On Leadership

Can you think of a leader whom you admire? Perhaps it was a teacher, coach, elected official, clergyman, or someone else who took a major position of responsibility. When you think about that person, what qualities made him or her a good leader? Maybe that person remained calm under pressure, or always found a way to say the right thing, or was really good at inspiring loyalty?

In your notes, based on your own experience write what you think are the most important qualities of a leader. Have you ever known someone who showed these qualities? Have you ever had to show these leadership qualities?

Source: Lincoln Memorial (Lincolm contrast), Wikimedia

Gods and Generals

The Civil War was filled with people who became well known for their extraordinary leadership qualities. Men likeInteractive popup. Assistance may be required. Abraham Lincoln, Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Ulysses S. Grant, andInteractive popup. Assistance may be required. Robert E. Lee have achieved legendary status in U.S. history, best represented by the title of a book on the conflict by Jeffrey Shaara, Gods and Generals. The Abraham Lincoln memorial is actually modeled after an ancient Greek temple and contains a massive statue of the 16th president sitting in judgment over Washington, D.C.

In this resource, you will take a closer look at the qualities that enabled their success and reflect on which of their leadership traits that you find most important.