Fixing essay problems

07OCT2015

Definition Writing – Final Draft

Follow Me

“Follow me”, should be considered a catch phrase for a certain type of person. This type of person isn’t born, they’re forged from their experiences throughout life. They are the people that stand up when everyone else remains seated. They are a voice, not just for themselves, but for many others as well. This person is a leader. John Maxwell famously said, “Leaders become great not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others”. There are many different types of leaders, but the best leaders have a few significant characteristics; a leader is someone that is charismatic, modest, and versatile.

A leader is charismatic; they need to inspire and they need to be well- liked. There are many leaders throughout history that succeeded simply from their charismatic attitudes. Napoleon Bonaparte is a great example of this type of leader. Napoleon, was never imposing physically or intellectually, instead it was his mere presence that so many people found imposing. Arthur Wellesley, an enemy of Napoleon, is known for saying that, “his presence on the battlefield was worth 40,000 men”, due to the inspiration and confidence that his troops received when he was around. He was so well-liked by the people of France that when he escaped exile on Elba island, he marched to Paris he reclaimed his status of Emperor without using any force. Napoleons, charismatic personality played a central role in his ability as a leader and is why he was such a predominant figure in Europe.

Leaders are modest, both in their life and their work; they’re humble and respectful to everyone regardless who they are. Pope Francis is a prime example of a modest leader who, “practices what he preaches”. As the leader of the Catholic religion, Pope Francis felt as though clergy was getting carried away with extensive luxuries, rather than living humbly and giving that extra money to the poor. To lead by example, he moved out of the lavish apartment that is set aside for the Pope and refuses to wear the expensive, flashy robes. He insisted that when priests and nuns need a car, they buy something used and modest. Pope Francis lead by example by driving in old used Fiats and Fords, even though he could certainly drive around in the newest Mercedes if he wanted to. Pope Francis isn’t only humble, he has continuously shown that he respects everyone regardless of their religion, race or social status. In his recent trip to the United States the Pope decided not to eat lunch with Congress. Instead he ate lunch with the homeless because they don’t have a strong voice and are treated so poorly by society, he wanted to give them the respect they deserve as humans. Pope Francis has become an extremely popular Pope and is even called, “The Peoples Pope”, because of his modesty and respect for all humans.

Finally, a leader needs to be quick- witted and be able to think past the immediate future. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens is a great example of this type of leader. When he took office the Navy was going through social changes, deployments were being canceled at the last minute for some ships, and extended for others. It was a time of confusion and frustration for many Sailors, who felt disconnected from the leadership of the Navy. MCPON Stevens quickly took to social media to learn the problems that the fleet was facing from the Sailors themselves, as opposed to focusing on anonymous surveys and charts like his predecessors. This turned out to be a huge change, the average Sailor felt like they had a voice and they weren’t just a percentage or number anymore. During MCPON Stevens first year in office, he realized that the way the Navy was doing initiations and training went against the Navy’s policy on hazing. He quickly created and revealed a new training process that would be much more effective than the age-old initiations. His new process would actually train Sailors rather than just humiliating them. This immediately lead to a much safer process that gave the Navy smarter, better trained Sailors. MCPON Stevens made radical changes for the Navy, his versatile style leadership helped give everyone a voice and made the Navy as a whole much stronger.

There are many good and bad leaders in the world. Every now and then a different type of leader comes around; this leader may be changing the world, or they may be changing the lives of just a few people around them. This type of leader has the significant qualities that sets them apart from the rest and rises them above everyone else; they are the charismatic, modest and versatile leaders. They are the leaders that will have that profound impact on those around them and they are the ones that are not forgotten.