Leadership: Good or Bad? by Bridget

Leadership: Good or Bad? by Bridget - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leader or follower. Which one are you? Most people say that you are one or the other and that this determines how well you do in a certain activity, hobby, or job. We all know that in college there is a good mixture of people who claim to be more of a leader than a follower and vice versa. The question is: does this determine how successful you are in college? The answer is both yes and no.

The most obvious situation when looking at these roles in college is when participating in group projects in a class. Being a leader is a great role, but it is important that there is only one to avoid the awkward situation of “too many hands in the cookie jar”. Followers are just as important as leaders because they are like the gears of a clock, working together to make sure everything runs smooth. So in this aspect, being a leader or a follower is a good thing and can lead to success for everyone.

If we talk about academic performance, specifically GPA, it beneficial to be more of a leader. Leaders tend to take initiative in studying and completing their homework, getting a job, or joining organizations. This doesn’t mean that a follower won’t prevail. However, followers usually need direction before they will go out and do something on their own.

What about the opposite end of the spectrum: getting into trouble. Isn’t it observed that the leaders are the ones who push others to participate in activities that foster the use of drugs, alcohol, and spiritual corruption. A leader will go out and do these things by themselves, but a follower won’t unless compelled by another.

So are leadership skills necessary for college success? It depends on what type of success we are talking about. For academic success, yes, for behavioral success, no, and for teamwork, both.