“Leadership is composed of leaders, followers, and situations” (Northouse, 2016, p.30). This note from our reading could be construed to insinuate how leadership is a combination of variables and thus is difficult to define on a universal platform. It’s a mixed bag considering how leadership in one context may not translate effectively within another. With noting a few leaders of our day, good or bad, do we really think if their followers and situations were different that they would be as successful?
Bill Belichik is a professional football coach with the New England Patriots. After winning five super bowl titles and leading his team to seven straight conference championships, the results would have most consider him to be an effective leader. From the outside looking in, he’s been noted as being intelligent, persistent, self-confident, accountable and insightful (Scott, et al; 2015). These have been known as the key traits, which have helped him manage a team of followers consisting of coaches, players and trainers, to band together to reach the ultimate shared goal: a super bowl title. So let’s pose a comparison of sorts to another leader such as Adolf Hitler.
Although frowned upon, seeing the horrors and tragedy inflicted during his regime, it would still be foolish to think that Adolf Hitler was not an effective leader. Whilst becoming chancellor of Germany in 1933, and growing to become the leader of the Nazi party, his ability to influence led others to follow his goals that led to the murder of over 5 million Jews. He was known to be persistent, charismatic, intelligent, and an effective leader and strategist (PTD, 2016). As Germany was embarrassed during World War I, these mixture of traits combined with the country’s shared goal to regain glory and recognition with the world, allowed Hitler to rise through the ranks and influence others to assume his ideals matched their own. The rest as they say is history.
However, consider the traits of both men. Both share intelligence and persistence, however, they also differed with other traits such as accountability and charisma. Consider the followers and situation of a football team versus that of an entire nation. In one context, you’re managing and leading a group of men with conflicting personalities, strengths and weaknesses, through a grueling, dangerous and violent game. On the other, you have a nation that was brought to its knees in a violent war, hurting lives and economies that ultimately impacted the people’s ability to survive. It’s a game in comparison to ideals, survival and traits, however if swapped, may not have deemed successful simply because they were leaders in their own context. Stogdill indicated: “an individual does not become a leader solely because that individual possesses certain traits. Rather, the traits that leaders possesses must be relevant to situations in which the leader is functioning” (Northouse, 2016 p. 20). It’s subjective to assume immediate failure by swapping these leaders into different environments that contain new followers and situations, on the other hand, it may also conclude that leaders rise to serve to the needs of the followers and situation. In that regard, the mixed bag or combination of variables that are needed to lead may clearly differ depending on the leader, group, and situation, noting the argument that if one is a leader in one environment, that may not translate to effective leadership in another.
PSYCH 485 blog
Hi Cathryn,
Thank you so much for your time in responding.
Yes, the contrast between Belichik and Hitler are vast, especially considering the dark side personality traits, that in hindsight, are so apparent. Argumentative, Narcissism, Fear of Failure and Perfectionism could all be related to Hitler and his horrific raid during his tenure. However, whether his intentions were masked it does show the danger of those who can power and lead others with such dark sided personality traits.
Belichik, amidst his dark-side hoodie image he portrays on the sideline (Only by visual, and not by action; of course), is indeed a leader bent on adaptation and accountability. To your point, he preaches for all to “Do Your Job”, and in addition, adapts and shift to strategize an ever shifting game plan in almost every contest they partake. I don’t believe in absolutes aside that the only think constant in life is “change”. And Belichik is most certainly one who changes the tide based on the matchup. Amidst my Ravens roots, I can still appreciate and respect all he’s done to build the legacy of the New England Patriots.
Best wishes…
I really enjoyed your post. It was interesting the leaders you chose and how two people could be so different but have such strong leadership abilities by nature. Both leaders did compose of being able to have a following but for different leading styles. I personally, being from New England am a huge Patriot Fan. So, Bill Belichick is an amazing leader in my eyes as you can see what he certainly has done for the Patriots Team. He leads by having high expectations from his players to do well, but he also has the respect of his players and other staff members. He portrays self-confidence and as he says to his players “Do Your Job.” Which is plain and simple but his players know what to do and know how to do what they need to do. His strategies are practiced, followed and because of his leading ability he has created a dynasty who have been able to influence all in a positive way. As you also pointed out, Bill Belichick has influenced not only his fans but also all Patriot members as they have had a shared goal that has resulted in five super bowl titles and hopefully, another one with the consistency of coaches, players, and trainers band together and plays as a team and “Do Your Job.”
Unfortunately, I know Adolf Hitler had the drive to succeed but he was so much destruction of many and there was so much tragedy at that time of history. You also pointed out, “it may also conclude that leaders rise to serve the needs of the followers and situation.” As pointing out, that time in our history, people were looking for someone that may have had a different style of leading but I certainly do not believe Germany ever expected a person like Hitler to do what he did. He was a person that may have had the intelligence of both analytic and practical but he also for certain, had traits of the dark side of a personality that served him to be not only argumentative but also narcissism as he was overly self-confident, self-centered, perfection as he wanted everything and everyone to do it his way.
Reference:
Northouse, P.G. (2016) Leadership, Theory, and Practice. Seventh Edition. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Williams, J (2018) Leadership in Work: Lesson 2: Trait Approach [Lesson Commentary] Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1923777/modules/items/23736127