Leadership+Models

Mia And Nicholas
"The Great Man Theories" Great Man Theory: leaders that were born with certain heroic leadership traits and natural abilities of power and influence; leaders are born, not made. Being male.

Martin Luther King: Dr. King was indeed a "Great Man." His non-violent protests against racial inequality were unprecedented; he got to this earth and his peaceful ways were in his DNA. His leadership abilities and displays have had a monumental impact on modern history, as King single handedly kickstarted the Civil Rights Movement and encouraged others to work toward the social changes that unfortunately he would not live to see.

Sun Tzu exhibits this label very well. His words of wisdom come from his natural ability to lead. I believe he was born a leader and his personal leadership style and book, (Art of War) influenced many other leaders. Because he was one of the earliest known leaders, his leadership ideas were probably obtained without a lot of influence from others. Therefore, he relied on himself and used the power he gained within himself to lead in a way that obviously worked.

Obama: Under this definition, the current president does not fit the description of "Great Man." He likely was born with the ability to lead, but his technique was cultivated through study. Every president the United States has ever had has been a leader, though each one has studied past presidents to mold their own style of presidential leadership. Obama was not born with the knowledge of how to be the president, but learned over time. The flipside of this is that one could argue that you either have the ability to be the president, or you don't.

"Influence Theory" The key characteristics and processes that hold the greatest influence. One of the main theories is of charisma; that, for many, the eloquence and personality of the leader are more important than the actual policies he/she supports. However, the most influential leaders are those who inspire others with a clear vision of the future and show the path needed to reach that goal.
 * Kiley and Manuel**

MLK- Definitely had an influence on the people through his speeches about racial equality. People payed attention to his words and reacted to them for they had an impact on them. He influenced them in a positive manner by talking about equality throughout all communities in America. He still has an influence on people that watch or read his speeches today. People that still go through racial equality look at him as an influential leader.

Sun Tzu- Also had an influence on people through his writings and words. He taught how to lead in war and be successful in battle and people reacted to it. He influenced many soldiers,however, he still influences people today. As you can tell by the exercise we did, we can still apply those things to our personal lives to become better leaders. His book made new leaders and even influenced leaders to become better ones.

Obama- He is probably one of the best examples of the "Influence Theory." In a time when our country most needed an inspiring figure, President Obama stepped up. It was his charisma and promises of a better future that put him far above the other candidates, perhaps more important than some of the issues.

Contingency Theory (Jesse Redemption)- Contingency Theory is a theory that claims that there is no best way to organize/lead/make decisions. Instead the best course of action is contingent upon the internal and external situation. MLK- Martin Luther King Jr. analyzed his situation and decided to be non violent. He adapted to the ways in which the people would respond by following him and used it. This makes him fit into this category. He realized that if he caused tension it would work out in his favor, which is also why he allowed himself to get arrested.
 * Jesse and Jake K.**

Sun Tzu- He fits into this category because he would adapt to his enemies depending on how they would attack him. He did very well at analyzing different situations and leading his troops according to such.

Barack Obama- Obama fits into this category because he tells people what they want to hear. He realized that people wanted change, so that is what he went with as his campaign slogan. He's good at adapting to what the people want and saying it in his speeches, however whether or not he actually does those things is a different story.

"The Trait Theory" A "list" of certain traits that a leader has that identifies him as a leader, for example intelligence or energy. No specific list was identified, however this list of general traits helps identify leaders and lets them be identified or even trained. MLK - Martin Luther King had a certain amount of traits that helped him succeed greatly as a leader, he had intelligence, energy, charisma, good speaking voice, and a way with words that let him capture the audience and influence them emotionally so that they would follow him. These traits helped him become a well respected and well known leader of both the Civil Rights Movement, but also as a generally successful leader in life.
 * Tom and Parker**

Sun Tzu- This man was such a great leader and had very many traits as a leader that made him successful during his time period but one stood out. like mrs costello said Sun tzu would be a pro at twitter. Sun Tzu could say something that was very short and laconic but had so much meaning and depth behind it, so much power, and he used this along with his other leader type trait of being a good general to help put his name down in history.

Barack Obama- Obama has faced a lot of scrutiny during his time in the presidency so far, but whether we like it our not, he is a great leader. Obama has many traits that exemplify a leader such as his quick thinking, his level-headedness, and his sheer intelligence, and of course his perseverance but like Sun Tzu, there is one trait that really stands out, his ability to speak. Obama is an amazing public speaker. he has power and meaning behind his speeches and can really make a person think thoroughly about what he is saying. I believe this is a trait and skill that he has honed for the better in his life.

"The behavior theory"- The aspect of obtaining followers by your behavior. People respect and understand this leader and follow them because they want to be like them. MLKJ - He was true to his word and led by example; he went to jail himself in peaceful protest instead of just telling people they should do it. This was effective because his followers felt like they could trust him and be represented by him. He always acted by his beliefs and remained nonviolent in protest.
 * Jon and Elena**

Sun Tzu - I doubt he used every word of his advice in his book "The Art of War" while leading an army, because there are only so many situations that can happen during one general's service. However, he did preach functional management. He seems like more of a learning leader or great person leader to me.

Obama - He is the least relavent among the three. The only connection is that his behavior is relatable which gave him followers.

Relation Theory is based on the bond formed between a leader and his/her followers. It is important for the leader to motivate their group members of the greater good of the task and why they are working towards this goal. Leaders in the Relational Theory constantly strive to get the best out of their followers and not try and take too much responsibility on their own shoulders.
 * Grant and Jake**
 * "**Relational Theory"

MLK- Martin Luther King was a great leader due to the fact that he could establish a connection with the people he would lead. Dr. King would relate to his followers by doing things that not much other leaders would do, ex. going to jail.

Sun Tzu- General Tzu is a debatable subject of the Relational Theory. Since he was a General in the Army there is no doubt that he was an amazing leader of his time. But since Sun Tzu was a general his relationship with the lower ranking officers and non-officers could have been not as great as his fellow Generals. Sun Tzu might have also gone through the ranks that the other warriors were in then so he could greatly relate to their situation at the time.

Obama- Obama could and could not be an example of relational theory. He is some guy that when to Harvard that became President through the ability to speak as influentially as anyone else and even better than most candidates ever have. But I don't believe that President Obama can relate as well as some people claim that he can towards the Americans that are alive today because he was never in the same situation as we are today.