The nature of leadership

¶ … Michael McKinney examines the nature of leadership. He also explores what constitutes a leader, and provides two historical examples of leaders. McKinney also dissects what characteristics are missing from what passes for many of today's leaders, and finishes with a call to action for every person to become a leader in some sense.

McKinney provides several clear definitions of leadership as well as examples of how a leader performs. He emphasizes the element of custodianship, pointing out that the custodian upholds those principles which are best for everyone. According to McKinney, the custodian does this even though those principles may not necessarily be in the custodian's best interests.

McKinney sites two historical examples of custodial leadership, Cincinnatus of the 5th century BC and George Washington. Cincinnatus served as dictator for exactly sixteen days, just long enough to defeat enemies of the Roman Republic (Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus, 2011). Centuries later George Washington would be compared to Cincinnatus. Both leaders selflessly answered the call to lead their countrymen in time of war, then voluntarily relinquished the reins of power once they had performed their duties. Their actions exemplified the leadership traits of public service and putting the needs of their countries ahead of their own agendas.

McKinney argues that we must all be leaders, not just in government, but in business, and in our private lives. He further argues that leadership is not only about a vision of ideals and service performed for others, but that it includes "raising the sights and holding the focus of those we lead such that they are empowered to reach their potentials" (McKinney, 2000).

This essay also examines other less satisfactory models of leadership, including one McKinney designates nouveau-stewardship, which has as its guiding principle the notion that others have the knowledge and answers within themselves to be responsible stewards. McKinney points out the fallacy in this reasoning, namely that human beings are not their own best source of wisdom, because people act from their own "biases, desires, perceptions, and distractions" (McKinney, 2000). True leadership must necessarily help followers to create a more accurate and constructive view of reality, one that represents the larger picture.

In his thoroughness, McKinney also further describes what leadership is not, it is not consensus-building. Rather, it is the ability to hold values outside oneself and be true to those values even when they appear to conflict with one's own self-interest. When everyone perceives everyday activities as opportunities to uphold and exemplify values and beliefs that serve the greater good, in that sense then, everyone becomes a leader.

Michael Elliott's essay examines leadership from a different perspective, by analyzing traits of successful leaders. While charisma, like good looks, account for the success of several leaders, Elliott presents other world leaders who owe their success to other attributes. One such example is Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N. Secretary-General who has achieved a measure of success by gaining consensus among the diverse 192 nation-states that he leads. Elliott holds that Italy's Berlusconi is successful because Italians relate to him as "just one of us" (Elliott, 2009).

Elliot also offers examples of less-than-gifted speakers who are successful leaders because of their other qualities, including the ability to lead economic reform, decisiveness, and persistence. He cites his favorite example of leadership as shown by Eisenhower's famous D-Day memo that was never sent. Eisenhower, who believed the supreme quality for leadership was unquestionably integrity, (Dwight D. Eisenhower Quotes, 2011), made a point of taking personal responsibility for a D-day failure that fortunately never transpired.

The two essays by McKinney and Elliott provide exceptionally insightful analysis of what leadership is and isn't. They both demolish some commonly held beliefs about what it means to be a good leader. Each article offers persuasive and convincing arguments for their positions.