “ servant leadership .” While there has been some criticism of the nomenclature, the idea itself is simple: rather than being a manager directing and controlling people, a more effective approach is for leaders to be in service of the people they lead. The focus is on how leaders can make the lives of their team members easier—physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Research suggests this mentality can enhance both team performance and satisfaction.

In this new approach, leaders practice empathy, compassion, vulnerability, gratitude, self-awareness, and self-care. They provide appreciation and support, creating psychological safety so their employees are able to collaborate, innovate, and raise issues as appropriate. This includes celebrating achieving the small steps on the way to reaching big goals and enhancing people’s well-being through better human connections. These conditions have been shown to allow for a team’s best performance.

More broadly, developing this new approach to leadership can be expressed as making five key shifts that include, build on, and extend beyond traditional approaches:

• beyond executive to visionary, shaping a clear purpose that resonates with and generates holistic impact for all stakeholders
• beyond planner to architect, reimagining industries and innovating business systems that are able to create new levels of value
• beyond director to catalyst, engaging people to collaborate in open, empowered networks
• beyond controller to coach, enabling the organization to constantly evolve through rapid learning, and enabling colleagues to build new mindsets, knowledge, and skills
• beyond boss to human, showing up as one’s whole, authentic self

Together, these shifts can help a leader expand their repertoire and create a new level of value for an organization’s stakeholders. The last shift is the most important, as it is based on developing a new level of consciousness and awareness of our inner state. Leaders who look inward  and take a journey of genuine self-discovery make profound shifts in themselves and their lives; this means they are better able to benefit their organization. That involves developing “profile awareness” (a combination of a person’s habits of thought, emotions, hopes, and behavior in different circumstances) and “state awareness” (the recognition of what’s driving a person to take action). Combining individual, inward-looking work with outward-facing actions can help create lasting change.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

Leaders must learn to make these five shifts at three levels : transforming and evolving personal mindsets and behaviors; transforming teams to work in new ways; and transforming the broader organization by building new levels of agility, human-centeredness, and value creation into the entire enterprise’s design and culture.

An example from the COVID-19 era offers a useful illustration of this new approach to leadership. In pursuit of a vaccine breakthrough, at the start of the pandemic Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel increased the frequency of executive meetings  from once a month to twice a week. The company implemented a decentralized model enabling teams to work independently and deliver on the bold goal of providing 100 million doses of vaccines in 12 months. “The pace was unprecedented,” Bancel said.

What is the impact of this new approach to leadership?

This new approach to leadership is far more effective. While the dynamics are complex, countless studies show empirical links among effective leadership, employee satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability.

How can leaders empower employees?

Empowering employees , surprisingly enough, might mean taking a more hands-on leadership approach. Organizations whose leaders successfully empower others through coaching are nearly four times more likely to make swift, good decisions and outperform other companies . But this type of coaching isn’t always natural for those with a more controlling or autocratic style.

Here are five tips to get started  if you’re a leader looking to empower others:

• Provide clear rules, for example, by providing guardrails for what success looks like and communicating who makes which decisions. Clarity and boundary structures like role remits and responsibilities help to contain any anxiety associated with work and help teams stay focused on their primary tasks.
• Establish clear roles, say, by assigning one person the authority to make certain decisions.
• Avoid being a complicit manager—for instance, if you’ve delegated a decision to a team, don’t step in and solve the problem for them.
• Address culture and skills, for instance, by helping employees learn how to have difficult conversations.
• Begin soliciting personal feedback from others, at all levels of your organization, on how you are experienced as a leader.

How can leaders communicate effectively?

Good, clear communication is a leadership hallmark. Fundamental tools of effective communication  include:

• defining and pointing to long-term goals
• listening to and understanding stakeholders
• creating openings for dialogue
• communicating proactively

And in times of uncertainty, these things are important for crisis communicators :

• give people what they need, when they need it
• communicate clearly, simply, and frequently
• choose candor over charisma
• revitalize a spirit of resilience
• distill meaning from chaos
• support people, teams, and organizations to build the capability for self-sufficiency

Learn more about our People & Organizational Performance Practice .

Is leadership different in a hybrid workplace?

A leader’s role may look slightly different in remote or hybrid workplace settings . Rather than walking around a physical site, these leaders might instead model what hybrid looks like, or orchestrate work based on tasks, interactions, or purpose. Being communicative and radiating positivity  can go a long way. Leaders need to find other ways to be present and accessible, for example, via virtual drop-in sessions, regular company podcasts, or virtual townhalls. Leaders in these settings may also need to find new ways to get authentic feedback. These tactics can include pulse surveys or learning to ask thoughtful follow-up questions that reveal useful management insights.

Additional considerations, such as making sure that in-person work and togetherness has a purpose, are important. Keeping an eye on inclusivity in hybrid work  is also crucial. Listening to what employees want, with an eye to their lived experience, will be vital to leaders in these settings. And a focus on output, outcomes, results, and impact—rather than arbitrary norms about time spent in offices— may be a necessary adaptation in the hybrid era .

How should CEOs lead in this new world?

Just as for leadership more broadly, today’s environment requires CEOs to lead very differently. Recent research indicates that one-third to one-half of new CEOs fail within 18 months.

What helps top performers thrive today? To find out, McKinsey led a research effort to identify the CEOs who achieved breakaway success. We examined 20 years’ worth of data on 7,800 CEOs—from 3,500 public companies across 70 countries and 24 industries. The result is the McKinsey book CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest (Scribner, March 2022). Watch an interview with the authors for more on what separates the best CEOs from the rest .

Getting perspective on leadership from CEOs themselves is enlightening—and illustrates the nuanced ways in which the new approach to leadership described above can be implemented in practice. Here are a few quotes drawn from McKinsey’s interviews with these top-level leaders :

• “I think the fundamental role of a leader is to look for ways to shape the decades ahead, not just react to the present, and to help others accept the discomfort of disruptions to the status quo.” — Indra Nooyi , former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo
• “The single most important thing I have to do as CEO is ensure that our brand continues to be relevant.” — Chris Kempczinski , CEO of McDonald’s
• “Leaders of other enterprises often define themselves as captains of the ship, but I think I’m more the ship’s architect or designer. That’s different from a captain’s role, in which the route is often fixed and the destination defined.” — Zhang Ruimin , CEO of Haier
• “I think my leadership style [can be called] ‘collaborative command.’ You bring different opinions into the room, you allow for a really great debate, but you understand that, at the end of the day, a decision has to be made quickly.” — Adena Friedman , CEO of Nasdaq
• “We need an urgent refoundation of business and capitalism around purpose and humanity. To find new ways for all of us to lead so that we can create a better future, a more sustainable future.” — Hubert Joly , former chairman and CEO of Best Buy

What is leadership development?

Leaders aren’t born; they learn to lead over time. Neuroplasticity refers to the power of the brain to form new pathways and connections through exposure to novel, unfamiliar experiences. This allows adults to adapt, grow, and learn new practices throughout our lifetimes.

When it comes to leadership within organizations, this is often referred to as leadership development. Programs, books, and courses on leadership development abound, but results vary.

Leadership development efforts fail for a variety of reasons. Some overlook context; in those cases, asking a simple question (something like “What, precisely, is this program for?”) can help. Others separate reflections on leadership from real work, or they shortchange the role of adjusting leaders’ mindsets, feelings, assumptions, and beliefs, or they fail to measure results.

So what’s needed for successful leadership development? Generally, developing leaders is about creating contexts where there is sufficient psychological safety in combination with enough novelty and unfamiliarity to cultivate new leadership practices in response to stimuli. Leadership programs that successfully cultivate leaders are also built around “placescapes”—these are novel experiences, like exploring wilderness trails, practicing performing arts, or writing poetry.

When crafting a leadership development program, there are six ingredients to incorporate  that lead to true organizational impact:

• Set up for success:
• Focus your leadership transformation on driving strategic objectives and initiatives.
• Commit the people and resources needed.
• Be clear about focus:
• Engage a critical mass of leaders to reach a tipping point for sustained impact.
• Zero in on the leadership shifts that drive the greatest value.
• Execute well:
• Architect experiential journeys to maximize shifts in mindsets, capabilities, and practices.
• Measure for holistic impact.

A well-designed and executed leadership development program can help organizations build leaders’ capabilities broadly, at scale. And these programs can be built around coaching, mentoring, and having people try to solve challenging problems—learning skills by applying them in real time to real work.

What are mentorship, sponsorship, and apprenticeship?

Mentorship, sponsorship, and apprenticeship can also be part of leadership development efforts. What are they? Mentorship refers to trusted counselors offering guidance and support on various professional issues, such as career progression. Sponsorship is used to describe senior leaders who create opportunities to help junior colleagues succeed. These roles are typically held by more senior colleagues, whereas apprenticeship could be more distributed. Apprenticeship  describes the way any colleague with domain expertise might teach others, model behaviors, or transfer skills. These approaches can be useful not only for developing leaders but also for helping your company upskill or reskill employees quickly and at scale.

For more in-depth exploration of these topics, see McKinsey’s insights on People & Organizational Performance . Learn more about McKinsey’s Leadership & Management  work—and check out job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced include:

• “ Author Talks: What separates the best CEOs from the rest? ,” December 15, 2021, Carolyn Dewar , Scott Keller , and Vik Malhotra
• “ From the great attrition to the great adaptation ,” November 3, 2021, Aaron De Smet  and Bill Schaninger
• “ The boss factor: Making the world a better place through workplace relationships ,” September 22, 2020, Tera Allas  and Bill Schaninger
• " Leading agile transformation: The new capabilities leaders need to build 21st century organizations ," October 1, 2018, Aaron De Smet , Michael Lurie , and Andrew St. George
• " Leading Organizations: Ten Timeless Truths ," 2017, Scott Keller  and Mary Meaney
• “ Leadership in context ,” January 1, 2016, Michael Bazigos, Chris Gagnon, and Bill Schaninger
• “ Decoding leadership: What really matters ,” January 1, 2015, Claudio Feser, Fernanda Mayol, and Ramesh Srinivasan

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Essay on Leadership: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 7, 2023

The concept of leadership has been known to us since ancient times, from Ashoka: The Great to modern-day democratic leaders. Whether it’s politics or business, sports or entertainment, leadership is an essential part of human society, Leadership is the art of inspiring and guiding people towards a common goal. 

Critics might argue that being a leader is just about holding a prestigious position and living a fancy life. That might be 1 in 1000 cases, as leaders across the globe work for the welfare and development of their people and country. Below we have discussed some essays on leadership where the multifaceted roles of this position are highlighted. 

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Leadership in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Leadership in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Also Read – Essay on Summer Vacation

Essay on Leadership in 100 Words

Leadership involves a set of qualities, values and actions, which are focused on the benefit of people and their country. A person holding the position of a leader plays a pivotal role in every facet of life, influencing the direction and success of organizations, communities, and nations. To become a leader, one must have a clear vision to understand a future state that is better than the present and communicate that vision to their team or followers.

A leader’s actions should be aligned with their words, and they must demonstrate their honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour. Trust is the foundation for any successful leadership, and it is built through consistent ethical conduct. 

Essay on Leadership in 200 Words

Leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept and is an essential part of developing a society or organisation. Leadership can involve various positions and types, from democratic to autocratic, where the leaders inspire and empower their teams, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive and achieve their fullest potential.

Effective leadership involves skilled communicators to can convey ideas, expectations, and feedback clearly and persuasively. They also listen actively to their team’s input and concerns. A great leader empowers a team of professionals by entrusting them with responsibilities and decision-making authority. With the formation of delegates, the power of leadership is divided among different authorities who are responsible for fostering growth and development among team members, making the organization more robust.

Some of the fundamentals of leadership are authenticity, integrity, ethical behaviour, a clear vision and other vital traits. Trust is the bedrock of leadership, and it is built through honesty, transparency, and consistency in actions and decisions. A leader who understands and cares about the needs and concerns of their team fosters strong relationships, promoting collaboration and cohesion.

At last, leadership is more than a title; it’s the embodiment of vision, integrity, empathy, communication and resilience. Effective leaders work to bring positive changes, inspire people around them and create a sense of purpose and direction in their terms and organizations.

Also Read – Essay on Cricket

Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Leadership is a vital concept for the welfare of a society, community or country, depending on what the leadership is about. A leader transcends boundaries and is fundamental to human endeavours in various domains. Their job involves the ability to influence and guide a group of individuals toward achieving a common objective. Effective leadership is characterized by a combination of qualities, skills, and behaviours that inspire, motivate, and empower a team.

The first and most important aspect of a successful leader is having a clear vision. A clear vision works as a guiding light, outlining the desired future and providing a sense of purpose and direction for the team. Leaders with a compelling vision can inspire and rally their followers, creating a shared sense of purpose. 

The other cornerstone of leadership is integrity. Leaders must demonstrate honesty, transparency, and ethical behaviour. Trust, which is essential in any team or organization, is built on the foundation of integrity. When people believe that their leader acts with integrity, they are more likely to follow willingly and commit to the cause. 

Another trait that is essential for effective leadership is empathy. Leaders with empathy understand and connect with the emotions, needs, and perspectives of their team members. By showing compassion and actively listening, they create a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters trust and collaboration.

Apart from these traits, other important qualities for effective leadership include effective communication and interpersonal skills. A leader must be able to articulate their vision, goals, and expectations clearly and persuasively. 

In conclusion, leadership is a multifaceted concept that plays a pivotal role towards the positive growth and development of organizations, communities, and societies. Effective leaders inspire their teams, create a sense of purpose, and drive positive change. Leadership is not merely a position; it is a journey of personal growth and a commitment to serving the greater good.

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Some of the synonyms for a leader are: Coach, Captain, Principal, Chairman, Kingpin, Boss, CEO, etc.

What makes a good leader is their ability to persuade people using their effective communication skills, having a clear vision working towards the welfare of society, and taking responsibility for their actions.

Writing an essay on leadership in 200 words must include the fundamental aspects of leadership and the qualities they must possess. Effective leaders around the world create a supportive and inclusive environment where people can thrive and contribute their best efforts. They inspire a shared sense of purpose, foster collaboration, and guide their teams toward achieving collective goals.

For more information about such informative articles, visit our essay writing page and make sure to follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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August 8, 2022

Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay [Sample Essay]

Essays that ask you to write about significant achievements fall under the category of

what are known as behavioral or experiential questions . The basic assumption behind these questions is that past behavior is a great predictor of future behavior . They are all varieties on the theme of “Tell us about a time when you…” These questions are meant to take the measure of your managerial potential.

Let’s look at how one candidate effectively addressed this essay question from  Stanford GSB  (*this question is not from the current application):

Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

This writer avoids writing about leadership in any generic way and zeroes in on the specific aspects of his contributions and their impact:

Leadership essay example: The Change Agent

When I was invited to become the Vice President and General Manager at Third Way Associates (TWA)* two years ago, the company was in financial and administrative disorder. Employee retention was poor, and TWA took too long to pay vendors because of poor communication and accounting processes. Cash flow was managed based on immediate needs rather than by the logic of budgets planned by project and city. Sloppy expense reports that were turned in with no receipts were reimbursed to employees.

TWA founders Scott W ____ and Glenn L ____ had good intentions, but spent most of their time selling sponsorships and getting new clients rather than directing and managing the company. As we begin 20XX, TWA is much healthier in every way. Under my direction, vendors are paid in an average of 20 days from date of invoice, instead of 60 days or more. Our cash flow is better administered since I introduced very specific detailed area budgets with over 125 budget lines per city. Because I can give the company founders much better stability and macromanagement vision, the three of us are able to look more to the future rather than simply put out fires.

Despite the difficult economy in 20XX, we not only retained our same clients but also signed several new client agreements for three years or more, including a two-year contract with Big Shoe Company worth $1.3 million. I’ve brought fresh accounts and industries into TWA, including ____ Airlines and Drink Y, among others. Combined, these accounts generated more than $500,000 in 20XX, and we estimate close to $1 million dollars in the following year.

Since my arrival, we have a much wider and broader sales menu which has been crucial to generate more revenue. I’ve expanded our most popular sports events to 25 cities, giving our clients new investment opportunities. These events range from recreational soccer clinic tours to professional soccer games broadcast on TV.

I also expanded our field staff, and at present we have 25 strong and reliable managers who report directly to me from each city. Despite the economy, 20XX was not a bad year for TWA, and this year promises to be even better if we continue our current strategy and continue to work as a team.

Leadership essay analysis

In every paragraph, this writer mentions concrete measures he took to introduce order to a chaotic company that was trying to grow. From instituting budgets with line items, an improved accounts payable system, and recruiting additional big-name accounts, the writer proves how his efforts strengthened the organization.

How can you maximize on your thought leadership experiences?

As you choose among your own experiences as essay material, think about these questions to help you frame answers of substance:

• What was the obstacle, challenge, or problem that you solved in this accomplishment? A tight client deadline? A complex merger transaction? A new product launch amidst fierce competition?
• What did you do to rise to the challenge you are writing about? Motivate your team to work overtime? Sell senior management on the deal’s long-term upside? Identify a marketing profile for your product that no competitor can match?
• What facts demonstrate that your intervention created a happy ending? Did your team submit the project deliverables three days early despite being 20% understaffed? Your client approved the $500 million merger, the largest ever in its industry? Your new product has 20% market share after only one year? What was the impact of your leadership?

Don’t forget about your people leadership skills

What we’ve spoken about until this point revolves mostly on skilled problem-solving, or “thought leadership.” But respected businesspeople need to be equally or even more talented at something we didn’t have a formal name for: people leadership. By effectively leading the thinking of client firms’ problems as well as motivating them to work long hours to develop solutions to these problems and collaborate with clients on implementing them, these businesspeople prove to have what it takes to be exemplary leaders.

So don’t forget to include strong elements of people leadership in your essays. Here are several to keep in mind:

• Rallying others around a vision. Did you convince your team or group to follow a specific path/solution? How did you do it? Successful clients have talked about handling dissenting opinions diplomatically or presenting their teams’ detailed quantitative evidence for a recommendation. The more you can show that you understood your audience and tailored the content and form of your message to them, the better.
• Harnessing others’ strengths – and expanding them. Did you provide team members tasks they could handle comfortably based on their capabilities, as well as opportunities to broaden their skills? For example, you may have handed your quant jock teammate the most complicated operations analysis as well as responsibility for leading a key client meeting. In this way, you leverage teammates’ strengths while helping them develop new ones.
• Getting through tough times. Did you model for your team enviable cool in pressure-cooker situations, maybe helping them keep the big-picture goal in mind or lightening the mood with humor? Did you reward teammates with praise, pizza, or both for working long into the night? Did you pitch in on others’ responsibilities as deadlines loomed? Helping your team handle stress while managing your own is a cornerstone of strong leadership.

Use your words

Another tip: Look for opportunities to incorporate strong verbs that illustrate your strengths in these areas. Good examples of leadership might incorporate several of the following:

• Establishing a goal or vision
• Obtaining buy-in
• Taking responsibility

The old adage, “Show, don’t tell,” remains a classic bit of wisdom in the writing process. Make that a guiding principle not only in your leadership/achievement essays, but throughout your application.

For personalized advice tailored just for you, check out our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing services and work one-on-one with a pro who will help you discover your competitive advantage and use it to get accepted.

Related Resources:

• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips • Tone Up Your Writing: Confidence vs Arrogance • “I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in Your Essays

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8 Essential Qualities of Successful Leaders

• Rebecca Knight

And how to cultivate them.

Becoming a great leader is a journey of continuous learning and growth. It’s a process — one that thrives on embracing challenges, seeking feedback, fostering connections, and cultivating understanding. In this article, the author outlines the eight most essential leadership qualities, according to Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill, one of the world’s top experts on leadership. Star leaders aren’t born with superhuman capabilities, Linda explains. Rather, they tend to have intentionally put themselves in situations where they have to learn, adapt, and grow — a crucible for developing the tenacity and fortitude to motivate and guide others.

Do you have what it takes to be a great leader ?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Essays About Effective Leadership: Top 6 Examples and Prompts

Effective leadership is an essential trait that all people should strive to develop; here are 6 examples and topic ideas essays about effective leadership .

Many qualities make an inspiring and effective leader, such as vision, focus, and motivation. Like other skills, effective leadership can be innate or learned and practiced. When writing about leadership, include the strengths of an effective leader and how these qualities positively impact their team. You can also discuss weaknesses that can make a poor leader and how to combat these issues.

Here are 6 examples and 10 essay prompts to get you started on your next essay.

1. What Makes an Effective Leader? by Tony Gill

2. a guide to becoming an effective leader by yashi srivastava , 3. leadership: 5 practices of effective leaders by yvette gyles, 4. 6 characteristics of an effective leader by lauren landry, 5. six leadership lessons by order of the peaky blinders by andrew denton mbe, 6. leadership and the quest for certainty by keith grint,  1. what is effective leadership, 2. what does effective leadership look like in the corporate industry, 3. what to avoid to become an effective leader, 4. habits of an effective leader, 5. studying the mindsets of effective leaders, 6. effective leadership and its benefits to an organization, 7. indicators of strong and effective leadership, 8. poor leadership vs. effective leadership, 9. real-life examples of effective leadership, 10. how perception creates effective leadership.

“Work at using leadership styles that do not come naturally, styles that you find difficult. By becoming a well-rounded leader, it is easier to adapt your leadership technique for different situations.”

Gill uses a research-based approach to answer the central question of his essay. He looks at various sources that tackle the topic of effective leadership and stitch them together to make a comprehensive guide to effective leadership.

“Leadership is not a mystical quality, and anyone can become a more effective leader by developing some important skills.”

The author, Yashi Srivastava, defines what differentiates leaders from managers first. Then, she provides some dos and don’ts of an effective leader and how people could apply them in different situations. 

“Whereas as leaders, we need to be concerned about creativity and innovation, making positive changes, and seeking to challenge and push boundaries.”

Gyles specializes in leadership training for companies, so her approach to the essay is geared more toward company leaders. Nevertheless, it’s highly educational for all those interested in learning effective leadership meant for dealing with various people and guiding people to a direction or goal.

“Effective leaders don’t avoid the hard truths. Instead, they take responsibility for their decisions, maintain optimism, and focus on charting a new course of action.”

Landry’s essay focuses on her six top characteristics of an effective leader. Some of these characteristics are what you’d expect to see in an essay like this. Entries like transparency are less common but equally important in practicing effective leadership.

“Rolling your sleeves up with everyone else not only sets an example, it makes people want to follow you.”

Fiction mirrors life, and it’s one of the best sources to learn lessons that are otherwise too complex or vague to see in real life. Despite his penchant for crime and violence, Thomas Shelby is undeniably one of the most influential leaders on TV. This essay details the leadership skills used by a 1920s gangster character and how you can use them in modern life to become an effective and inspiring leader.

“Leadership is often associated with certainty; indeed, it is sometimes reduced to the decision-making process such that anything which smacks of uncertainty is categorized as weakness or a failure of leadership.”  

Grint’s essay on leadership explores the factors around leaders’ certainty or confidence. Of course, not all leaders have a clear answer to a problem, which is fine. The important thing is that they have a mindset to look for solutions and a modicum of honesty about their lack of uncertainty.

10 Essay Prompts on Effective Leadership

It’s your turn to express and explore your view of effective leadership. Use these prompts to work out your approach or steps to effective leadership. Here are ten prompts about effective leadership to help you get started on your essay.

Defining effective leadership is one way to explore your understanding of the idea. Remember that your definition of effective leadership could vastly differ from the other essays you’ve read. It’s also a great starting point for new people who want to warm up to the habit of writing essays about leadership.

Essay writing tip: If you’re new to writing essays, consider simplifying your essay. Try shortening it down to a five-paragraph essay .

You can find many leaders in the corporate industry, but some are more effective than others. Use this prompt to work out how you envision effective leadership in the corporate world. You can also apply the same idea to other fields, like at school, among friends or peer groups, or in the family. Consider carefully the field or organization you’d like to use for the essay.

You may have personal experience with a person who could have been an effective leader if not for their bad habits. You might have been that person and realized how your bad habits had held you back from practicing effective leadership. This is your chance to write about your experience, whether via observing someone else or through personal growth.

Practicing effective leadership goes beyond having direction and a vision for the organization. Becoming an effective leader also takes time and patience. Use this prompt to discuss the habits of great leaders and how these habits make them effective in their leadership.

Get into the mind of a leader and explore how such a person might become more effective in their leadership. This topic may involve discussing various people, whether real-life persons or fictional characters. Research how they think, handle their role and manage the people they lead.

Understanding the benefits of effective leadership is one of the best ways to drive someone to practice and adopt it. Use this prompt to detail how an effective leader boosts morale, productivity, motivation, communication quality, and confidence in the people they lead. It applies to all organizations, like businesses, teams, and networks.

How do you know whether a person’s leadership style and approach are effective or not? Use this essay topic to discover the different methods of measuring effective leadership. Read about the different measurements and indicators of leadership used in corporations and organizations.

Leaders can be good, mediocre, or bad in their leadership approaches and styles. This essay prompt will push you to compare bad leadership and effective leadership. You can also add methods of improving one’s leadership style to become more effective.

You can find a lot of excellent leaders throughout history. This idea focuses on discussing different leaders, their leadership styles, and levels of effectiveness.

Interpersonal skills are vital to great leadership. Perception of others’ feelings and thoughts can help you become an even better and more effective leader. Discuss how intuitiveness positively affects one’s leadership style. 

Check out our list of great essay writing topics for students for more topics to improve your writing.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Effective Leadership: What Makes a Great Leader

01 what is effective leadership, 02 developing leadership skills: how to be a better leader, 03 seven expectations for leaders, 04 how to be an effective leader, 05 leadership vs. management, 06 what makes a successful team, 07 creating a leadership development plan, 08 our best leadership resources.

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Introduction

There may not be an "I" in team, but there is an "I" in disengaged.

What does this have to do with leadership and development? Well, regardless of what, why and where you lead, you -- as the leader -- are directly responsible for the engagement of those who follow you .

And engagement is supported by your culture, which you are also responsible for as a leader. This is why it's vital for leaders to set the right tone for the organization -- for the sake of engagement, culture and the employee experience.

Whether you're leading a family, a class or a corporation, leadership means inspiring others to achieve certain outcomes. And it's up to you to decide whether you are leading positively or negatively -- and whether you choose to focus on engagement or merely output.

"Improving your leadership begins with a focus on improving what you're already good at."

Leadership can often be equal parts high confidence and self-esteem and worrying if you're doing it right while continually searching for answers . Whether you're a leader in an organizational setting or have high influence in some other capacity, improving your leadership begins with a focus on what you're already good at .

We would call that leading with your strengths: the things that come naturally to you and that help you succeed daily. When you intentionally apply your strengths as a leader, that's when your life and the lives of those you lead begin to change.

This page will provide you with new ways to think about your role or position as a leader. Legitimate improvement begins with a refusal to ascribe to one-size-fits-all solutions. Stay with us, discover why your strengths matter and then learn to use yours to become a transformational leader.

Improving leadership is an idea that can be difficult to grasp in tactical or practical ways.

The first step to improving it is to define it.

Our leadership definition , in its simplest form, means the act of getting individuals aligned and moving in the same direction toward a desired outcome.

Picture this: a world where every leader knew what goals they wanted to achieve, knew how to get their followers working toward that goal and knew how to use their strengths to get there. The world would be a much different place, wouldn't it?

Effective leadership has a lot to do with inspiring, aligning and then activating -- but it doesn't end there.

A key to effective leadership is the ability to define outcomes, but then help individuals put their talents to use to get there. The best leaders know their people and are more aware of those people's strengths than they are of their weaknesses. Great leaders aren't blind to their own or others' weaknesses; they just know that their competitive edge lies within their strengths.

Let's put this into perspective.

Consider the owner of a successful bakery.

Let's call him Jim.

When Jim was in culinary school, he wanted to open a restaurant, but there was a problem. He was terrible at cooking. He burned every pasta dish and dried out every chicken entree. However, when it came to the art of baking, he excelled -- nobody was better.

Jim also had a natural knack for leadership, often pulling other students into his projects and helping them learn through his expertise -- whether it was people or pastries, he knew what he was doing.

And even better, he knew that what he had originally desired had changed.

Now, his friends and family wanted Jim to follow his original dream. His instructors offered him extra cooking lessons because they knew he could get better. His peers told him to work harder, saying, "Jim, we know you're good at baking. You're the best -- a natural! But forget that. Your dream is to cook. Just spend more time on that."

But he didn't listen. Jim opened his own bakery, hired full-time staff and grew a successful business.

From an outsider's perspective, it was easy to see what Jim should do.

The advice from Jim's inner circle wasn't great. Their intentions were, but they were ignoring natural excellence and emphasizing weakness in hopes of mediocrity.

It's the type of advice leaders fall prey to often. "Spend most of your time developing your weaknesses to become a stronger leader" -- when really, you could acknowledge those weaknesses but use your strengths to make up for them.

Not focusing on weaknesses and focusing on strengths is countercultural -- but the best leaders don't follow. They are willing to stray from the way things have always been done and be open to better ways to succeed.

Clarify Leadership Roles and Expectations

Having clear expectations in your role as a leader is vital to success. Most of the time, understanding your role and the expectations that come with it begins with deciding what outcomes or goals need to be met. Whether you define them yourself or have an organization define them for you, they need to be clear, manageable and well-communicated.

When leaders lack clear expectations for their own roles and outcomes, it can create a lack of trust among their followers . They can come off as incompetent and lose buy-in from their team members.

Think of any leader you've had personal experience with. If you asked them, "What is the outcome of this supposed to be?" or "What is the purpose?" and they said, "I don't know," there would be an apparent issue with how they go about fulfilling the duties of their role.

Action item : List out the responsibilities of your role -- both those that were ascribed to you and the ones you took on yourself. Outlining the expectations and responsibilities of your role as a leader will help you know where and how to focus your energy.

Discover the Secrets to Success from Today's Top Leaders

As a growth-minded leader, you aim to boost your influence, strengthen relationships, unite teams, and make strategic decisions in a constantly evolving landscape.

To guide you, Gallup's Leading With Strengths shares insights from some of the world's best leaders, revealing how they achieve success, navigate their leadership paths, and leverage their top strengths to address the unique challenges of modern leadership.

Gallup Leading With Strengths

"It's my absolute belief that there is something more to the universe, that we are living in a benevolent universe and that I'm connected to it."

Watch Now Connectedness Video

Arianna Huffington Founder and CEO, Thrive Global Founder, The Huffington Post

"I maximize my own energy … I'm very responsible for my personal, emotional, physical wellbeing."

Watch Now Maximizer Video

Deepak Chopra Author and Founder at Chopra Foundation and Chopra Global

"I'm constantly looking for how do we craft a new narrative that fits. Maybe we're missing just one little piece."

Watch Now Strategic Video

Timothy Shriver, Ph.D. Chairman of Special Olympics  

A good leader takes responsibility for their leadership. They understand that everything they do directly affects the people they lead.

In other words, the best leaders lead with their followers in mind.

And one of the most important leadership traits is engaging your followers.

We've studied which leadership skills are the most important to a follower. What do you think we found? Maybe "good communication," "motivational" or "highly committed"?

While these are certainly important for leaders, what followers crave the most are trust, compassion, stability and hope .

Check out the descriptions below. Which one of these areas do you excel in? Which one doesn't come as naturally to you, and how can you lean on strong complementary partnerships for that need?

Chart depicting what followers need from their leaders. Trust - Building trust is the foundation for leading. Honestly, clarity and behavioral predictability all make up trust. Hope - Encourage people to believe in a better future. While stability focuses on today, hopefulness deals with future. People need to that their leaders have a clear direction. Stability - Ensure people can count on you. Providing stability looks like creating space where people feel psychologically safe, like they can depend on you to answer their questions, hear their ideas and address their concerns. Compassion - Bring positive energy and a willingness to listen. Being compassionate means caring about your followers holistically while seeing them as more than just their ability to perform.

To practically apply these traits, make them a part of your everyday communication. Every email, conversation, instruction, etc., should be building hope, trust, stability and compassion.

Learn more about these traits of a good leader (also called the "four needs of followers") from Gallup experts.

If you Google "effective leadership skills," "best leadership qualities," "qualities of a good leader" or anything in that ballpark, you'll notice a pattern: Almost every article, website or business leadership skills "solution" is geared toward trying harder and investing in developing weaknesses. Or trying to adopt certain leadership qualities that simply don't come naturally.

This isn't the right way. It doesn't produce long-lasting results.

Great leaders actually start somewhere else: They start with an awareness, of both themselves (through strengths) and their job (their role and expectations). They should begin with a goal in mind, communicate the desired outcomes and then identify where they've had success in the past -- and then consider how they'll use those successes to help them now.

Self-awareness is key in using your strengths . It's hard to use something you're not aware that you have.

Need a place to start for learning how to develop your strengths as a leader?

Check out The CliftonStrengths Podcast.

What all leaders need is a fresh look at the leadership behaviors that actually contribute to performance, development and success.

After you gain an awareness of yourself through your strengths, you need to learn how to apply those strengths to the expectations of your role. Here's a framework for approaching your role with these expectations:

1. Build Relationships.

1   Build relationships.

The concept of "leadership" cannot exist apart from a group of people who need to be led. Simply put, leaders can't lead unless someone follows, which means that building strong relationships is key . People need to connect with each other, share trust and have relationships to thrive. It is important to recognize the value of people, seek to know them for who they are and build lasting connections.

• 2. Develop people.

2   Develop people.

Do the people you're leading, coaching, teaching, etc., feel like they're growing? Most people know that if they're not growing, they're not getting closer to success. Then, it's only a matter of time before they leave -- your organization, your fitness class, your night class -- for someone who gets them closer to their goals. Every day, those people have a chance to either get a little bit better at what they do, or not. Development can, and should, be constant.

• 3. Lead change.

3   Lead change.

The keyword being "lead." Much is expected of you as a leader to keep moving forward, ensuring that the purpose, mission and vision remain the same. It's OK (and good) for you to charge your followers with some responsibility for change -- coming up with good ideas, better ways of doing things or smarter processes -- because it will help them take ownership for helping with the right kind of change. Every individual is able to see an opportunity and take initiative, set a goal and create a plan to get there, but it's your job to set an example for that.

• 4. Inspire others.

4   Inspire others.

Is this trait too "soft" to count as an expectation that's critical to success? Definitely not. Leaders should provide inspiration so that others can find greater meaning in a vision or purpose. Without meaning, and without connecting inspiration to the individuals who follow you, you'll find that those who follow will have a difficult time committing themselves to the greater purpose -- whether that's in your organization, classroom, small group or otherwise. This expectation helps people see that every little thing they do matters.

• 5. Think critically.

5   Think critically.

Aimless decision-making and feeble thinking have no place in leadership. Or, at least, they shouldn't be the type of thinking that influences final decisions. Evaluating plans, understanding risk, organizing thoughts and creating action steps requires leaders to bring their whole selves and think critically . Success requires establishing an aim and devising a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to achieving it.

• 6. Communicate clearly.

6   Communicate clearly.

Learn the best way you communicate , and then learn how others like you to communicate with them. Share information and ideas that matter -- because effective communication means you'll need to convey compelling information that leads to more informed actions and decision-making. Don't think of communication just as telling your followers things, but think of it as sharing information, asking questions, listening and brainstorming. These are all important forms of clear communication in good leadership.

• 7. Create accountability.

7   Create accountability.

Every person is accountable for something. But this is especially true for leaders. Responsibility is expected of you , just as much as it is of those who follow you. You expect the students at your fitness class to bring the right equipment, you expect that your employees are held accountable for their deadlines, and so on. A culture of accountability starts with you. In practice, this may look like openly committing to initiatives, plans or ideas so that everyone knows what you're responsible for. It may also look like you apologizing to those you lead when you drop the ball in a significant way. Accountability creates a better environment for your followers and allows them opportunities to become more efficient and creative through their own responsibilities.

These expectations work in any scenario where there's a leader. No, really -- think about it. CEOs? For sure. Professors or teachers? Definitely. The leader of your small group at church or facilitator of a book club? No doubt.

Being able to do these seven things well can be the biggest differentiator between average leaders and great leaders.

Want to increase your self-awareness and develop as a leader? Download this free activity to connect your natural talents to leadership outcomes -- and discover how you excel as a leader.

You may have wondered, "What type of leader am I?"

There are countless ways you could answer this question. But most people look to academic leadership theories or find a list of leadership personality traits and different leadership styles to try to answer this.

For example, there's transformational leadership or authentic leadership. Well, wait, aren't all leaders supposed to be these two things? Then there's transactional leadership and laissez-faire leadership, or you could be more autocratic or a coaching leader. OK, now I'm really confused .

With many ways to pinpoint your leadership styles or categorize your relationships with your followers, your attempts may leave you feeling discouraged or irritated. But if you're not sure what kind of leader you are, how are you supposed to find support or improve?

Instead, ask yourself a different question: Why and how do I lead?

Most leadership categories are all about how a person behaves when they're leading a group -- when really, you should be focusing on the things that you already know and that are easier to identify: your natural patterns of excellence. These natural strengths tell you more about why you lead the way you do and how you lead best than about what kind of leader you are.

Each leader is naturally drawn to different things, so you may find that more traditional ways of compartmentalizing leadership styles leave you feeling confused. Instead, answer the questions presented by the four domains of leadership below.

Traditional methods of leadership discovery say to choose the statement that best describes you to discover what one specific type of leader you are.

Top Left Quadrant: I am task-oriented and like to get things done. Top Right Quadrant: I can motivate others and can often be commanding. Bottom Left Quadrant: I am more analytical in my approach to leadership, always lost in thought. Bottom Right Quadrant: I tend to focus on relationships and can understand where my followers are coming from.

The four domains of leadership say, "You naturally do all of these things; you just do them differently than others. Let's discover your unique way of leading."

Top Left Quadrant: How do you make things happen? Top Right Quadrant: How do you influence others? Bottom Left Quadrant: How do you absorb, think about and analyze information and situations? Bottom Right Quadrant: How do you build and nurture strong relationships?

The four domains of leadership are a helpful framework because when you search for one specific leadership style, you wind up trying to spend more time categorizing than you do developing.

Traditional leadership styles establish strict boundaries, but the CliftonStrengths domains freely encourage you to cross those boundaries.

Each of the four domains encompasses a set of CliftonStrengths that fit that category. Leaders who know their CliftonStrengths become more effective leaders in a few ways. Knowing their strengths helps them:

• improve their decision-making
• boost their engagement
• increase their productivity

Those who know and use their CliftonStrengths are also:

Simply understanding your strengths makes your life better -- and who wouldn't want to have a higher quality of life and be more effective? Haven't discovered your strengths yet? Get started and take the assessment today .

At the end of the day, leaders and managers are both focused on two things: developing people and delivering team (or organizational) success.

Leadership : Traditionally, leaders have been responsible for creating the overall strategic vision.

Management : Managers are the ones who execute leadership direction and direct teams.

But as the workplace continues to change, the line between the roles of leaders and managers continues to blur.

Driven by the pace of change in globalized business and an evolving workforce that prioritizes development and flexibility, today's business world is agile and dynamic. As a result, a manager's role is far more than supervisory -- and Gallup finds that 70% of the variance in a team's engagement is influenced by the manager . Furthermore, the traditional role of a boss as a command-and-control function does not work for today's workforce.

The expectation is for the manager and leader to be more of a coach than a boss .

• My Paycheck
• My Satisfaction
• My Annual Review
• My Weaknesses

• My Development
• My Ongoing Conversations
• My Strengths

The biggest difference between a leader and a manager is where they fall within an organization. A manager is someone who is usually in charge of leading people, where a leader is in charge of leading the people who lead people. Leaders are more responsible for creating the strategic vision and are a little more removed from the front lines. Managers are more about getting the actual work done.

Success is measured and defined differently by all, which means that good information on how to lead your team to success or understanding what makes a successful team can be hard to find. Before you know how to lead, you need to know what a successful team looks like.

A successful team is a team where individuals are positioned to do what they do best and get the resources and partnerships they need to do their best work.

Leading a successful team requires you to identify the unique contributions that every person on your team makes -- including yourself.

CliftonStrengths makes this easier. Having team members discover, develop and lead with their strengths can lead to higher employee engagement and performance, which are outcomes of a successful team. However, they aren't the most important outcomes because giving your employees the opportunity to do what they do best is the greatest measure of a successful team.

Competition - Winning. Communication - Advocacy. Context - History. Activator - Catalyst. Achiever - Drive. Futuristic - Vision. Harmony - Alignment. Significance - Legacy. Focus - Goals. Analytical - Logic.

Harmony - Alignment. Arranger - Orchestration. Maximizer - Excellence. Relator - Transparency. Input - Resources. Includer - Connection. Analytical - Logic. Positivity - Optimism. Intellection - Reflection. Consistency - Fairness.

To lead a successful team, be willing to admit to your team that you're not great at everything. It's good to acknowledge, and it's even better for your team to hear.

Conventional wisdom says that to become a better leader, you should develop the areas where you are naturally weak. And to be a good leader, you encourage your team to do the same. But CliftonStrengths says you should invest in the places where you're naturally strong.

"Identify the unique contributions that every person on your team makes -- including yourself."

Here's a practical way for you and your team to understand each other's strengths and intentionally aim them at your goal -- the CliftonStrengths Team Grid.

As a leader, you could look at your team's grid to determine who would be good partners to:

• come up with ideas for a new solution to a process
• determine how to make an existing process more efficient
• help gather the latest findings in your industry and analyze them

Knowing the makeup of your team's strengths allows you to lead more confidently because you know how to set each person up for success.

Position individuals to do what they do best, better use each individual's strengths, build more effective partnerships and teams, and then mobilize the team to increase individual and team effectiveness.

For more information about the team grid and bringing strengths to your team, contact us .

If your attempts to develop in the past have fallen short, it may be because too few leadership development programs can clearly define the experiences that lead to excellence in leadership . They don't individualize, they can't match leader to experience at the time it's most needed, and they don't help leaders analyze their experiences so they can effectively apply them in the future.

Don't overcomplicate your development . Start with these three areas:

1 We believe that knowing your strengths is a great foundation for creating a leadership development plan. When you take the CliftonStrengths assessment, you will get a report with personalized results. Discover your natural talents, and then receive the CliftonStrengths for Leaders report with insights and advice based specifically on your results to help you become a better leader. The descriptions of your top strengths, and the order in which they appear, will be unique to you. Because just as we believe that no two leaders lead the same way, we also believe that no two people have the same strengths.

The descriptions of your top strengths, and the order in which they appear, will be unique to you. Because just as we believe that no two leaders lead the same way, we also believe that no two people have the same strengths.

Take the Assessment

2 Take a look at the seven expectations for leaders. If you truly want to develop, those are where you should begin. Start with a self-assessment. At first glance, which one of these core leadership competencies do you do really well? How can you get even better? Then determine which one doesn't come as naturally. How can you use your natural strengths to develop it?

• 1. Build relationships.

For more details, check out the Seven Expectations for Leaders section. And to get started right now, download this free activity to help you develop.

3 Learn to identify your own key experiences, both the ones that got you where you are today and the ones you want to have. Consider your past and present, and decide what you want for your future. Key experiences are some of the most critical components of leader success. Put simply, "Key experiences are events in a leader's life that result in learning, growth and/or increased capacity to effectively lead." Every role and every industry looks different, but key experiences are one of the foundational elements to leadership development anywhere.

Here are a few examples of key experiences that have helped develop leaders in the workplace:

• working on stretch assignments and projects outside of their expertise
• turning around a failing business or product
• leading a cross-functional team on a mission-critical organizational project
• experiencing failure and learning from it

Although those key experiences will look different for each person, you can notice a pattern or commonality between them all. Embracing new situations and being uncomfortable are important parts of developing as a leader . When things look tough, lean in. That's where growth happens.

Your time is best spent when you're sharpening your skills and honing your talents. Stop worrying about what you're bad at, and start working harder at developing what you're good at.

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Watch interviews with leaders from around the world as they reveal the hidden layers of their own unique strengths and how they’ve used them to be successful.

Guide to Writing a Stellar Leadership Essay (With Essay on Leadership Examples)

Apr 5, 2024 | 0 comments

Apr 5, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

 Writing a leadership essay can be daunting for many students, as it requires a deep understanding of what makes a great leader and how to effectively convey those characteristics to a reader. To excel in this type of assignment, one must first understand the qualities that make a good leader, such as communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to inspire others. Additionally, it is important to provide specific examples and anecdotes supporting your claims and demonstrating your leadership experience. This article will explore the key components of a successful leadership essay, including how to structure your essay, develop a strong thesis statement, and effectively incorporate evidence to support your arguments. By following these tips and guidelines, you will be well on your way to crafting a compelling and persuasive leadership essay that showcases your unique qualities as a leader. 

How To Write A Leadership Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting a standout leadership essay requires a methodical approach that covers key stages, from understanding the prompt to polishing your final draft. In the sections below, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of writing an impactful leadership essay that showcases your unique perspective and qualifications.

College Application Essay Writing Help

Are you struggling to craft a leadership essay that truly captures your unique experiences and qualifications? Our step-by-step guide and expert college application essay writing help will transform your leadership narrative and propel you towards your dreams!

Step 1: Understanding the Essay Prompt

When crafting a standout leadership essay, the first step is to understand the prompt or instructions given thoroughly. Whether you’re writing a college application essay, a scholarship essay, or a general essay on leadership, it’s crucial to analyze the prompt and identify the key points and requirements.

What exactly are the admissions officers or evaluators looking for? Are they interested in your leadership abilities, experiences in a leadership position, or your idea of leadership in general? Carefully dissecting the prompt will help you determine the focus of your essay and ensure that you address all the necessary elements.

Once you have a solid grasp of the prompt, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas. What are the most significant leadership roles you’ve held? What examples of leadership best showcase your kind of leadership and leadership style? Jot down any relevant experiences, skills, or insights you can potentially incorporate into your essay.

Step 2: Research and Preparation

With the prompt in mind, it’s time to dive into your research and preparation. Start by gathering relevant information and sources to help you build a strong foundation for your essay. This might include academic articles on leadership and management, biographies of influential leaders, or even interviews with team members who have witnessed your good leadership in action.

Consider conducting your interviews or surveys to gain first-hand insights into your leadership abilities. Talking to members of the team you’ve led or colleagues who have observed your ways of leading can provide valuable perspectives that you can weave into your essay.

As you gather your research, begin organizing and outlining your essay. This will help you structure your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider the key elements of a well-structured leadership essay: the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Step 3: Structure of a Leadership Essay

Introduction

The introduction of your leadership essay is your chance to hook the reader and set the tone for the rest of your writing. It’s important to start strong and grab the reader’s attention from the first sentence.

One effective way to begin is with a compelling hook. This could be a thought-provoking quote about leadership, an anecdote that illustrates your unique leadership style, or a startling statistic highlighting the importance of good leadership. The goal is to pique the reader’s interest and make them eager to learn more about your perspective on leadership.

After the hook, you’ll want to provide some background information on leadership. This could include a brief overview of the concept of leadership, the key traits of a leader, or the significance of leadership and management in various contexts. Aim to give the reader a solid foundation for understanding the core themes and ideas you’ll explore in your essay.

Finally, you’ll want to introduce your thesis statement. This single sentence should clearly articulate your essay’s central message or argument, setting the stage for the rest of your writing. Your thesis should reflect your unique idea of leadership and the specific leadership abilities or experiences you plan to highlight.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your leadership essay is where you’ll explore your examples of leadership and leadership experiences in more detail. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your kind of leadership, using concrete examples to support your claims.

Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence introducing the main idea or argument you’ll explore. From there, use vivid details, anecdotes, and evidence to paint a picture of your leadership style in action.

For instance, you might dedicate a paragraph to discussing when you had to lead a group and inspire others to achieve a common goal. Describe the situation, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the outcomes you achieved. This will demonstrate your leadership abilities and give the reader a deeper understanding of what your leadership means.

Another body paragraph might explore the leadership theories or styles that have influenced your own kind of leader. How have these ideas shaped your approach to problem-solving and decision-making? What examples of leadership can you draw upon to illustrate these principles in practice?

Throughout your body paragraphs, maintain a clear and logical flow. Use smooth transitions to guide the reader from one idea to the next and ensure that each paragraph builds upon the previous one to create a cohesive and compelling narrative.

The conclusion of your leadership essay is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the reader. Here, you’ll want to synthesize the key points of your essay and reinforce the significance of your leadership in essential experiences.

Begin by freshly restating your thesis statement , reminding the reader of the central message or argument you’ve been exploring. This helps to bring your essay full circle and solidify the main takeaway for the reader.

Next, summarize the most important examples of leadership and leadership abilities you’ve discussed throughout your essay. Highlight the key lessons you’ve learned and how your idea of leadership has evolved. This demonstrates your leadership ability and commitment to continuous growth and improvement.

Finally, conclude your essay by reflecting on the broader importance of good leadership. How do your personal experiences and insights relate to the larger concept of leadership? Why is it crucial for individuals to develop strong leadership skills to inspire people and accomplish the task? By connecting your essay to a larger societal or global context, you’ll leave the reader with a deeper appreciation for the value of leadership.

School Application Essay Writing Help

Feeling overwhelmed by the task of writing a standout school application essay that highlights your leadership abilities? Our proven step-by-step guide and personalized essay writing assistance will help you craft a compelling narrative that leaves a lasting impression on admissions committees.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Leadership Essay

As you craft your leadership essay, keep the following dos and don’ts in mind:

• Maintain a professional yet engaging tone throughout your writing.
• Provide specific, real-life examples of your leadership roles and experiences.
• Demonstrate your emotional intelligence and ability to solve problems effectively.
• Highlight your personal growth and how your leadership style has evolved over time.
• Proofread your essay thoroughly to ensure it is free of grammatical and spelling errors.
• Avoid using clichés or generic statements about leadership.
• Refrain from making unsupported claims or exaggerating your experiences.
• Don’t simply recite your resume or list your achievements; focus on the why and how behind your leadership abilities.
• Steer clear of overly personal or irrelevant information that doesn’t directly support your main argument.
• Remember to address any potential weaknesses or challenges you’ve faced as a leader and how you’ve learned from them.

Tips for Writing a Successful Leadership Essay

• Be Authentic and Genuine in Your Writing: Avoid sounding like you’re trying to fit a certain mold or meet expectations. Let your unique leadership style and personality shine through in your writing. Share personal anecdotes and reflections that showcase your leadership abilities. Demonstrate your emotional intelligence by being vulnerable and self-aware. Your writing allows the reader to experience your leadership roles and various leadership experiences.
• Show Rather Than Tell Your Leadership Qualities: Use vivid descriptions and specific examples of leadership to illustrate how you’ve exhibited effective leadership qualities. Avoid generic statements or clichés about what it means to be a successful leader. Demonstrate your ability to lead by showing the impact of your actions and decisions. Incorporate data, statistics, quotes from essay samples or other credible sources to bolster your arguments. Provide specific details about the challenges you faced, your actions, and the outcomes you achieved as a leader.
• Use Concrete Examples and Evidence: Support your claims about your leadership abilities with real-life anecdotes and experiences. Use vivid language and sensory details to help the reader visualize your leadership experiences. Avoid vague or generalized statements that lack substance or ability to make a strong impact. Highlight the leadership abilities and styles most relevant to the role model or opportunity you’re seeking. Demonstrate how your use of my leadership experiences and qualities make you the ideal candidate for the leadership position or application essay you’re pursuing.
• Tailor Your Essay to the Specific Audience or Purpose: Research the admissions officers or business environment you’re writing for and understand their idea of leadership. Align your essay with the specific requirements or type of essay outlined in the prompt. Adjust your tone, language, and focus to resonate with the intended audience and their leadership is often expected. Demonstrate how your leadership abilities and unique leadership style can contribute to the organization or institution you’re applying to. Emphasize the specific leadership qualities and traits of a leader most valued in the type of leadership you’re pursuing.

Leadership Essay Examples

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My Leadership Philosophy: A Leader Essay

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How To Write A Leadership Essay FAQs

How should i start a leadership essay.

To begin a leadership essay, define what effective leadership means to you. Consider what qualities a true leader must possess and how you have experienced or observed leadership. A captivating anecdote or leadership essay example can grab the reader’s attention and set the tone for your essay.

What is the structure of a leadership essay?

A typical leader essay should have a well-organized structure. Start with an engaging introduction introducing your thesis statement about what makes a strong leader. Then, support your argument with specific examples and detail different leadership styles. Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and reinforcing your stance on leadership development.

How do you write an introduction for leadership?

When crafting an introduction for a leader essay, grab the reader’s attention with a compelling hook related to leadership. Clearly state your thesis on what qualities make an effective leader. You can also tease some of the main points you will discuss in your essay, such as leading by example, leadership allows, and bad leadership.

How do I write about my leadership?

In writing about your leadership experiences, focus on specific instances where you demonstrated leadership qualities. Reflect on how you could look inward and recognize areas for improvement. Explain how you were able to inspire others and develop your leadership skills. Avoid vague statements and instead provide concrete examples.

What makes an effective leader?

An effective leader possesses strong technical skills and can develop people and teams. A true leader should lead by example and inspire others through their actions. Understanding different leadership styles and adapting to situations is crucial for a successful leader.

Through my engaging and informative blog posts, I aim to provide helpful tips on topics such as essay writing, research skills, and academic planning, empowering students to thrive in their academic pursuits.

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Short Essay on Leadership [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

In this lesson today, you will learn how you can write short essays on Leadership. There will be three different sets of short essays in this session that will cover Leadership within different word limits. 

Short Essay on Leadership in 100 Words

The term leadership denotes the capability of someone to lead his team. Leadership is a work of skill, responsibility, and power, and only the strong and determinant is capable of giving an able shoulder. Leadership is the potent behind the development of civilization. His confidence, as well as care for others, is what is necessary for him.

We are aware of eminent leaders like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji, Jawaharlal Nehru, M. S. Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, who have been great proofs of honesty and integrity. Also, a leader is a communicator who can realize the issue of his people and act likewise. A person becomes a lead when he turns out to be the guardian of his people. 

Short Essay on Leadership in 200 Words

Being a leader is never an easy task. It involves the dependency and faith of the people he is supposed to guide and lead. Also, a true leader is marked by certain virtues that make him the perfect elected among his people. It is very important to have a leader who can guide everyone through all perils and help them reach a safe spot. From a classroom to a company, to a country, everywhere we observe such an able hand who cares and shows the correct way without any biased opinion. 

A leader is simply not someone with the power to rule over everyone. A tyrant like Hitler is never excepted who will torture his fellow beings. Also, a leader is not someone who is lazy and pleases all without taking any strong steps towards the problem creators. Hence leadership is the strength to stand morally firm and upright and be the shelter for all.

He must be an inspirational figure for all. A leader is the centre of integrity and confidence who encourage everyone to participate in teamwork. Eminent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji, Mother Teresa, Indira Gandhi, Sourav Ganguly, M. S. Dhoni have been great sources of strength and inspiration. Their deeds have made them immortal to people. Hence they are the ideal representation of leadership.

Short Essay on Leadership in 400 Words

Leadership is the essence of any movement that brings complete success for any team. A great leader is like the wind for a sail that steers the vessel towards the correct path. A leader means a person who is in charge of everything. So the term leadership is the way by which a leader guides the team. In different fields of life, be it in school, a business company, or the nation, a leader is present everywhere.

He must have virtues that will make him unique and easily supportable. A leader must have the faith of his fellow beings so that he can be the best choice. This faith and support will enable him to achieve success.

The qualities of efficient leadership are quite prominent. A leader must be honest about his work and organization. He must never hide any problem that might hamper the balance of his team. Also, he should not indulge in unfair means that can destroy his position and reputation among people. A leader must show confidence, integrity, and strength. He should bear an affirmative attitude so that others are inspired by him to work harder. If a leader gets negatively vibed, then no one will feel the urge to carry on their mission. 

Leadership is not an easy task. He has to go through many trials and tribunals and then only can prove himself the ideal guide for all. Oftentimes, even the greatest leader can experience mental imbalances due to the extreme pressure he experiences daily on his way of leadership. It is then the responsibility of his teammates to support him and cheer him up with positive energy. Leadership is not the sole responsibility of one man or woman but a combined effort of the team that will eventually fetch the desired success. 

Leadership is important for the overall development of personality. A person morally and physically weak cannot be an ideal leader. This ability to lead a team regulates, coordinates, and constructs the group according to some strong principles and ethics, that affects the performance of the group. Wonderful teamwork is the effort of the overall company under the guidance of an able leader.

He is the pivot of everything. Our country is rich in eminent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji, Surya Sen, Mother Teresa, Sarojini Naidu, Sourav Ganguly, and others who have shown the way to ht e future generations. In them lies the ideal representation of leadership.

I have adopted a pretty simplistic approach to writing these essays above. Hopefully, after going through this session, you will be able to write such essays on your own. If you still have any doubts regarding this session, please let me know through the comment section below. To read more such short essays on various important topics, keep browsing our website. 

Kindly, join our Telegram channel to get the latest updates on our upcoming sessions. Thanks for being with us. Have a great day ahead. 

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• Leadership Essay (Free Example)
• Last Edited: December 19, 2018

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This essay describes the meaning of leadership and defines the characteristics and qualities of effective leaders.  It discusses the manner in which leadership skills can be developed and assesses the importance of leadership in organizations seeking to achieve specific aims.  Leadership styles, such as servant leadership and transformational leadership, are analyzed and qualities such as boldness, good judgment and emotional intelligence are examined to show how they support effective leadership.  The paper concludes with a discussion of what leadership means to different people and how leadership styles can reflect an individual’s own subjective take on leadership and how it should be demonstrated.

Table of Contents

• 4 Introduction
• 5 Thesis Statement
• 6.1 What is Leadership?  A Leadership Definition
• 6.2 About Leadership:  Boldness and Good Judgment
• 6.3 Effective Leaders
• 6.4 Styles of Leadership:  Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership
• 6.5 Starting Early:  Youth Leadership
• 6.6 Leadership for Students
• 6.7 What Does Leadership Mean to Me?
• 6.8 What Does Leadership Mean to You?
• 6.9 Personal Leadership Philosophy
• 7 Conclusion
• 8 Works Cited
• 9 References

What is leadership?

How can leadership qualities be promoted?

How does a bad leadership experience impact a workplace culture?

Real-life leaders in the 20th century

Influential Leaders in Modern Times

Servant Leadership and Youth Programs

The Qualities That Define a Good Leader

I.  Introduction

A.  Defining Leadership

B.  What is Leadership?

C.  About Leadership:  Boldness and Good Judgment

D.  Effective Leaders

F.  Starting Early:  Youth Leadership

G.  Students

H.  What Does Leadership Mean to Me?

I.  What Does Leadership Mean to You?

J.  Personal Leadership Philosophy

III.  Conclusion

Title:  Effective Leadership Skills and How to Acquire Them

Introduction

As Schyns and Schilling (2013) show, organizations thrive on effective leadership and suffer in numerous ways from bad leadership.  Leaders are responsible for projecting the vision and values of an organization and for making decisions based on good judgment that will ultimately benefit all stakeholders in the long run.  While there are many styles of leadership—from transformational leadership to democratic leadership to servant leadership—there are certain characteristics that are common among all effective leaders.

Thesis Statement

This paper will examine leadership characteristics and show how they can be developed in tomorrow’s leaders.

Figure 1. Leadership Definition http://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/highlighted/images/leadership.jpg

What is Leadership?  A Leadership Definition

Leadership is defined as the ability to “empower followers” (Conger 17) through guidance, example, and encouragement.  Leaders vary in terms of style:  some are bold and transform their followers by instilling in them a vision of what they can achieve and how to achieve it.  Other leaders are humble and inspire their followers by serving them, identifying their needs and ensuring that those needs are fulfilled.  In either case, the objective is the same:  leaders seek to motivate their followers to reach their maximum potential.  A leader is one whose primary concern is with the positive and progressive direction of the organization of which he is a part:  his concern is not with his own standing or achievements but rather with the success of those around him.  If a leader is not focused on helping his followers succeed, then he is more likely to be a destructive leader than a constructive and effective leader.

Leadership is not a new idea.  Civilizations throughout all history have recognized leaders and celebrated good leadership in a variety of forms.  Generals like Julius Caesar, statesman like Solon and Pericles, artists like Wagner and Shakespeare, religious men like Augustine, philosophers like Socrates, social justice advocates like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.—all of them have been lauded as possessing the qualities and characteristics of leadership.  What is it that sets them apart?  The “Great Man” thesis posited that leaders are born—yet as ideas of leadership have evolved over the centuries (especially in the modern era), new theories have formed that raise new questions about leadership and shed light on new aspects of leadership development.  For example, many researchers are now focusing on how leadership skills can be promoted among adolescents (Morton & Montgomery, 2013; Larson & Tran, 2014; Marshall, Parker, Ciarrochi & Heaven, 2014).  Their studies indicate that leadership youth programs can be helpful in providing adolescents the tools and experiences they will need in order to develop leadership traits.  These same studies have shown that family stability and self-esteem also play a large role in helping young people to grow leadership qualities, such as emotional intelligence, good judgment, boldness and creativity.  At the same time, not everyone possesses the same congenital gifts and talents, and some individuals are more predisposed to embracing leadership positions than others.  Thus, even though research shows that leadership styles, skills, and characteristics can be learned, evidence still exists that some leaders are born with a natural talent for leadership.

About Leadership:  Boldness and Good Judgment

Leaders can perform a number of services for organizations, groups, firms and followers.  Some of what they are expected to do regardless of the environment or context of their role consists of the following criteria, as noted by Zenger and Folkman (2015):  Leaders should:

-Challenge -Create -Achieve -Inspire -Energize -Assess -Decide

These seven characteristics help to define the concept of the leader.  At the heart of this concept are the elements of boldness and good judgment.  Together, these elements help support a leader’s character and ability to execute the other aspects of leadership.  Boldness helps a leader to challenge the status quo, to turn standard operating procedure on its head and look for new and innovative processes that can more effectively achieve organizational aims.  Boldness helps a leader to be creative, to think outside the box, to collaborate with others and imagine possible solutions to problems.  Boldness helps a leader to achieve success, to keep driving towards the goal despite setbacks and obstacles.  Boldness inspires perseverance, dedication, commitment and creativity in others.  It energizes a group of followers, who can draw emotional, intellectual and social support from a positive leader who is willing to give feedback, advice, guidance and assistance whenever necessary—but who is also willing to listen, include, consider, and reflect.

These latter qualities are part of the good judgment side of an effective leader.  Good judgment stems from one who is reflective, who is thoughtful about what goes on around him, who considers the viewpoint of others, including all stakeholders, and who listens so as to better understand the facts.  Good judgment helps a leader to make an accurate assessment of a situation, to gather all the relevant information and data, and to read the layout.  Good judgment enables a leader to then decide on the right course of action, to try a procedure that makes the most sense given the information presented.  Together, boldness and good judgment form the heart of good and effective leadership.

Effective Leaders

Effective leaders are ones who can harness the skills and abilities they possess in order to marshal their followers towards the achievement of the organizational goal.  The goal should be defined by the leader for the followers, with a vision of the process by which the goal may be achieved clearly provided to the followers so that they have a concrete picture of what is expected of them.  For a leader to be followed, he must be clear, concise and comprehensive.

A leader must also be one who is trusted by his followers.  This means a leader should possess qualities that support trust in a relationship—such as honesty, integrity and transparency.  A leader should have the ability to communicate well with others:  his body language should be expressive of confidence but also of empathy and interest in what his followers are doing.  Empathy is a major part of emotional intelligence, which has been shown to play a fundamental role in effective leadership (Sanders, 2006; Cacamis & El Asmar, 2014).  Emotional intelligence is the tool whereby an individual is able to read another person’s emotional output and respond with the appropriate words, gestures, expressions or ideas that help to support, stabilize, and develop the other person’s emotional state.  Empathy enables an individual to put himself into another person’s shoes, so to speak—to see the world through that person’s eyes and obtain a feeling for what that person is likely experiencing at the moment.  In nursing, empathy is important in providing optimal quality care.  In management, empathy is important because workers need to know that they are appreciated, respected, supported, and understood—otherwise conditions for resentment, ill will, and neglect can be fostered.  A leader who demonstrates emotional intelligence is a leader who will work to create positive organizational culture that is based on mutual respect, appreciation, and consideration.

Styles of Leadership:  Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership

Servant leadership is a style of leadership that enables a leader to put the needs of followers before his.  The concept of servant leadership may seem incongruous at first (how can a leader be a servant?) but it is actually reflective of the fundamental reality of what it takes to be an effective leader:  a leader truly must serve—either a higher vision or purpose (such as an organizational aim) or the needs of his followers (i.e., the leader helps the followers by supporting them as they develop their own skills and grow into the type of worker that will achieve goals and overcome obstacles).  As Hunter, Neubert, Perry et al. (2013) note, a servant leader is one who acts as a role model, who inspires by his humble example, and whose agreeableness allows him to help others and serve them by fulfilling whatever needs they may have, whether personal or work-related.  The servant leader is one who demonstrates true and observable care and concern for his employees or followers and whose main concern is to make sure that they have everything they need to get the job done.  A servant leader dedicates himself to his followers and leads essentially from behind, and Jesus Christ is often identified as a prototypical example of the servant leader.

Transformational leadership is a style of leadership that focuses on leading from the front:  the leader targets specific developmental goals for his workers and trains them in the method and manner of growth by which those goals may be achieved.  The transformational leader, like the servant leader, is focused on building followers into highly effective and self-sufficient workers—but the approach is oriented more towards setting goals and then giving followers the tools needed to achieve the objectives.  Emotional intelligence is particularly important for transformational leaders because it provides the leader with a sense of how to communicate most effectively to his followers in order to elicit the necessary responses.  An example of a transformational leader in the 20th century is General George S. Patton, whose methods of inspiring and motivating his soldiers to achieve objectives were rooted in the transformational style of leadership—i.e., identifying clearly obtainable goals and then motivating and training individuals to achieve their objectives.

Confrontational leadership is another leadership style that has been used by leaders in the past.  One of the most notable examples of a confrontational leader is Malcolm X, who took up the issue of social justice and confronted numerous authority figures around the nation as he sought to establish principles of truth and justice among his followers.  Eubanks, Antes, Friedrich et al. (2010) define the confrontational style of leadership as one in which the leader puts forward a policy and challenges others to conform to it.  This type of leadership is very bold and is only supported so long as the policy put forward by the leader is based in good and true principles.

Starting Early:  Youth Leadership

Recent research has uncovered a need for organizations to develop “effective leaders and leadership behavior” (Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm & McKee, 2014, p. 63).  The development of leadership behaviors is something that organizations are finding is necessary in the 21st century because many firms, groups, and businesses require a firm hand at the helm in order to steer the many parts of the ship.  Without the necessary leadership characteristics firmly possessed, the individual tasked with leading his followers will be ill-equipped to provide any actual help.  He will, in short, be a bad leader whose effect is corrosive on the organization (Schyns & Schilling, 2013).  To prevent a negative influence on a company’s culture, businesses see the need to develop leadership skills in individuals.

Youths are receiving more and more attention as discussion grows of where tomorrow’s leaders will come from.  Training young people to embrace the challenges, responsibilities, duties, and ethics of effective leadership is now seen as an essential part of the overall grooming of the next generation of leaders.

Leadership for Students

Students can develop leadership skills by applying to and taking part in youth programs that focus on acquiring leadership techniques, ideas, and qualities.  These programs are often spearheaded by organizations, after-school program administrators, church groups, organizational development teams, clubs, and other activities-related enterprises.  Students can participate in these programs beginning at a very early age:  Boy Scouts of America, for instance, teaches leadership skills to children and educates and trains them well into adolescence.  Students can also grow their leadership skills in school by taking part in student government and other extra-curricular activities, such as athletics, drama, music, debate, etc.  The research indicates that students are open to new experiences because they are defining their own identity and their own principles as they mature and apply themselves to the real world (Larson & Tran, 2014).  There is, however, a great deal of complexity involved in the development of leadership skills in youths, and much of that complexity stems from the social system in which a youth is situated:  factors such as family life and structure, education, personal ideals, personal traits, and behavioral and mental health all play a part in the extent to which leadership skills are acquired in adolescence.

What Does Leadership Mean to Me?

For many people, leadership is something that they define for themselves based on their own experiences.  They see examples of leadership everywhere—in school, in films, in politics, in their families, in society, in sports, in their churches, etc.  Their sense of what it means to be an effective leader is formed in part by the leaders they come into contact with and in part by the principles that are instilled in them as they mature.  Thus, while theories of leadership and leadership styles may provide some guidance in how we think about leadership, the reality is that many people view leadership uniquely and compose a picture of a good leader that is based on several different reference points that are unique to their own experience.

For me, my sense of leadership is based on the principles that I have taken to heart over the years and the examples of leadership that I have seen from individuals I admire.  In many cases, the best examples of leadership I have received have come from my own mother and father.  They have demonstrated numerous times how to lead, guide, instruct, assist, teach, inspire, motivate, and nurture and I feel that I would not be the person I am today without them.  Their leadership has given me important values and taught me to set goals for myself so that my life has direction, purpose and meaning.

What Does Leadership Mean to You?

Not everyone, however, will use my example of effective leaders to define their own concept of leadership.  Some will turn to characters in books or in films; others will look to real life—to popular figures in the public realm who have demonstrated leadership abilities that can be emulated by others.  Leadership does not have to mean or be the same thing for all people.  What matters most is that we think about leading, think about what would effectively help others, what would induce a positive change or support in the lives of others, and then take the ideas obtained through that reflection and apply them in practice.  This is ultimately all it takes to be a leader—to be thoughtful, mindful of others, thankful for one’s abilities, and desirous of seeing everyone obtain a good goal in the future.  Even if one does not take on a leadership role in an organization, at some point everyone is responsible for leading their own lives.  The responsibility inherent in leading one’s life is truly no different from the responsibility inherent in the leading of a company:  in order to achieve positive returns, one has to invest in oneself and in one’s peers or community.

Defining experiences will come to individuals over time and help them to refine the way in which they view themselves and the world around them.  The key to growth is to continue aspiring to learn.  In many industries, the concept of continuing education is important because it enables one to stay abreast of what is happening in the industry and how members of that industry can apply those lessons.  In nursing, for example, nurse practitioners promote the concept of continuing education because it helps them to provide the latest in critical and quality care to patients.  In real estate, agents are expected to complete so many hours of continuing education every year so that they stay abreast of the ethical, practical and legal requirements of their profession.  For anyone in any walk of life, continuing education is a way to maintain a posture of integrity.  This integrity can serve to cultivate an awareness of how integrated and interconnected all of life is, and how much the various elements of society depend upon one another.  Stakeholders in communities, schools, businesses and organizations all play a part, either directly or indirectly, in the growth and movement of the individual members of these groups.  Therefore, an individual who is open and awake to the way in which people impact one another is already capable of leading.  Leading is about being aware, and building on that awareness will be the fruits of experience.  These experiences will define for you, just as they do for all people, what it means to be a leader and how you can best effect leadership in your own surroundings.

Personal Leadership Philosophy

My personal leadership philosophy is based on the principles of servant leadership:  I believe that in order to lead one should be able to set the right example for others.  A leader must, therefore, possess the attributes that he expects and desires of others.  A leader should also be willing to devote himself to his followers so that they can obtain their goals.  Servant leadership places the leader at the service of his followers and promotes empathy, selflessness and devotion, which are characteristics of leadership that I find admirable.

One’s personal leadership philosophy does not have to conform to another’s principles but rather should be an extension of the values that the individual himself holds dear and attempts to uphold in his own life.  A personal leadership philosophy is much like a manifesto that helps characterize an individual and show others what it is important to them.  An organization will typically consider a person’s leadership philosophy and how well it fits with its own culture before hiring the individual.  And just because one’s personal leadership philosophy does not fit well with one organization does not mean that the individual will not be better suited with another group.  Indeed, there are many different organizations around that world that have many differing views on leadership and values.  As one grows and comes into contact with these different groups, he can decide upon a course of action that will place him with a firm that values and upholds the principles and ideas he himself deems important.

Defining one’s values is a major step in becoming a true leader, as everything that one does will stem from the principles that serve as an individual’s moral and behavioral foundations.  A person who has defined his values for himself cannot be a leader of others, because he will not have a sense of what it means to be committed to an ideal, a principle, or an objective.  Definition is critically important to organizational success and thus crucially important to leadership.  A leader must be able to define both for himself and for his followers the values of the organization.

In conclusion, leadership is an integral part of human life.  Leaders are evident in families, in schools, in workplaces, in churches, in social groups, and in one’s own life.  Indeed, everyone must be a leader of his own life as he matures into an adult and makes decisions for himself.  What makes a person successful in this regard is his ability to Challenge create, achieve, inspire, energize, assess and ultimately decide what is best for both himself and for his followers if he is in a position to have them.

Leaders must be bold but they must also have good judgment.  They must be able to communicate effectively and they must be capable of empathy.  They must demonstrate emotional intelligence skills and be reflective so that they can consider multiple points of view and see how both they and their followers can benefit from objective criticism.  Leaders must be focused on growth according to principles that inspire and motivate others to achieve clearly defined aims and objectives.  For these reasons, leaders are essential to organizations and can help to transform an organizational culture that is depressed and dysfunctional into one that is positive, rewarding, inclusive, and successful.

Leadership skills can be developed from an early age and are impacted both by natural talents and abilities and by personal experiences.  Schools and youth programs can help train children and adolescents in acquiring leadership skills.  Families and peers offer a social structure in which youth can practice and demonstrate leadership qualities and grow into a responsible adult capable of gathering information and making a good judgment.            

Works Cited

Larson, R., Tran, S.  “Invited Commentary:  Positive Youth Development and Human

Complexity.”  Journal of Youth Adolescence, vol. 43 (2014):  1012-1017.

Sanders, Tim.  The Likeability Factor .  NY:  Three Rivers Press, 2006.  Print.

Schyns, B., Schilling, J.  “How Bad are the Effects of Bad Leaders?  A Meta-Analysis of Destructive Leadership and Its Outcomes.”  The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 24 (2013):  138-158.

Cacamis, M. E., & El Asmar, M. (2014). Improving project performance through partnering and emotional intelligence. Practice Periodical on Structural Design & Construction, 19 (1), 50-56.

Day, D., Fleenor, J., Atwater, L., Sturm, R., McKee, R.  (2014).  Advances in leader and leadership development:  A review of 25 years of research and theory.  The Leadership Quarterly, 25 :  63-82.

Eubanks, D. L., Antes, A L., Friedrich, T. L., Caughron, J. J., Blackwell, L. V., Bedell-Avers, K. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2010). Criticism and outstanding leadership: An evaluation of leader reactions and critical outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly , 21(3) 365-388.

Hunter, E. M., Neubert, M. J., Perry, S. J., Witt, L. A., Penney, L. M., & Weinberger, E. (2013). Servant leaders inspire servant leaders: Antecedents and outcomes for employees and the organization. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(2), 316–331.

Marshall, S., Parker, P., Ciarrochi, J., Heaven, P.  (2014).  Is self-esteem a cause or .  Child Development, 85 (3):  1275-1291.

Morton, M., Montgomery, P.  (2013).  Youth empowerment programs for improving adolescents’ self-efficacy and self-esteem:  A systematic review.  Research on Social Work Practice, 23 (1):  22-33.

Zenger Folkman.  (2015).  Infographic:  Bold leadership.  Zenger Folkman .  Retrieved from http://zengerfolkman.com/infographic-bold-leadership/

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What is Ethical Leadership and Why is it Important?

Ethical leadership is not only the right thing to do, it is key to driving an organization's success.

Valerie Kirk

Errors, bad behavior, and poor judgment in leadership can negatively impact a company’s brand and reputation. For business success, it’s critical for organizations to fill their C-suite with ethical leaders.

Ethical leadership involves leaders and managers making decisions based on the right thing to do for the common good, not just based on what is best for themselves or for the bottom line. While profits are important, ethical leaders take into consideration the needs of customers, communities, and employees in addition to company growth and revenue when making business decisions. 

Ethical leaders encourage their team members to model this behavior, too. They help to build a workplace culture that values transparency, collaboration and inclusion, and where everyone feels safe to share their voice.

They can also help organizations recruit and retain top talent. Professionals are increasingly seeking out companies whose leaders strive to do the right thing. Generation Z, who will make up 25 percent of the workforce by 2025, demands leadership ethics more than generations that came before them. 

“Gen Z is not going to negotiate. They have really strong values and ethics, and they don’t bend them because of intimidation or because they are just getting a paycheck,” said Michael McCarthy, instructor at Harvard Division of Continuing Education’s Professional & Executive Development and host of the “ Happy at Work ” podcast. “The idea of letting harmful or hurtful behavior slide is not acceptable.”

Leaders who weigh ethical considerations before making key business decisions drive a company’s long-term success. 

The 6 Main Principles of Ethical Leadership

Having ethical leaders isn’t as simple as hiring “good” people. Companies should strive to fill their leadership ranks with people who embody the principles of ethical leadership. The six main principles include: 

Respect includes valuing others’ skills and contributions. While historically respect in the workplace may have been one-way (leaders demanding respect from employees), in an ethical work environment, respect is mutual. 

Mutual respect leads to healthier workplace relationships where both sides appreciate and support what the other is doing and feel secure in talking through issues and challenges. Healthy relationships create positive work environments, which drives increased productivity.

Current and upcoming business leaders should take mutual respect into account as workforce expectations continue to shift.  

“I tell current leadership to respect Gen Z. They have values and morals, and you’re going to have a better organization because of them,” McCarthy said. “They aren’t going to put up with the old hierarchy that doesn’t offer mutual respect.” 

2. Accountability

Ethical leaders hold themselves accountable for their actions. They make decisions based on integrity and stand behind their work. They also lead by example, communicate openly about challenges, and don’t look to place blame on others for any shortfalls.

Leaders make ethical decisions based on doing what is right for employees, customers, and the community. Because these constituents are always top of mind for ethical leaders, they often have a strong sense of service. They engage in activities such as charitable giving and volunteer work to give  back to their communities — and encourage their teams to do the same. 

Leaders who are transparent build trust amongst their organizations and amongst customers. 

To build and maintain trust, leaders must be good communicators who speak openly and honestly about issues. Regardless of the issue’s severity or unpopularity, leaders’ responsibility to be clear and candid  empowers others to make the right decisions with the information they have. 

Honesty and transparency also help to build a brand’s reputation, leading to long-term customer loyalty.

Justice is not just about following the law, but about ensuring that everyone is getting what they deserve. Ethical leaders approach situations with a focus on treating everyone fairly, and they expect their teams to treat each other and customers the same way. Through their actions, they build equitable work environments where everyone feels respected. 

6. Community

Ethical leaders view their companies as communities and consider everyone involved when evaluating situations and making decisions. By viewing their organizations this way, they build equity and inclusion into their decision-making process and create work environments that encourage collaboration across teams. 

Learn more about Harvard DCE’s Ethical Leadership program

Examples of Positive and Negative Ethical Leadership

The following three examples are of companies that were faced with ethical dilemmas and how different leadership styles led to vastly different outcomes. 

Johnson & Johnson

One of the most famous examples of ethical leadership was the case of the Tylenol cyanide poisonings in the early 1980s. Seven people died of cyanide poisoning, and the only connecting factor was that they had all taken extra-strength Tylenol. During investigation, it was discovered that the tablets were laced with cyanide.

Johnson & Johnson’s leaders acted quickly and pulled all Tylenol products off the shelves — 31 million bottles, worth over $100 million — and stopped all production and advertising. The swiftness of their decision, although costly, put customers’ well-being first and saved lives.

They partnered with law enforcement to find the perpetrator and subsequently developed the first-ever tamper-resistant packaging. They were transparent with the public about what they were doing to ensure this tragedy never happened again. 

The Tylenol brand recovered from the incident, largely because of Johnson & Johnson’s ethical leadership team’s swift action and transparent care for customers.

In 2008, JetBlue left passengers stranded on the tarmac at the John F. Kennedy International Airport for more than five hours during a snowstorm. The delay had a ripple effect — JetBlue had to cancel more than 1,000 flights over the following five days.

In response, JetBlue’s CEO wrote a letter of apology to customers. He also directed his team to draft a customer bill of rights, which outlined customers’ rights to information about flights and information about compensation in the event of delays or cancellations.

The CEO also participated in a public apology tour, taking full responsibility for the incident rather than blaming it on the weather.

His transparency and accountability created trust with customers, who stayed loyal to the airline.

Wells Fargo

In September 2016 , it was revealed that employees of Wells Fargo, one of the largest banks in the United States, opened millions of unauthorized accounts in order to meet aggressive sales targets. This widespread fraudulent activity was the result of a work culture that prioritized quantity over quality and pushed employees to engage in unethical practices.

Company leaders denied knowledge of fraudulent practices. The bank was hit with significant financial penalties, but because of the lack of accountability, they damaged the trust of their customers and investors. They reported a 50 percent profit loss in the quarter following the scandal.

Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership

Companies cannot underestimate the power of different leadership styles on their growth and long term success. Those who practice ethical leadership have positive corporate cultures where employees are engaged, motivated, and feel good about coming to work. Companies without ethical leadership face lower productivity and high turnover rates, impacting the organization’s bottom line.

Ethical leaders aren’t just born with these skills — they develop them over years of experience and training. 

Harvard DCE Professional & Executive Development offers a two-day Ethical Leadership program that helps leaders develop skills to make ethical choices and lead companies through challenging dilemmas. 

Topics covered include: 

• Making ethical decisions with conflicting responsibilities 
• Building a moral framework within yourself and the organization
• Understanding the role of employees in both their professional and personal lives 
• Navigating a slippery slope when seemingly good people do bad things
• Building a corporate culture that values moral behavior

Learn more about the ethical leadership program, including how to register.  

Leaders looking to expand their ethical leadership skills should also consider the two-day Authentic Leadership program , where they will learn how to develop mindfulness and authenticity to build trust, create engagement, and promote productivity. 

Explore all Executive Leadership and Management courses

About the Author

Valerie Kirk is a freelance writer and corporate storyteller specializing in customer and community outreach and topics and trends in education, technology, and healthcare. Based in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay, she spends her free time exploring nature by bike, paddle board, or on long hikes with her family.

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Heroes of the Exodus: Leadership and Liberation in Biblical Times

This essay about the heroes of the Exodus explores the leadership and liberation themes central to this biblical narrative, focusing on Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Moses is depicted as a spiritual leader whose resilience and faith guide the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery. His story highlights the development from reluctant leader to guiding his people through significant trials, including confronting Pharaoh and leading the crossing of the Red Sea. Aaron complements Moses by acting as his spokesman, illustrating the importance of collaborative leadership. Miriam’s role emphasizes her leadership among women, particularly in maintaining spiritual morale. The essay also delves into the broader themes of liberation, both physical from slavery and spiritual through the acceptance of monotheism, as exemplified by the giving of the Ten Commandments. It concludes by reflecting on the lasting lessons of faith, freedom, and leadership that the Exodus story imparts, underscoring its enduring relevance.

How it works

The chronicle of the Exodus, a narrative of paramount significance within the Hebrew Bible, encompasses themes of oppression, emancipation, faith, and governance. Central to this saga are personas such as Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, whose roles are not solely fundamental to the Jewish faith but also emblematic of universal tenets of guidance and liberation.

Moses, the preeminent protagonist in the Exodus chronicle, is often hailed as a towering figure in biblical annals, not merely for his part in leading the Israelites out of Egyptian enslavement but for his profound odyssey of personal development and spiritual guidance.

His journey, from his miraculous deliverance from the Nile River to his encounters with the Divine at the burning bush and Mount Sinai, portrays a leader who, despite initial hesitance, ascends to confront an empire and shepherd his people towards emancipation.

The leadership of Moses is delineated by his profound empathy and steadfast dedication to his people. This is vividly exemplified during critical junctures when he implores Pharaoh to release the Israelites, with each refusal met with a plague that increasingly devastates Egypt. Moses’s resilience in adversity, and his dependence on divine assistance, underscore his role not only as a political or military leader but as a spiritual mentor who steers his people through their uncertainties and revolts.

In addition to Moses, his sibling Aaron and sister Miriam assume pivotal supportive roles. Aaron, frequently standing alongside Moses, serves as his spokesperson, employing his eloquence to relay the divine messages Moses receives. This collaboration accentuates a vital facet of leadership: the dependence on the strengths of others to compensate for one’s own shortcomings. Conversely, Miriam is lauded for her leadership among the women of Israel, notably through her contribution to the triumphant song after crossing the Red Sea, a gesture that underscores the significance of women in upholding the cultural and spiritual morale of their community.

The Exodus narrative is also a profound exploration of the theme of liberation, not only in the physical sense from servitude but in the spiritual emancipation from idolatry and the embrace of monotheism encapsulated in the revelations at Sinai. The bestowal of the Ten Commandments, a cornerstone of Abrahamic ethics and jurisprudence, symbolizes a transformative moment of moral and legal delineation for the Israelites, establishing a new way of life centered on monotheistic worship and ethical comportment.

Furthermore, the sojourn of the Israelites through the wilderness represents a formative epoch wherein the liberated slaves must grasp the essence of being a free people with a shared destiny. The tribulations they encounter, from the parting of the Red Sea to the provision of manna from heaven, underscore a recurring motif in the Exodus narrative: the trial of faith and the imperative of unwavering commitment to divine directives and guidance.

In summary, the protagonists of the Exodus furnish profound insights into the attributes and adversities of leadership. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam each epitomize distinct facets of leadership—fortitude, eloquence, and inspiration, respectively. Their narratives impart timeless lessons on the potency of faith, the significance of collective endeavor, and the enduring human endeavor for freedom and dignity. Consequently, the chronicle of the Exodus endures as a captivating exploration of leadership and liberation, reverberating across epochs as a profound tale of human aspiration and divine intervention.

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"Heroes of the Exodus: Leadership and Liberation in Biblical Times," PapersOwl.com , 29-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/heroes-of-the-exodus-leadership-and-liberation-in-biblical-times/. [Accessed: 30-Apr-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Heroes of the Exodus: Leadership and Liberation in Biblical Times . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/heroes-of-the-exodus-leadership-and-liberation-in-biblical-times/ [Accessed: 30-Apr-2024]

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So Your High School Doesn’t Offer APs—Are AP Exams Still Important For College Admissions?

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Brown University

Advanced Placement courses are offered at thousands of high schools across the U.S.— approximately 35% of public high school graduates in the Class of 2023 took at least one AP exam, and approximately 2.8 million students sat for AP exams in 2023. However, a large number of schools do not offer AP courses. In many cases, this is due to a lack of resources—though strides have been made to increase access to AP courses in underprivileged schools, a gap in access persists along racial and socioeconomic lines. In other cases, schools are ditching the AP curriculum as a result of their educational philosophy. In 2018, elite private schools in the D.C. area such as Sidwell Friends and Georgetown Prep announced their intention to phase out AP classes, citing their desire for a more independent curriculum and a growing frustration with the AP’s orientation toward testing rather than other metrics for success.

Despite these drawbacks, AP courses and exams remain highly regarded by many colleges and universities, as they offer insight into students’ academic acumen and potential to complete college coursework successfully. As a result, many students without access to AP courses are left wondering whether they should still register, study and sit for AP exams.

First and foremost, students should know that colleges and universities evaluate their applications in the context of their school and the opportunities available to them. This means that if students did not have AP classes available to them at their schools, admissions officers will not expect to see AP courses or AP exam scores included in their applications. As such, these students’ applications will not be disadvantaged in any way by not including AP exams.

That being said, there are some scenarios in which a student may still wish to take an AP exam despite not having taken an AP course. These are the top three reasons that students might consider sitting for one or more AP exams:

1. To Earn College Credit

One of the main reasons students take AP exams is to earn college credit. Many colleges and universities grant credit for high AP exam scores (typically for 4s or 5s). By earning credit through AP exams, you may be able to fulfill prerequisites, skip introductory courses, or accelerate your progress toward graduation once you enroll in college. However, this is not the case at every school. In order to determine whether the time and effort you will put into studying and taking an AP exam will be justified, you should research whether the schools you are considering applying to give college credit for high AP exam scores. You can often find this information on admissions or departmental websites, or by contacting admissions representatives at each respective school. You can also check the College Board website to see if the schools on your list accept AP credits, but note that these policies change frequently, so you should still follow up with the schools for verification. If a handful of the schools on your list do accept high scores for credit, it may be a strategic choice to sit for one or more exam.

World War I Tactics Make A Comeback As A Ukrainian Gunner In The Back Of A Propeller Plane Shoots Down A Russian Drone

Amazon prime video s best new show arrives with a perfect 100 critic score, apple iphone ipad mac users abruptly locked out of devices reset required, 2. to use exam scores in lieu of the sat or act.

As Ivy League and other top schools reinstate their standardized testing requirements, some schools have announced their intention to allow students to submit test scores from AP examinations in place of ACT or SAT scores. Dartmouth allows students applying from schools outside of the U.S. to satisfy their testing requirement by submitting three AP exam scores. Meanwhile, Yale’s new test-flexible policy also allows students applying domestically to submit AP and IB scores in lieu of other standardized tests. If you are applying internationally or if you have reason to believe that you will achieve a stronger score on AP exams than on the SAT or ACT, you can consider sitting for the exams. Note that not all schools have such flexible testing policies, so you will likely still need to sit for the SAT or the ACT.

3. To Demonstrate Your Academic Abilities

It is important to remember that while they are not the only way to demonstrate their academic capabilities, AP exams are an unbiased and quantifiable way to assess students’ preparedness for college coursework. Students who struggled academically earlier in their high school years or who want to highlight their skills in a specific discipline may benefit from the inclusion of AP scores in their applicant profiles.

Finally, while students who do not have access to AP classes should consider their options and make a strategic decision about taking exams on the basis of their applicant profiles and academic goals, students who have taken AP courses absolutely should take AP exams. Failing to sit for the exams will not only foreclose the possibility of earning college credit, but it will also reflect poorly on your application and raise questions with admissions committees.

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Xi Thinks China Can Slow Climate Change. What if He’s Right?

By Jacob Dreyer

Mr. Dreyer, an editor and writer who focuses on the Chinese political economy and science, wrote from Shanghai.

At first glance, Xi Jinping seems to have lost the plot.

China’s president appears to be smothering the entrepreneurial dynamism that allowed his country to crawl out of poverty and become the factory of the world. He has brushed aside Deng Xiaoping’s maxim “To get rich is glorious” in favor of centralized planning and Communist-sounding slogans like “ ecological civilization ” and “ new, quality productive forces ,” which have prompted predictions of the end of China’s economic miracle.

But Mr. Xi is, in fact, making a decades-long bet that China can dominate the global transition to green energy, with his one-party state acting as the driving force in a way that free markets cannot or will not. His ultimate goal is not just to address one of humanity’s most urgent problems — climate change — but also to position China as the global savior in the process.

It has already begun. In recent years, the transition away from fossil fuels has become Mr. Xi’s mantra and the common thread in China’s industrial policies. It’s yielding results: China is now the world’s leading manufacturer of climate-friendly technologies, such as solar panels , batteries and electric vehicles . Last year the energy transition was China’s single biggest driver of overall investment and economic growth, making it the first large economy to achieve that.

This raises an important question for the United States and all of humanity: Is Mr. Xi right? Is a state-directed system like China’s better positioned to solve a generational crisis like climate change, or is a decentralized market approach — i.e., the American way — the answer?

How this plays out could have serious implications for American power and influence.

Look at what happened in the early 20th century, when fascism posed a global threat. America entered the fight late, but with its industrial power — the arsenal of democracy — it emerged on top. Whoever unlocks the door inherits the kingdom, and the United States set about building a new architecture of trade and international relations. The era of American dominance began.

Climate change is, similarly, a global problem, one that threatens our species and the world’s biodiversity. Where do Brazil , Pakistan , Indonesia and other large developing nations that are already grappling with the effects of climate change find their solutions? It will be in technologies that offer an affordable path to decarbonization, and so far, it’s China that is providing most of the solar panels , electric cars and more. China’s exports, increasingly led by green technology, are booming, and much of the growth involves exports to developing countries .

From the American neoliberal economic viewpoint, a state-led push like this might seem illegitimate or even unfair. The state, with its subsidies and political directives, is making decisions that are better left to the markets, the thinking goes.

But China’s leaders have their own calculations, which prioritize stability decades from now over shareholder returns today. Chinese history is littered with dynasties that fell because of famines, floods or failures to adapt to new realities. The Chinese Communist Party’s centrally planned system values constant struggle for its own sake, and today’s struggle is against climate change. China received a frightening reminder of this in 2022, when vast areas of the country baked for weeks under a record heat wave that dried up rivers , withered crops and was blamed for several heatstroke deaths.

China’s government knows that it must make this green transition out of rational self-interest or risk joining the Soviet Union on history’s scrap heap, and is actively positioning itself to do so. It is increasingly led by people with backgrounds in science, technology and environmental issues. Shanghai, the country’s largest city and its financial and industrial leading edge, is headed by Chen Jining, an environmental systems expert and China’s former minister of environmental protection. Across the country, money is being poured into developing and bringing to market new advances in things like rechargeable batteries and into creating corporate champions in renewable energy .

To be clear, for Mr. Xi, this green agenda is not purely an environmental endeavor. It also helps him tighten his grip on power. In 2015, for instance, the Central Environmental Inspection Team was formed to investigate whether provincial leaders and even agencies of the central government were adhering to his green push, giving him another tool with which to exert his already considerable power and authority.

At the same time, locking in renewable energy sources is a national security issue for Mr. Xi; unlike the United States, China imports almost all of its oil, which could be disrupted by the U.S. Navy in choke points like the Malacca Strait in the event of war.

Mr. Xi’s plan — call it his Green Leap Forward — has serious deficiencies. China continues to build coal-fired power plants , and its annual greenhouse-gas emissions remain far greater than those of the United States, though American emissions are higher on a per-capita basis. China’s electric vehicle industry was built on subsidies , and the country may be using forced labor to produce solar panels. Those are serious concerns, but they fade into the background when Pakistan floods or Brazil wants to build an E.V. factory or South Africa desperately needs solar panels for a faltering energy grid.

American politics may be inadvertently helping China gobble up global market share in renewable energy products. When the United States — whether for national security or protectionist reasons — keeps Chinese companies like Huawei out of the American market or rolls up the welcome mat for electric vehicle makers like BYD or companies involved in artificial intelligence or self-driving cars, those businesses must look elsewhere.

President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act , aimed at tackling climate change, has put the United States on a solid path toward carbon neutrality. But America’s decentralization and focus on private innovation means government policy cannot have quite the same impact that it can in China.

So it is crucial for Americans to recognize that, for most of the world, perhaps for all of us, China’s ability to provide low-cost green technology is, on balance, great news. All of humanity needs to move toward renewables at a huge scale — and fast. America still leads in innovation, while China excels in taking frontier science and making its application in the real world cost-effective. If American politicians, investors and businesses recognize that climate change is humanity’s biggest threat, that could open pathways for diplomacy, collaboration and constructive competition with China that benefit us all.

Together, China and the United States could decarbonize the world. But if Americans don’t get serious about it, the Chinese will do it without them.

And if the United States tries to obstruct China, by way of corporate blacklists, trade or technology bans or diplomatic pressure, it will end up looking like part of the climate problem. That happened earlier this month when Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, during a visit to China, urged officials here to rein in green technology exports that the United States says are hurting American companies.

Mr. Xi won’t completely toss out the polluting manufacturing-for-export economic model that has served China so well, nor does he seem ready to halt construction of coal plants. Both are considered necessary for economic and energy security until the green transition is complete. But they are now only a means to an end. The endgame, it seems, is to reach carbon neutrality while dominating the industries making that possible.

Much like how the United States showed up late for World War II, China’s clean-tech companies are latecomers, piggybacking on technology developed elsewhere. But history rewards not necessarily who was there first but who was there last — when a problem was solved. Mr. Xi seems to discern the climate chaos on the horizon. Winning the race for solutions means winning the world that comes next.

Jacob Dreyer is an American editor and writer focused on the intersection of the Chinese political economy and science. He lives in Shanghai.

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Juvenile Detention: Many Youth Face Long Stays in Facility Designed for Short-Term Support

Published april 24, 2024.

King County does not have structures in place to consistently meet the varied needs of youth in secure detention at the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC). Due to policy changes at the state and local level, King County holds fewer youth in secure detention today, on average, than it did five years ago. As a result, the youth that are there face more serious charges and stay longer. However, CCFJC secure detention is designed for short-term stays and the support provided there does not meet the educational, enrichment, and mental health needs of youth with long periods of detention. Further, staffing shortages present operational challenges that result in youth spending more time confined to their cells. Youth report experiencing boredom, uncertainty, and stress during their time housed in secure detention. Despite ongoing efforts to end secure detention for youth in King County, youth will continue to be held at CCFJC for at least the next four years — and some for longer. We make recommendations to address gaps in care for youth in secure detention in King County.

Audit Highlights

What we found expand_more.

The average amount of time youth spend in secure detention in the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC) while waiting for their cases to resolve has grown over time. Overall, the average length of stay for youth in secure detention tripled between 2017 and mid-2023, increasing from 12 days to 39 days. Over 200 youth had stays longer than 100 days in secure detention. While lengths of stay are long for youth facing adult charges, we found that lengths of stay are also growing for youth facing juvenile charges. Secure detention at CCFJC is designed for short-term stays, and the support provided there does not meet the educational, enrichment, and mental health needs of youth facing long periods of detention. King County does not provide long-term mental health programs to those in secure detention, nor does it offer behavior or substance abuse treatment or job training. In addition, low staffing levels have led to shortened school periods, canceled enrichment sessions, and more cell time for youth, which increases their stress levels. The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) has attempted several hiring pushes over the last two years with some success, but negative culture and lack of a mechanism for positive performance improvement make continuous improvement difficult.

Youth shared concerns about the living conditions within CCFJC secure detention, disruptions to daily routines, and limited visitation. According to youth, these challenges can cause stress and increase the risk of violence and mental health-related incidents in the facility.

What We Recommend expand_more

We make recommendations for King County to address the therapeutic and skills development needs of youth held in secure detention for long lengths of stay. We also make recommendations to DAJD management to make operational changes such as modifying its housing classification system, providing performance reviews and coaching opportunities between staff and supervisors, and improving youth access to the independent grievance process available through the Office of the Ombuds.

Why This Audit is Important expand_more

Although the King County Executive has been working toward ending youth detention, the County Executive’s Care and Closure Advisory Committee has pushed this goal back to 2028, at the earliest, for youth facing juvenile charges, and likely beyond that for youth facing adult charges. Therefore, youth will continue to be held in secure detention at CCFJC for the time being. These youth have increasingly long lengths of stay and complex therapeutic needs that the status quo is not addressing — particularly for youth facing adult charges. Without the appropriate services to meet their needs in a timely manner, youth in secure detention can face negative long-term impacts to their wellbeing.