Essay on Captain Picard: Is He a Good Leader?

Before defining an individual as a great leader, one must first understand the definition of leadership and the qualities that make a leader. According to businessdictionary.com, “leadership involves establishing a clear vision, sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, providing the information, knowledge and methods to realize that vision, and coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholders.” The website goes on to say that “a leader is the one who steps up in times of crisis, and is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations. Unlike management, leadership cannot be taught, although it may be learned and enhanced through coaching or mentoring” (Leadership).

There are a variety of ways to define both leader and leadership. There is not, however, a clear definition of how to become one. There is no set list of mandatory traits, either innate or learned, that a person must embody to be considered successful or proved a failure. What I feel it takes is the right mix of strengths and weaknesses in a given situation to demonstrate effectiveness. No one person has abilities without accompanying deficiencies. It’s all in the way they are balanced. The balance in the way one uses his or hers’ abilities will ultimately determine the type of leadership one has throughout time. To support these claims I will examine a well-known leader throughout the military, General James “Mad Dog” Mattis. This essay

I do not feel Picard is being irrational because he truly believes Data has rights and he should be allowed to make his decisions regarding his future. Emotions probably come into play because Data is his co-worker even if Picard is the commanding officer. I strongly feel he is supporting an employee of his rights.

He notes that the crew seemed relieved by the departing Commander and realized that he must come up with a new leadership model to reach his crew. As he noted in the introduction that high percentage of turnover among crew bothered him and he notes some trends in society that contribute to this problem. The long economic boom had made most people unafraid of losing their jobs, or finding new ones. Thus he believed it manager’s challenge to retain them by motivating them to “work with passion, energy, and enthusiasm.” (p.12) By reading over the exit surveys he assumed as many that low pay was a main reason for people leaving, but was shocked when it was in fact 5th. The top four are strikingly similar to the slide we studied in class on “What Associates Want from Their Job” in wanting appreciation, ability to make impact, not being listened to, and more responsibility. This helped him understand his crew better and try to “see the ship through the eyes of the crew.” (p.13) He encouraged his crew to challenge the way in which they carried out their jobs by asking, “Is there a better way to do what you do?” If so, then he wanted them to take the responsibility one their own to implement the change, unless it involved major implications.

When you think leader, some think kings like William the Conqueror, others think of Prime Ministers such Winston Churchill, or even the leaders of the civil rights movement Martin Luther King Jr. They were all great men and had their time in the sun as great leaders, and they were some of the greatest leaders of their respective times and generations. There are many characteristics that go into a great leader. Things such as measurable things like education and votes in elections are easy to see and give a good impression. The greatest leader must have some of those measurable in his life time. Along with those easily visible things you need a multitude of other

This is over the chance of all members getting out alive. The other tough call he makes is consciously be unfaithful to his wife and sleeps with another woman. He does this with reason. By sleeping with Kirke, he keeps his crew and himself safe and sheltered.

What do you think when you picture a good leader? Do you picture someone who possesses integrity, loyalty, and knowledge or someone who is strong, loud and powerful? Leaders can have many different qualities and still be successful, respected, and admired. There are some leaders who are in total control, they tell a group of people what to do and people follow orders. Others may be focused more on morals, they teach people and listen to other people’s ideas, and they want to help people; Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a really worthy comparison to this type of leader. Atticus falls under the INFJ personality type, some people refer to

MG Hooker had a suitable understanding of what he was inheriting when he took command of the Army of the Potomac. The Army of the Potomac was rocked by defeat and because of this lacked confidence in its superiors. An inadequate supply system prevented the delivery of pay and food (Smith, p. 5, 1998). These mounting difficulties led to high levels of desertion and low morale. MG Hooker was charged by President Lincoln to turn the force around and win, “What I now ask of you is military success” (p. 5).

All of us have a natural leadership style within us. However, the way we go about displaying this natural leadership defines whether we are a good leader or not. A good leader is someone who helps teach, respect, and inspire the lives of individuals around them. Also, a good leader is someone who is not afraid to step up and take action when it is needed to be. As a result of stepping up and taking action, they are radiating the natural confidence and power that a good and strong leader should contain. In all, a good leader is someone who listens and cares about the lives of the individuals that surround them, and every action and decision they make is for the benefit of the greater good.

One should be a decisive leader because nobody wants to follow a person who lack confidence and conviction. Plus, it does not matter where the decision comes from, the consequence usually ends up on the leader’s shoulders. Captain Pollard gave up his gut feelings and decided to go with the Chase’s idea to continue the voyage. This decision left a bad feelings among the crew. In the book, Nickerson thought that the two mates were planning something different due to the mates’ treatment of the rest of the crew. (Philbrick 43) This created a tension between the commanding officers and the rest of the crew in the ship. The crew began to lose respect for the captain as the crew began to think that both of the mates were manipulating the captain. Due to the treatment of the mates, the crew began sour and hostile. Part of the reason that Chase did not wanted to return to Nantucket to repair the ship is because he thought that the crew would jump ship as soon as they hit Nantucket due to the mates’ treatment of the crew. As a leader, one should always consider the wellbeing of one’s subordinates and treat them in a fair manner. Chase and Joy failed as leader in this

There is always a controversy about what makes a good leader. A leader in the dictionary is defined the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. Good is defined as above average so together a great leader by a dictionary is an above average commander. Traits of good leaders vary but some great leaders of our past have had the traits of bravery, heroicness, honesty, and empathy. In Homer's the Odyssey, Odysseus does fit the mold of being a good leader.

The “neutral zone” mentioned in the episode is an anarchic concept where anything can go, and nobody has jurisdiction over the area. Instead of asking for help, the ships both relied only on themselves. Captain Kirk is portrayed as a “rational actor” in the episode. He does everything he can at first to

I believe that to be a good leader doesn’t necessarily define as someone who sets a goal and directs people to achieve it, but as someone who may have to adapt to change based off their surroundings and situations. A leader should be someone who is able to guide with not only direction but also logic, understanding, and an open mind. Oskar Schindler proved with continued leadership that even the most dismal situations may be able to change your values and based off those values change your actions and the direction in which you choose to lead and how you influence.

When Hunter refused to “concur” the orders and stated his opinion, he sited Navy procedure, telling Captain Ramsey that based on operating procedures when releasing nuclear weapons they cannot launch missiles unless both agree. Ramsey then states, “As commanding officer of the U.S.S Alabama I order you to place the XO under arrest under the charge of mutiny” (Wikiquote, 2013). Hunter then yelling louder than Ramsey states, “Backed by the rules of precedents authority and command, regulation 08150H6 of Navy regulations, I relieve you of command, Captain” (Wikiquote, 2013). This Texan standoff had all the officers in an uncomfortable situation, do they on the Captain’s side and remain loyal, or do they ally themselves with Lieutenant Commander Hunter. Chief of the boat Cobb was put in a precarious position, which left him no other choice than side with Hunter, but, not for the reasons you might think, we will discuss that further later.

Leadership is not just about the title, the position or the duration one has been in a certain office. It takes more than just that to be sufficiently effective. In our society today, there is quite a number of the so called ‘leaders’ who do not really deserve to be called by that title because they do not effectively live up to the expectations of the mandate in which they are called or trusted with. There are some qualities or attributes that are necessary in the life and operation of a leader which make him an effective leader. Some of those qualities include ethics, effective communication, trustworthy, engaging themselves at their best, being creative with credibility, and having a character and not just competence. All these