Poor Leaders vs. Good Leaders by Madeleine

Poor Leaders vs. Good Leaders by Madeleine - December 2021 Scholarship Essay

What are the differences between a poor leader and a good leader? Hector and Paris, Trojan brothers in Homer’s The Iliad, are both leaders in the Trojan War. Hector, however, is portrayed as a good leader while Paris is not. What traits differentiate the brothers’ abilities to lead?

Paris is a selfish, lustful man. His lust is what begins the Trojan War, as he wants Menelaus’ wife, Helen. Though his mistakes and selfishness begin the war, he never sets foot onto the battlefield until the end of the book. Paris is a leader because he both started the war and is a prince of Troy.

Hector, on the other hand, leads the Trojan men into battle. He is seen on the battlefield, planning and fighting. With a booming voice, Hector encourages the men to fight and tries to find ways around a mass slaughter, such as one-on-one combat. Hector even dies for the cause.

Obviously, the better leader and person in The Iliad is Hector. Both brothers are leaders. In fact, everyone is a leader, since a leader is someone with a following -- even if that is just one follower. A leader influences and makes a difference, either good or bad. This definition makes even you a leader, as you influence anyone you come across. Although anyone with a following is a leader, a good leader has an ability to persuade and encourage, a willingness to be in the line of fire, and a passion to fight for a good cause.

Without an ability to speak publicly, to persuade and encourage, a leader cannot be successful. The U.S. President's job hinges on his ability to speak. He is elected based on his speeches and debates, his ability to persuade the American people that he is fighting for a good cause and that he has the ability to accomplish good things. The President is the face of the American people; he must be able to speak both to the people and to leaders of other countries. An ability to speak well is non-negotiable not only for the President, but also for all successful leaders. A leader cannot lead towards any cause unless he persuades his followers the cause is worthwhile and his plans will work.

Imagine you are in the trenches of battle, tired, sore, and hungry, receiving instructions from your general. The general tells you all the plans for the day, how you will sneak up and attack the enemy. You will be risking your life, as you do every day for your country. At the end, he says that he will be waiting in camp for your return. The general fully expects you and the other troops to put your lives on the line while he waits safely at camp. Is the general a good leader? If he had directly led you and the troops into battle, you would’ve followed him to the end. Instead, he expects you to do something even he will not do. While your general has strong public speaking and persuading skills, he loses your respect by his unwillingness to do what he expects you to do. A good leader needs to be willing to do what he asks others to do.

As stated so far, a successful leader needs to be able to speak well and put himself into the fight. A successful leader, however, is not necessarily a good leader. For example, under these qualifications, Hitler was a successful leader. He both spoke well, persuading others, and put himself into the fight, not just sitting on the sidelines. Though Hitler was a successful leader, not many would call him a good leader. What are the differences between these two? Simply, a good leader needs to be successful and to be fighting for a moral cause. Halfway around the globe from Hitler, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was both a successful leader and a moral leader. He was able to encourage and persuade the American people, didn’t ask them to do anything he himself wasn’t willing to do, and fought for a good cause. He earned respect by his interaction with the people and his willingness to do anything in his power for them. Through his fireside chats and smart policies, Franklin D. Roosevelt became one of the most beloved President-leaders, even elected to the office four times. He fought to end the Great Depression and to win World War II, to keep America free and to extinguish corrupt communist leaders.

Though anyone with a following is a leader, a good leader has an ability to persuade and encourage, a willingness to be in the line of fire, and a passion to fight for a good cause. Which of these traits did Hector and Paris display? Paris neither spoke to his armies, put himself in the line of fire, nor began the Trojan War for a good cause. He was clearly a leader, but not a good one. Alternately, Hector encouraged the army, fought alongside them, even to death, and pursued victory for freedom. Clearly, Hector was a good leader, both successfully and morally. Though everyone is a leader in some way, these three traits identify a good leader from a poor one. What kind of a leader are you? Are you leading people by poor example and influence or towards a good cause?