cajackson

For ICS-655: Leadership for the Information Renaissance: Competitive Intelligence and the Strategic Uses of Informationn offered by the Center for Information and Communications Sciences, our first assignment was to define leadership.

This may not seem like a difficult task, initially, but it presented challenges for me that I believe led me to deeper interpretation of the word leader.

In defining a leader, I opted to try and measure a leader on a universal scale. Whether you agree with any particular leader known, they share three components in their leadership: perceived credibility, beneficial purpose, and at least some degree of authority.

I looked at stand-out leaders that I am familiar with to validate my explanation. They include: Adolf Hitler, veteran turned powerful leader of Germany’s Nazi Party in the early 20th Century. Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer turned spiritual leader of the 20th Century Indian Independence Movement. Malcolm X, convict turned influential leader in the American Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter turned central leader of the religion now known as Christianity. Below is an excerpt expressing the apparent beneficial purpose necessary to gain supporters using the late Malcolm X:

"An example would be for the followers of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. In the 1960’s, Civil Rights progression seemed to becoming a slow process. People were getting discouraged and tired of the non-violence revolution. These people, victims of discrimination, wanted to stop being victimized. Their need was to stop re-acting and to initiate action. There was an apparent desire for those who weren’t supporters of Christian thoughts to be led by someone who shared their views or could introduce new ways of thinking for them. When Elijah Muhammad selected Malcolm X to lead their revolution, these people were intrigued because he filled a void that they felt existed. Followers supported his militant attitude could unite these outsiders and encourage visible results. He could be the voice for the other side of African-Americans. This is a direct example of a beneficial purpose for the people. Most leaders, whether or not they are socially accepted on a wide scale, seem to have the best interest of their followers in mind."