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Three People That Stand Out As Leaders? Laurence Olivier, Jr., And Edith Nourse Rogers

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Three people that stand out as leaders include Laurence Olivier, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., and Edith Nourse Rogers. Laurence Olivier was born into a strict religious family in southern England around the beginning of the 20th century. Olivier’s schooling included acting and drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama, which led to him joining the Birmingham Repertory company. After taking multiple lead roles in many of Shakespeare’s plays, he became a success, helping him become the founding director of the Royal National Theatre (Biography.com Editors). Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. career started at after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point where he faced discrimination, most notably after applying for the Army …show more content…

Laurence Olivier leadership was primarily displayed after he became the founding director of the Royal National Theatre. He demonstrated his headship by taking younger directors on board, creating an opportunity that would usually be a “long-cherished dream” (Billington). Olivier encountered many challenges, one of which included the loss his mother, while he was at a young age, subsequently leading him to deal with his father’s severity. These challenges helped develop Olivier’s leadership because his father was the one who pushed Olivier into acting (Biography.com Editors). The successes that Olivier accomplished in his career included becoming the founding director of the Royal National Theatre, becoming knighted by King George VI, and being elevated to peerage by Queen Elizabeth II. Olivier also served as a pilot in World War II, mostly flying training flights for gunners (Hurwitt). Laurence Olivier would receive a reception that would praise him for his contribution to the theatre and the acting community. One lesson learned from the leadership of Laurence Olivier would be to help others who may not have the chance otherwise to participate. One question for Olivier would be why he thought of bringing on younger directors on. This information provided would be beneficial in learning how one can implement different leadership techniques and knowing when to be inclusive. One quality of Laurence Olivier that is admirable is his ability to work through the struggles

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