Great Leadership in Literature, History, and Fiction

Introduction: The Rarity of Great Leadership

Great leadership is a trait most people do not possess. Among the many leaders of the world, past and present, only a few could be deemed truly great. That is why literature becomes a space for cultivating what an ideal leader looks like. From Robert the blind man in Cathedral by Raymond Carver to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in The Things They Carried, these fictional figures harken back to real leaders of the past like Lincoln and Kennedy. It is with these shining examples in mind that an idea of what a great leader is takes shape — and even provides inspiration for new leaders who break the mold of what is typically expected, such as Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. These new leaders may yet inspire the greats of tomorrow.

Integrity as the Foundation of Leadership

Many consider John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln to be remarkable leaders because of their ability to stand up for what is right and their desire to maintain their integrity. But what exactly is integrity?

There are varying definitions of integrity. A personal definition centers on the notion that our identities and perspectives mold our morality. When someone has a clear sense of who they are, their integrity shapes itself around that identity.

As people age and mature, their identity evolves based on the various learning experiences they encounter. These experiences — whether small or momentous — provide a crucial foundation for the formation of identity in every person (Cohen). They all offer a foundation from which the self changes and grows. The journey toward the self is crucial for integrity to properly develop.

Lincoln and Kennedy: Leading with Moral Courage

Lincoln and Kennedy each possessed integrity — a set of morals and principles they developed as they became adults. Their decisions, such as Lincoln's conduct of the Civil War and Kennedy's support of the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrated not only that they believed in what they deemed right, but that they acted on those beliefs to ensure fairness and civility for all.

On January 20, 1961, JFK delivered his inaugural address and demonstrated to the world his sincerity and his desire to change things for the better (James et al.). He acknowledged the poverty of the world and the enduring need to honor the first revolution — the fight for freedom from oppression — and used that awareness to articulate what he believed needed to come to fruition for a better world. The same spirit can be found in Lincoln's inaugural addresses.

Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865, just a few months before the end of the American Civil War. During his speech, he reflected on the years prior and his attempts to preserve the Union (James et al.). Lincoln faced great danger and adversity in working to eliminate slavery in the United States. Yet through that difficult and arduous time, he proved just how important it was to stay the course — and in doing so, to alter history. Lincoln became the face of great leadership, and that speech was a final testament to what he had accomplished and what the nation had endured.

Conclusion: The Hallmarks of a Great Leader

All the leaders discussed here show why it is rare to have a great leader. Leadership involves a certain amount of self-sacrifice and compassion that few possess. That inner resilience and desire to adhere to one's own moral compass lend themselves to the creation of leaders who not only endure but change history. Real-world leaders like Lincoln and JFK demonstrated what can be accomplished when one maintains integrity and promotes equality.

Fictional leaders like Robert and Lieutenant Cross show how compassion connects the leader to the world, establishing an ideology rooted in duty and sacrifice. Leaders are not simply there to give commands and usher in change. Rather, they cultivate change through words and actions, and they build community through compassion. These are the hallmarks of a great leader.

Such leaders — real or otherwise — have inspired writers to create new kinds of leaders, ones who fit outside the conventional mold. Characters like Daenerys Targaryen confirm what great leaders are, while also bringing something new to the table: the idea that anyone can become a great leader. What it takes is courage, compassion, a sense of duty, and the strength and fortitude to make a positive change in the world.

Works Cited

Cohen, William A. "Absolute Integrity Is the Basis of Heroic Leadership." Leader to Leader, vol. 2011, no. 59, 2010, pp. 46–51.

Della Quercia, Jacopo. "A Machiavellian Discourse on Game of Thrones." Game of Thrones versus History, 3 Mar. 2017, pp. 33–45.

James, Missy, et al. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Pearson, 2017.