There are many inspirational and motivational leaders throughout history that portrayed many leadership traits that made them who they are today. Despite all the things you learn while becoming a leader there are many traits that make you a great leader and an icon to the people. The top five leadership traits are: Intelligence, Confidence, Determination, integrity, and Sociability. It fits clearly that leaders are the individuals who are out front and leading the way in our society (Northhouse,2017 p.30). A few leaders that had a big impact on our society are Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr, and Rick and Dick Hoyt.
Mother Teresa showed great charisma throughout her life by influencing and inspiring others. With her clear goals of opening charities around the world and sticking by her strong values of how people should be treated, and loved, no matter what their level of poverty was. She portrayed the determination trait by being persistence and having the drive to be proactive. Her other biggest trait was sociability fitting that definition to the T. and along with that, integrity played a good part.
The Hoyts biggest trait were there determination despite what people said, they conquer something amazing, and did it as a team. Another trait that helped them along their journey was confidence and through that they became charismatic. Dick Hoyt had the intelligence to see and understand his sons’ situation and did something that not many other parents would do, and that was give his son a chance at life despite his sickness.
Martin Luther King Jr showed his intelligence through his “I had a Dream” speech, providing good language skills, perceptual skills, and reasoning ability. He organized many marches against segregation. King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance in October 14,1964. He was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and with-in this position he developed charisma, a special magnetic charm and appeal, which gave him exceptional powers of influence. He had determination when he became the Leader of the Civil Rights Movement, with having perseverance in the face of obstacles, being proactive, being assertiveness, having the drive and persistence to get through this movement. He advanced the Civil Rights Movement, using the tactics of nonviolence and civil disobedience.
Many traits among leaders present and past have made leaders inspirational and motivational. Although some believe that you are born with these traits I believe that through life experiences these traits are bestowed upon you. It is up to the individual to use these traits for the greater good and inspire people to do good and motivate them to be the best that they can be, and to help out societies for the sake of mankind everywhere.
Northouse, P. (2017). Leadership Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.
Northouse, P. (2015). Introduction to Leadership: concepts and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia., W. contributors. (2017, August 28). Martin Luther King Jr. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martin_Luther_King_Jr.&oldid=797731537
I enjoyed your blog.
Mother Teresa was absolutely an inspirational leader to so many. I believe the leadership styling that was most appropriate to her is the transformational. “Transformational leadership is the process whereby a person engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the followers” (Northouse, 2016, p 162). Mother Teresa inspired her followers through her devoted faith, but also through her strong moral lifestyle. She inspired people, in some instances, to change their lives and the way they have been living them. She also changed the mindset of a generation by setting the example of how to treat people with a high level of humanity. She truly transformed the way people view one another, even the most diseased. It is wonderful her legacy still lives on, I just wish it was more mainstream.
Dr. King is also a transformational leader. He was a strong role model who was the embodiment of the charismatic leader. I am not sure if that was a gift he was born with or something he perfected while studying theology. His gift was his ability to “articulate ideological goals that have moral overtones” (Northouse, 2016, p 164). He was truly inspirational. I do not know how things may be different had he not had his dream. I am truly thankful that he was able to effect a change in our country that impacted so many lives for the better. Even today, listening to him speak gives me goosebumps. His charismatic speeches have transcended the test of time, and are still inspiring to behold.
Leaders often use religion to tie themselves to a populous. I believe many use it to have that shared connection between themselves and their followers. Look how often it has been used throughout history. From the Buddhist Dalai Lama, to the Catholic Church. Whole nations are effected by a leader’s religious preferences. Not to take that spill down the road to a long debate. I do not have a problem with leaders using religion to have that connection with their followers, I do have a problem when they use it to emotionally charge their followers to incite harm on others.
Great Post, it was an interesting tie in to the lessons this semester.
Reference:
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: SAGE.
Your post cites some excellent examples of inspirational and motivational trait-based leadership. I am particularly inspired by leaders who have served as the very definition of motivation and selling an enduring vision. Another example that comes to mind is that of Helen Keller. Her rise above incredible personal hardship is the stuff of legends. What sets in this unique fellowship of extraordinary leadership is how she motivated and challenged others.
One example is how she challenged a world-wide service organization to take up the cause of vision diagnosis as their key charter. In a 1925 speech at a world Lion’s Club International convention, she challenged the Lions to become knights of the blind (Keller, 1925). In the years since, millions have been helped with vision screening and other vision care.
The vision she put forth in her stirring oration delivered something akin to a new mantra of operating for a group over a million strong. Vision is generally accepted as their primary charter. Many have benefited from a vision set forth by an inspiring individual.
I share your thought that while traits may be partly natural, those traits are honed in the fire of experience. Looking to another of your examples, Mother Teresa, much like Helen Keller, rose from obscurity to take a prominent place in history because of how she interacted with challenges and personal hardship. Another element at play is the authenticity of the leaders we have described. Northouse (2016) says that in order to delve into what is authentic leadership, one must look at the qualities of those leaders. In a very practical way, it is looking into the heart of a quality leader to know what characteristics can be seen and emulated.
That is at the center of leaders we’ve described. Who they were and internally what they possessed that others do not. Excellent and thoughtful post.
Keller, H. (1925). Lions Club Speech. Speech delivered at the International Lion’s Club Convention, Cedar Point, OH.
Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.