Leadership

High positions of authority over others are seldom referred to as leaders. The military has ranking officers by the entitlement of general, captain, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, etc. Leaders of businesses hold the titles of, CEO, CFO, General Manager, etc. Leaders of teams are referred to as coaches, or managers. Other distinguishing titles leaders are recognized as are: president, instructor, chief, etc.

In my opinion, a leader is not a concrete title, but rather a title given to someone that has authority and control over others. The president must govern a country of over eleven billion people. A student, who works with people for a project, must govern a small handful of people. What is the president? He is the leader of the country. What is that specific student? He or she is the leader of the distinguished group. But, each of these individuals must oversee operations and be in control of those who adhere to them. Furthermore, the process of leadership is where one person holds influence over the others.

When I think of leaders, certain people come to my mind. Adolph Hitler is the first one that strikes me. Some people would be baffled that I think Hitler was a great leader. Although I do not condone any of his barbaric actions and governing style, he to a select few individuals, is still regarded as the greatest leader in world history. But, he had the ability to govern people, and see his will carried out. What made him so influential that millions listened and reacted to his message? If I saw Hitler today, I would not perceive him to be an influential person. He does not strike me as a stern dictator type character. But, for a long while, he was a very recognizable and respected figure. In my opinion, Hitler was fearless, and was a risk taker.

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once stated vehemently, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Roosevelt is another person I view as a great leader. He, like many other people had flaws, however, he was a brilliant figurehead and the country was in a very stable state when he was in power. It is rumored that he had several mistresses, and drank excessively. But, would you consider him a great leader? My argument is yes. He is the only president in United States history to be elected to three consecutive terms. He passed away during his third term serving as president. What does the fact that he was so well known that the government made an exception to the rule and allowed him to be inaugurated three times tell you? That conveys a message of respect, trust and likeableness to his character. Some argue that he was the finest president this country ever had, and the United States will not see another one like him.

To parallel great leaders to sports, Paul “Bear” Bryant, coach of Alabama University for twenty five years, is arguably the greatest coach in College Football history. He appeared to be a ruthless dictator, and did everything necessary to win. He has the reputation of working players to the point of injury. But, some of his credentials include: six national titles, thirteen SEC Championships, and an accumulation of 323 career wins. Many of his coaches have gone on to coach at other programs and he graduated almost 99 percent of his athletes. His career credentials mirror the fact that he was an influential leader in the game of football.

To break down my definition of a good leader further, I believe that there are four qualities a good leader must possess, and I have just finished mentioning three of them: respect, trust and likeableness. The fourth and also the most crucial is confidence. Leaders must be confident in their abilities and their decisions. If they make mistakes, they must be confident to admit their faults and lift themselves back up. I find it very respectable when “leaders” of certain groups can face the media or large groups of people and admit that what strategy they implemented was a mistake. Admitting that you’re wrong and being willing to resolve a problem, in my opinion, is a very rare quality in people today.

I like to relate the concept of leadership to longevity. Many of the great leaders in sports have had brilliant careers