When thinking about the band, U2, it is easy to reflect on all of their hits and their stardom. What most people don’t think about is Bono’s impact on the greater world around him, outside of his music. His leadership is has led to increased awareness and financial support to those with AIDS, poverty, and preventable disease. In a recent interview with Fortune magazine, Bono is quoted saying “Real leadership is when everyone else feels in charge.” It is this maxim that has helped Bono find success as a leader, but along with that motto, he also possesses the traits necessary for leadership.
The trait approach, according to Northouse, suggests that the “traits that leaders possess must be relevant to the situation that the leader is functioning” (2013, p.20) The list of major leadership traits that include intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity, and sociability. Bono has each of those traits and a large population of followers based on both his music and his beliefs. Bono’s followers are not local to one state or country; he has a global backing that supports his philanthropic beliefs and his art of music.
Bono’s longevity in the spot light has created a group of followers that spans generations. In addition to the leadership traits that he has, he also possesses the skills necessary to be an effective leader. The three-skill approach in Northouse calls upon technical skill, human skill, and conceptual skill are all part of Bono’s arsenal. (2013, p. 44) Using these three skills, Bono has been able to accomplished increased support in third-world debt relief as well as raising awareness of AIDS in Africa.
Judging from Bono’s quote about leadership in paragraph one, his human skill and conceptual skill are his most powerful tools. His ability to work with people is why he has so many followers. His ideas support humanity and those that don’t have a voice. His technical skills are also exemplary, as seeing he is an expert on the causes he fights for. Bono is on the front line of all battle he fights for. This includes visiting places that need his support as well as working with politicians and business men and women directly for his cause.
Like many other strong leaders, Bono’s leadership style works for his organizations and groups. Because it works for him, does not mean that it would be effective for everyone to lead the same way that he does. As we studied in lesson one, maxims are studies based on an individual case. Transferring Bono’s leadership to another setting may not be effective. For his business and philanthropies, Bono’s leadership has made him one of the best leaders in the world.
Fortune. (2014, March). The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders (2014). Fortune. Retrieved from Fortune.com/2014/03/20/worlds-50-greatest-leaders/
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice (6th ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
Augustus Gregory Perangelo says
Ahh Bono, many have a conceptualized view of him being arrogant and having a skewed personality based upon his own opinions. But you are able to define who Bono is asa person and how he is an effective leader. Many people of my generation and younger do not really know what it is to be a leader yet, as still a young student, I and I’m sure many others have experience little to few leadership experiences in our lifetime. As stated before in your post Bono help fundraise for AIDS research and prevention, which at the time was surely controversial. Many people did not want to be associated with this disease as it was considered to be deathly and mysterious, Bono being an assertive leader and having a maxim was able for him to be a great leader and take charge of the aids campaign. He was able as a musician and controversial figure of the time to lead by example to explain and help fight this disease at the time and even now.
Leadership is a defining quality that most strive out to achieve as it can provide great deeds from it. Here you have a perfect example of what leadership is and how it is shown within the past 30 years on a controversial subject. While reading this I got fully absorbed in your post and imagined all the possibilities of how I could become a great leader. I hope to read more from you! Keep up the good work!
John M Matta says
I would agree that in time Bono had showed that he has become a great leader through the organizations that he runs along with the efforts that he puts forth to influence people with awareness and change for great causes. With out a doubt he has proven and refined his skill set to show that he has become a leader worthy of the recognition.
The thought I have reading your blog was at what point to he have the realization that he had the potential to become a great leader. I feel that the question would be “what if”. By that I mean what if he did not have the success he had as a musician. Would his skill set as a leader would have been developed or realized.
I think that there was a situational need for someone to come along and provide awareness for causes that he supported but there were other people like politicians doing that already. I would like to know more of what he feels gave him the power to inspire people of elected officials. His maxim of being a great leader is letting other people being in charge. This is an impressive example of where the presence of a person can inspire others to do more versus using coercion.