What makes an effective leader?

Essay by cherrysmoochiesHigh School, 10th gradeA, June 2003

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What makes an effective leader?

A leader is an individual who guides a community, country, or group. Alexander The great, Asoka, and Jesus are leaders who exemplify all the qualities of an effective leader. Despite hardships, these men had to over come, they ended up helping their people and their empires and showed that they weren't pushovers. These three men got respect from their followers by means of charm and fear. They all were accepting of people who did not follow them. Asoka and Alexander expanded their empires and Jesus expanded the number of people who followed him in believing that he had a message from God. An effective leader is an individual who earns the respect of his people, who is determined and ambitious, and is tolerant of people who do not share the same beliefs as him.

An important quality in leading a large group of people is that the followers have to respect the leader.

In 336 B.C.E., Alexander became emperor of Rome. Before Alexander could be respected as a young leader, he had to show that he was not a pushover. When Thebes revolted, he slaughtered the people of the city, and took the rest of the people in as slaves. No other city would revolt because of fear and respect of their leader. Asoka also gained respect in this way. When Asoka became king of the Mauryan Empire in 269 B.C.E., he had a policy of war to gain power and respect. He also made people fear him. He had a war against the state of Kalinga in which over 100,000 soldiers and even more people were killed. After Asoka had done this, the people were intimidated and scared of what else he could do. This prevented uprisings and mass disorder against thie government.