a famous contemporary leader essay

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The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World

Sunnie Giles

They’re all hard to improve because they run counter to our instincts.

Research over the past few decades has shown us that the most important leadership qualities are centered around soft skills and emotional intelligence. But do these skills point to deeper competencies? A survey of 195 leaders from more than 30 global organizations suggests that there are five major themes of competencies that strong leaders exhibit:

High ethical standards and providing a safe environment
Empowering individuals to self-organize
Promoting connection and belonging among employees
Open to new ideas and experimentation
Committed to the professional and intellectual growth of employees

While many of these competencies may seem obvious, they are difficult for leaders to master because to do so would require them to act against their nature. Individuals are not hardwired to relinquish control or be open to small failures. The ability to actively improve these competencies should be a priority for leaders.

What makes an effective leader? This question is a focus of my research as an organizational scientist, executive coach, and leadership development consultant. Looking for answers, I recently completed the first round of a study of 195 leaders in 15 countries over 30 global organizations. Participants were asked to choose the 15 most important leadership competencies from a list of 74. I’ve grouped the top ones into five major themes that suggest a set of priorities for leaders and leadership development programs. While some may not surprise you, they’re all difficult to master, in part because improving them requires acting against our nature.

SG Sunnie Giles is a partner at Ridgepine Capital Partners (an alternatives fund of funds), professionally certified executive coach, leadership development consultant, and organizational scientist. She has an MBA from the University of Chicago and a PhD from Brigham Young University.

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Module 10: Leadership

Assignment: evaluating leadership, preparation.

In your readings on Leadership, you learned the difference between management and leadership, as well as traits, styles, and situations of leaders and leadership. Many modern-day leaders were profiled in the text, including:

Warren Buffett
Martin Winterkorn
Carrie Toldstedt
Ginni Rometty
Mark Zuckerberg

In this assignment, you will research and write about a modern leader of your choice. You may not select one of the leaders listed above . The following steps will help you prepare for your written assignment:

Thoroughly read the Leadership module.
Carefully consider the traits, styles, and differing situations for leadership in today’s organizations.
Select a leader to profile in your written report. You may select one you admire, or a “good example of a bad example.” There are numerous websites naming leaders to get you started. A quick search on “famous contemporary leaders” revealed millions of possible lists, OR you may select a leader in your personal or professional life: your boss, a coach, a team leader, etc.
Research your chosen leader, identifying evidence of his/her traits, styles, and leadership situations. Relate your findings to the module concepts. For example, how did your chosen leader demonstrate the trait of “desire to lead”? Prepare examples.
First, introduce your leader, and state why you selected him/her. Was their leadership effective or not effective?
Next, expand upon the traits and style of your leader, including at least three properly referenced and defined terms from the module reading. For example, if you select Drive, describe what the term means in the context of leadership and how your leader demonstrates it.
Next, describe the leadership situation your chosen leader was in, using one of the Situational Leadership Models from the module reading. For example, if your leader was charged with a group of new or low-competence employees, did they use the Selling style prescribed by Ken Blanchard?
Finally, conclude with a short description of your personal leadership style and how effective it has been for you to date.

Your written assignment will be graded using the Written Assignment Rubric . Please review and keep it in mind as you prepare your assignment. Each component is weighted as follows:

10% Organization and Format

Adequate: Writing is coherent and logically organized, using a format suitable for the material presented. Transitions used between ideas and paragraphs create coherence. Overall unity of ideas is supported by the format and organization of the material presented.

40% Content

Adequate: All required questions are addressed with thoughtful consideration reﬂecting both proper use of content terminology and additional original thought. Some additional concepts are presented from properly cited sources, or originated by the author following logic and reasoning they’ve clearly presented throughout the writing.

40% Development – Critical Thinking

Adequate: Content indicates original thinking, cohesive conclusions, and developed ideas with suﬃcient and ﬁrm evidence. Ideas presented are not merely the opinion of the writer, and clearly address all of the questions or requirements asked with evidence presented to support conclusions drawn.

10% Grammar, Mechanics, Style

Adequate: Writing is free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, allowing the reader to follow ideas clearly. There are no sentence fragments and run-ons. The style of writing, tone, and use of rhetorical devices is presented in a cohesive style that enhances the content of the message.

Assignment: Evaluating Leadership . Authored by : Betty Fitte and Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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10.5: Assignment- Evaluating Leadership

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Lumen Learning

Preparation

In your readings on Leadership, you learned the difference between management and leadership, as well as traits, styles, and situations of leaders and leadership.

In this assignment, you will research and write about a modern leader of your choice. You may not select one of the leaders discussed in the course. Carefully consider the traits, styles, and differing situations for leadership in today’s organizations.

Select a leader to profile in your written report. You may select one you admire, or a “good example of a bad example.” There are numerous websites naming leaders to get you started. A quick search on “famous contemporary leaders” revealed millions of possible lists, OR you may select a leader in your personal or professional life: your boss, a coach, a team leader, etc.
Research your chosen leader, identifying evidence of his/her traits, styles, and leadership situations. Relate your findings to the module concepts. For example, how did your chosen leader demonstrate the trait of “desire to lead”? Prepare examples.
First, introduce your leader, and state why you selected him/her. Was their leadership effective or not effective?
Next, expand upon the traits and style of your leader, including at least three properly referenced and defined terms from the module reading. For example, if you select Drive, describe what the term means in the context of leadership and how your leader demonstrates it.
Next, describe the leadership situation your chosen leader was in, using one of the Situational Leadership Models from the module reading. For example, if your leader was charged with a group of new or low-competence employees, did they use the Selling style prescribed by Ken Blanchard?
Finally, conclude with a short description of your personal leadership style and how effective it has been for you to date.

In addition to the text, you are encouraged to research leadership and your chosen leader, using reliable and properly cited Internet resources. You may also draw from your personal work experience with appropriate examples to support your references.

Contributors and Attributions

Assignment: Evaluating Leadership . Authored by : Betty Fitte and Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

10 Lessons From History About What Makes a Truly Great Leader

Winston Churchill As Prime Minister 1940-1945

W ith the 2020 presidential election approaching, America is bracing to choose its next leader in a time of incredible change and upheaval. How can we recognize the kind of person we’ll need to lead us through these turbulent times? What are the qualities that a truly great American president needs? What can this person, regardless of political affiliation, learn from leaders of the past?

Many of the greatest leaders in history have been workaholics—Churchill is perhaps the most famous, though Margaret Thatcher, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, and Marshal Ivan Konev are other examples. Churchill melded his life entirely around his job during the Second World War, taking only eight days’ proper holiday in the whole six years of conflict, six of those spent fishing in Canada and two swimming in Florida, but even on the latter trip he was attended by his red ministerial boxes and he read all the newspapers. Similarly, he was able to work almost throughout his two major bouts of pneumonia during the war. Energy is an almost demonic attribute, hard to characterize, and takes many forms. Churchill was undoubtedly energetic, and yet he often did not get out of bed until noon—and that was for a hot bath—although he had been hard working on his papers since before breakfast. “Concentration was one of the keys to his character,” recalled James Stuart, Winston Churchill’s chief whip. “It was not always obvious, but he never really thought of anything else but the job in hand.”

Ability to plan—and Adapt

A leader’s ability to plan meticulously is important, despite Moltke’s dictum that few plans last beyond the initial contact with the enemy. “Plans are worthless,” agreed Eisenhower. “Planning is everything.” It is often forgotten that one of the most successful war plans in modern history—Hitler’s blitzkrieg against the West that succeeded in knocking out France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland in six weeks in May and June 1940—was not the original one. When the first set of plans fell into Allied hands by accident only days before the assault was due to be launched, Erich von Manstein drew up a new one. It was this plan B that featured the famous sickle-cut maneuver, in which concentrated armor cut the Allies off from their supply bases, the Maginot Line was skirted, the mountainous Ardennes forest—hitherto thought impassable—was used as a conduit, and the Germans broke through at Sedan in six days and reached the Channel coast at Abbeville in only ten. Few plan Bs in history have been so successful.

A Great Memory

For planning in particular and for leadership in general a good memory is useful, or failing that an excellent filing system. Churchill had a photographic memory, and not just for music-hall songs and Shakespeare. He would spend up to thirty hours memorizing his speeches and constantly practice them to make them word perfect, and would even make up ones he was not about to give but might be called upon to deliver sometime in the future. On occasion he would regale his entourage with speeches he would have given if he had been in the House of Commons at different periods of history. For a superb filing system one could hardly do better than Napoleon, who also had an excellent memory and who used his chief of staff, Marshal Berthier, to ensure that even in a carriage rattling along at full pace they were able to place geographically every unit in his army and send and receive messages as aides-de-camps rode up to the windows, grasp orders thrust through the windows, and rode off again to deliver them.

Although impossible to quantify or predict, leaders need to be lucky as well as brilliant. Before he appointed anyone to the marshalate, Napoleon also wanted to know whether his generals were lucky, and luck undoubtedly does play a large part in war leadership. The role of chance and contingency in history is worthy of an entire book in itself and undermines the Whig, Marxist, and Determinist theories of history in which mankind’s progress through time are set on any definable tramlines.

Understanding Public Sentiment

A great leader has to appreciate the political and economic terrain over which he is to campaign. Franklin Roosevelt might have wanted to bring the United States into World War Two earlier than he eventually did—such was the isolationist sentiment at the time—but in the 1940 election he still had to make his promise in Boston to American parents that ‘your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars,’ in order to retain the White House and face the storm that was to come. A leader has to be a realist, albeit one who appreciates the precise moment when it is possible to change public sentiment. In the event of course there was nothing foreign about the war that the Japanese unleashed on America in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. FDR had kept to the letter of his campaign promise.

In this area, Abraham Lincoln was also a supreme war leader, easily the equal of any of the nine in this book. His almost preternatural sense of what the Union would be able to accept politically, and when it would accept it, of what he could ask for and what he simply could not at any particular time, and his willingness to ride political storms, do necessary deals, sack underperforming or disloyal generals, and employ oratory of the Periclean quality of the Gettysburg Address and the two inaugural speeches, makes him second to none as a war leader in the American pantheon.

“Well-timed Unreasonableness”

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world,” wrote George Bernard Shaw in Man and Superman, “the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” A talent for well-timed unreasonableness is another attribute of the great leader. Queen Elizabeth I refused to name her successor despite continuous prompting from her Privy Council, thus protecting her country from the danger of civil war. She also refused to ratify the Treaty of Edinburgh early in her reign, despite the pleadings of her closest counsellor Lord Burghley, until the threat posed by the dukes of Guise had finally diminished. Elizabeth I had many of the attributes of a great war leader, in her oratory, in her determination and as a fine picker of men.

Steady Nerves

Having steady nerves in a crisis cannot be underestimated, but can be learned. Basil Liddell Hart wrote in his 1944 book Thoughts on War that “the two qualities of mental initiative and a strong personality, or determination, go a long way towards the power of command in war—they are, indeed, the hallmark of the Great Captains.” Although Stalin had something approaching a mental breakdown when he heard about Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941, retiring to his dacha for days as the Red Army and Air Force were pounded on every front, by mid-October, when the Germans were at the gates of Moscow, his nerves had steadied enough for him to stay and fight it out. Charles de Gaulle’s behavior on August 25, 1944, when he attended the service of liberation in Notre-Dame while bullets were being fired within the cathedral itself, also showed rock-steady nerves. Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands crisis and after the IRA assassination attempt on her in October 1984, and Churchill throughout World War Two should similarly complete self-control in crisis moment, just as Napoleon had when his army retreated during the early stages of the Battle of Marengo. Such calm under pressure is the very quintessence of leadership.

Inspiring Persistence

In October 1944 Patton defined leadership as a capacity for “telling somebody who thinks he is beaten that he is not beaten.” As wars are won by the victor of the last battle, the capacity for inspiring the losers of the penultimate battle is key. Here, the sheer doggedness of George Washington stands out supreme, alongside that of Churchill in 1940. Aside from the evacuation from Brooklyn across the East River in August 1776—where a weird combination of low mist and adverse wind direction somehow prevented the Royal Navy from scooping up a force that was down to only nine thousand—Washington enjoyed few successes in 1775 and 1776. As Churchill said of Dunkirk, “Wars are not won by evacuations,” but, also like Dunkirk, the sheer fact of survival and escape was in itself a victory for the American revolutionaries. Simply surviving the hardships of Valley Forge through the winter kept the cause alive and could not have been achieved without George Washington’s shining leadership by personal example. What Liddell Hart was to call “mental initiative and strong personality, or determination” was personified by Washington in that freezing winter of 1776–77, and in all the other leaders in this book. Except through heredity, one does not become a leader in the first place unless one has a strong personality.

Understanding the psychology of others is an important part of leadership. Today it seems to be assumed that in order to lead one’s people one needs to have sprung from them, but that is not the case. Many of those who have exuded leadership ability hail from the leisured or moneyed class of their countries—Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Churchill, both Roosevelts, and John F. Kennedy among a long list of them—yet they all had a strong sense of what motivated soldiers and citizens who hailed from backgrounds far further down the social scale. A capacity to empathize is far more important than one’s class background. Churchill was born in a palace the grandson of a duke, went to one of the top schools in the country, and never took a bus in his life, but he could speak directly to the needs of what he called the cottage home. When commanding in the trenches of the Great War, he put his earlier campaigning experience to good use in always trying to ensure the men had their creature comforts, such as beer, fresh bread, and a good postal service to connect them with their families.

Political Awareness

Leaders must have a sixth sense for politics, such as in the importance of having a feel for the coup d’œil, a sense of timing, an aptitude for observation, the gift of working out what is genuinely important as opposed to merely diversionary, a faculty for predicting an opponent’s likely behavior in differing scenarios. Of course opportunism can never be underestimated. “A statesman must,” in Otto von Bismarck’s phrase, “wait and listen until he hears the steps of God sounding through events; then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment.”

Sometimes, of course, having all these qualities is still not enough. Napoleon had a staggering number of impressive leadership qualities. He was able to compartmentalize his mind, plan meticulously with a well-trained staff under Marshal Alexandre Berthier, appreciate terrain and guess what was on the other side of the hill, time his attacks perfectly, exhibit steady nerves to his entourage, encourage esprit de corps, publish inspirational proclamations, control the news cycle, adapt to modern tactical concepts, ask the right questions, and show utter ruthlessness when necessary. His charisma was not artificially created, and until the end he enjoyed remarkable runs of good luck. Above all, perhaps, he was single-minded in spotting the moment when he could exploit a numerical advantage at the decisive point on the battlefield. Napoleon had all of these important leadership traits, but he still made the terrible error at Maloyaroslavets on October 25, 1812, of choosing the wrong direction by which to take his army out of Russia. However generous the sprites and fairies are when they gather around the great leader’s cradle with their gifts, there always seems to be a malicious one present to snatch back one gift from the cornucopia.

If you want to know what will move hearts and command multitudes today and in the future, there is only one thing to do: Study the past. In May 1953 Churchill said, “Study history. Study history. In history lie all the secrets of statecraft,” and the same is true of statecraft’s vital subsection, war leadership. If there is one quality that all the great war leaders possessed, it is that which Lord St. Vincent ascribed to Horatio Nelson. St. Vincent did not much like his fellow admiral personally, but he readily admitted that Nelson “possessed the magic art of infusing his own spirit into others.” Great leaders are able to make soldiers and civilians believe that they are part of a purpose that matters more than even their continued existence on the planet, and that the leader’s spirit is infused into them. Whether it is a ‘magic art’ or ‘sinister genius’ can be decided by moralists, but in it lies the secret of successful leadership.

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Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author: Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point is give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born.

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions.

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

What are the main qualities of the leader?
Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
The role of female leadership
What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
How college helps students develop leadership skills?
Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them
Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
Top techniques for developing leadership skills
The interconnection of creativity and leadership
Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
The role of cognitive abilities for the leader

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student opinion

What Makes a Great Leader?

The coronavirus pandemic has tested leaders across the globe. Which do you think have risen to the moment?

By Jeremy Engle

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Now, more than ever, we need strong and effective leadership from our politicians and public health officials during this global crisis.

In your opinion, what makes a person a great leader? Courage? Trustworthiness? Empathy?

How much do you value hands-on life experience — and the ability to get things done?

How much do you appreciate strong character — and the integrity to do what’s right instead of what may be popular?

How much do you admire effective communication — and the power to inspire and unify through words and actions?

The Times video “ The Leader We Wish We All Had ” looks at the leadership style of Dr. Amy Acton, an Ohio Health Department official, who has earned praise for her daily briefings on the pandemic.

The Leader We Wish We All Had

A look at the style of dr. amy acton, who has earned praise for her daily briefings on the pandemic..

“This is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other.” This is Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health. Trademark lab coat, emphatic hand gestures, and a knack for metaphors. “It’s like Swiss cheese. So I want you to picture a hurricane. When you have a fire on your stove and you have your kitchen extinguisher, you’ll want to get it quick.” You may not have seen her press briefings. But in Ohio, they’ve become a daily ritual, catapulting her from unknown local official to cult icon. “Hi, my name is Amy Acton. Any questions?” “Dr. Amy is going to help us fight out the coronavirus.” In her youth, Dr. Acton overcame neglect and homelessness on her way to being crowned homecoming queen. And last year, she became the first doctor appointed to run Ohio’s health department. Under her, Ohio has become a leader in responding to Covid. It declared a state of emergency with just three confirmed cases, and it was the first state to shut down schools. Later that same week, some governors were still proudly eating in packed restaurants. And Dr. Acton issued a stay-at-home order affecting more than 11 million people when the death toll was still just three. So how did Dr. Acton do it? To find out, we watched more than seven weeks of press briefings, and we noticed themes that, well, let’s just say other leaders should pay attention to. First up, she empowers us. Take a look at this clip from the day Dr. Acton issued that stay-at-home order. “I don’t want you to be afraid. I am not afraid. I am determined. But I need you to do everything. I want you to think about the fact that this is our one shot in this country. All of us are going to have to sacrifice. And I know someday we’ll be looking back and wondering, what was it we did in this moment?” Of her 65 words there, 12 are pronouns. Her repeated use of “I” tells us she’s in it with us. She’s taking ownership. Her use of “you” makes the audience feel a connection with her, even though we’re watching from home. Toward the end, she switches from singular to collective pronouns, signaling that she’s just like us, and we’re in it together. She’s in charge, yet she’s made us feel like the heroes. “There are everyday heroes everywhere. We know that not all heroes wear capes. You’re heroic when you stay at home and watch your neighbor who’s a nurse’s child. I know you’re all donning those capes in big ways and small ways. Please help us. Thank you.” Ohioans were inspired. Not just to stay at home, but to spread her messages to each other. Another theme of Dr. Acton’s briefings is brutal honesty. And to understand this one, we have to take you back to mid-April. People were getting restless, wondering when things would get back to normal. “So I do hope no one at home thinks like, it’s wide open, May 1, going back to life as normal. The rules have changed, and they’re not going to be quite the same. Life will be different for quite some time to come, and maybe in some ways that are permanent.” She’s preparing us for the long haul, even if it’s not what we want to hear. “It’s really hard to hear that, but we are not going back to six months ago. That’s not the reality we all face.” This is something she does a lot, actually. Setting up bad news with a warning. “Ohioans, you know, I know that’s hard to take. I know that’s a hard truth for people, because we want there to be a right answer and a right way. And I know this is a deep breath we all must take.” Dr. Acton is also honest about what she doesn’t know. “We have to be very clear and transparent with you. All of these numbers are a gross underestimation, and we have no real idea of the prevalence of this infection yet.” A lot of leaders just avoid talking about uncertainty. But when Dr. Acton repeatedly says, “We don’t know.” It’s actually calming to hear her admit what we all feel deep down, that we just don’t have the full story. And finally, Dr. Acton sees vulnerability as a strength. After watching dozens of hours of briefings, there was one word we kept hearing over and over. “Please just acknowledge and give a name to what you’re going through. Acknowledge it with each other. And so I just want to acknowledge that these are still really tough times. This is wearing on all of us, and I just want to acknowledge that. I just want to acknowledge that all of us are feeling this. It’s such an unprecedented time.” Hearing Dr. Acton acknowledge our harder emotions forces us to face them head on. Stuffing down fear and sadness just causes more stress, and may make us act more selfishly instead of empathizing with each other. “And you’ll have days when you’re anxious. But don’t kill yourself over that. Please know and forgive yourself and try again.” And take a look at what she does here. “Every day I go through stages of grief. I go through, you know, denial. I go through a little anger. I go through a little bargaining. I don’t have to wear this. I might not need it. This isn’t true. I get a little down.” When she tells us she’s struggling too, we feel seen, and heard and less alone. And maybe that’s all any of us want right now. In a pandemic, the words our leaders choose can save lives. As of the end of April, Ohio had recorded fewer than 1,000 Covid deaths. By comparison, neighboring Michigan suffered more than 3,000, even though Ohio has a bigger population and had its first case three weeks earlier. Of course, other factors help explain this. But Dr. Acton convinced millions of Ohioans to stay at home. Not by ordering them, but by inspiring them. “People at home, you are moving mountains. You are saving lives. Again, I get emotional talking about this, because this is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other in this state. The impact is profound. Please, at home, don’t stop.”

What is your reaction to the video? Does it make a convincing case for Dr. Acton’s leadership? Do you agree that a good leader empowers listeners and makes them feel like “we’re in it together”? How important is it for leaders to be brutally honest? Should more leaders see “vulnerability as a strength,” as Dr. Acton does?

In “ In a Crisis, True Leaders Stand Out ,” the Times Editorial Board writes:

Leadership may be hard to define, but in times of crisis it is easy to identify. As the pandemic has spread fear, disease and death, national leaders across the globe have been severely tested. Some have fallen short, sometimes dismally, but there are also those leaders who have risen to the moment, demonstrating resolve, courage, empathy, respect for science and elemental decency, and thereby dulling the impact of the disease on their people. The master class on how to respond belongs to Jacinda Ardern, the 39-year-old prime minister of New Zealand. On March 21, when New Zealand still had only 52 confirmed cases, she told her fellow citizens what guidelines the government would follow in ramping up its response. Her message was clear: “These decisions will place the most significant restrictions on New Zealanders’ movements in modern history. But it is our best chance to slow the virus and to save lives.” And it was compassionate: “Please be strong, be kind and united against Covid-19.” Ms. Ardern, a liberal, then joined with the conservative prime minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, in shaping a joint effort that has all but eliminated the virus from their island nations. Other examples of countries where swift and decisive action helped allay the impact of the disease and unite the nation range from South Korea and Taiwan in Asia to Germany, Greece and Iceland in Europe. Women, a minority among the national leaders of the world, emerged among the most effective and reassuring of them. Like Ms. Ardern, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany acted early and calmly, warning Germans that many of them would fall prey to the novel coronavirus, and quickly getting testing underway. President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan likewise responded at the first sign of the new danger, keeping the virus under control and enabling her to send millions of face masks to the United States and Europe. In Iceland, Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir led the government in offering free coronavirus testing for all and organizing a thorough tracking system. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Finland’s prime minister, Sanna Marin — at 34 among the youngest of the world’s leaders — and Norway’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, are other women who have earned plaudits at home and abroad for their handling of the crisis.

The editorial continues:

That said, the leaders who have gained the respect and attention of their people, and who have succeeded in dulling the impact of the disease, share certain traits and approaches to leadership worth noting as this pandemic roars on — and for future crises as well. A willingness to take quick and bold action, even when it carries political risk, is surely among the most important hallmarks of leadership in a crisis. It is now obvious that China’s efforts to conceal the outbreak, or President Trump’s to downplay it for far too long, proved disastrous. Ms. Ardern, by contrast, chose, as she put it, to “go hard and go early.” Other elements of effective leadership include a respect for science, transparent messaging, constant updating of the evidence and prompt assurance of financial support. And also experience: Ms. Merkel’s background as a scientist is by all accounts a major factor in her credibility; in Ireland, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar’s background as a doctor prompted him to start giving phone consultations half a day each week and helped boost his previously flagging standing. Beyond politics, economics and science lie qualities of character that can’t be faked, chiefly compassion, which may be the most important in reassuring a frightened, insecure and stricken population. Ms. Merkel is arguably among the least flashy, charismatic or eloquent of Europe’s leaders, but nobody would ever question her decency. When she addressed her nation on television, something she does rarely and with evident reluctance, there was nothing pompous or bombastic in her parting words: “Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.”

Students, read the entire editorial, then tell us:

In your opinion, what makes a person a great leader? Which qualities of leadership described in the video and the editorial do you most value?

What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one? Which leaders — local or global, famous or not — do you think have most effectively risen to challenges of the pandemic?

What qualities of good leaders do you possess? Tell us about an experience you’ve had as a leader. What did you learn? What mistakes did you make? What life lessons might you be able to give to others as a result? Are there ways that you can use or develop your leadership skills now?

The Times editorial notes that many of the most effective national leaders during this crisis are women. What is your reaction? Are you surprised?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

5 Influential Leaders Who Transformed the World

Born to lead.

Powerful leaders have the ability to shape history, and a select few have the distinction of truly changing the world. Here are five influential leaders who did just that.

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson Mandela was an anti-apartheid revolutionary who went on to serve as the first black president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. A noted human rights activist , Mandela led South Africa's fight against segregation and apartheid.

In 1961, Mandela co-founded Umkhonto we Sizwe, a militant wing of the African National Congress, which opposed the South African government's system of racial segregation. He served 27 years in prison after he was convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government. Although he was sentenced to life in prison, Mandela was released in 1990 after an international campaign successfully lobbied for his freedom.

Over the course of his life, Mandela received more than 250 honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. Mandela died at the age of 95 on Dec. 5, 2013.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led the fight for Indian nationalism against British rule in the 1920s. His celebrated use of nonviolent protest inspired similar movements in support of rights and freedoms around the globe. "Mahatma," which translates to "venerable" in Sanskrit, was an honorific first bestowed on him in 1914 in South Africa, and is now widely used.

Gandhi was assassinated on Jan. 30, 1948, at the age of 78. His birthday, Oct. 2, is commemorated as a national holiday in India, and is celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American activist and humanitarian who became the leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement . Similar to Mahatma Gandhi, King became known for advancing civil rights through nonviolent civil disobedience.

As a Baptist minister, King took part in the 1955 Montgomery Bus Protest, a political and social campaign against the racially segregated public transit system in Montgomery, Ala. King went on to help organize the 1963 March on Washington , where he famously delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech.

King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn. Before his death, in 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize . He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously. In 1986, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was named a federal holiday in the United States.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

Mother Teresa was an Albanian-born Roman Catholic nun. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, a religious congregation that is currently active in more than 130 countries. In her work with the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa cared for the poor, sick, orphaned and dying.

The Missionaries of Charity gradually expanded beyond India, and in 2012, consisted of more than 4,500 sisters operating in 133 countries. The congregation runs hospices and homes for people with HIV, leprosy and tuberculosis; soup kitchens; children's and family counseling programs; orphanages and schools.

Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She died on Sept. 5, 1997 at the age of 87. In 2003, she was beatified (made a saint) by Pope John Paul II, and was given the title Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, and led the country through the tumultuous American Civil War, which was fought from 1861 to 1865. The war, fought over the contentious issue of slavery, began after several Southern states moved to secede, and formed the Confederate States of America.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address , delivered on Nov. 19, 1863, during the Civil War, is one of the best-known speeches in American history. In it, Lincoln echoed the principles of human equality from the Declaration of Independence, and declared that the Civil War, and the preservation of the Union, would bring true equality to all the country's citizens.

Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery culminated in the Emancipation Proclamation, which was issued on Jan. 1, 1863. The measure prompted the Senate to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which permanently outlawed slavery.

Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865, at the age of 56.

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Denise Chow was the assistant managing editor at Live Science before moving to NBC News as a science reporter, where she focuses on general science and climate change. Before joining the Live Science team in 2013, she spent two years as a staff writer for Space.com, writing about rocket launches and covering NASA's final three space shuttle missions. A Canadian transplant, Denise has a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto, and a master's degree in journalism from New York University.

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20 Business Leaders Who Changed The World For The Better

Just like empires, companies can come and go with the times. However, there are some that last for ages, and great leadership is the secret. Great leaders have the ability to motivate employees, help others see and believe in a vision, and lead innovation in the company. Having a great leader at the helm is something that all investors, consumers, and employees want. Here is a list of the 20 most influential business leaders that are changing the world.

What Is an Industry Leader?

An industry leader is a reputable business professional with high levels of expertise in a specific field or area. Industry leaders are innovative, driven, strategic, and able to adapt to changing trends in their field. When technological developments arise or demand changes, they know how to respond appropriately and can offer valuable solutions.

On an organizational level, business leaders in an industry understand how to meet company and consumer needs. They research consumers and competitors while providing strategic solutions that address buyer and organizational demands.

To accomplish this, industry leaders must know their employers well, understand how competitors operate, and offer valuable solutions to improve business products and services. Their goal is to help transform a company for the better.

Industry leaders pave the way for company success with new ideas and unique approaches. Leaders can wear many hats, but they most frequently fill one of these roles:

Entrepreneur
Company founder

What Are the Qualities of a Business Leader?

Here are some of the most common qualities leaders in an industry demonstrate .

Informative and Innovative

Industry leaders remain at the top of their profession. They constantly research trends, examine the latest developments in their area, and devote time to devising solutions that benefit their organization.

Goal-Oriented

Professional leaders across all industries thoroughly understand company objectives (both small and large). They have a detailed vision of what it takes to achieve attainable goals, helping to set the company up for long-term success.

Solid Communication Skills

Industry professionals know how to communicate effectively with board members, employees, and stakeholders to address opportunities and organizational challenges. Successful leaders don’t settle for subtle or abrupt communication. Instead, they lay out their goals and solutions clearly. They also engage in active listening to gain valuable feedback.

Risk-Takers

Every industry needs leaders willing to step into the unknown and embrace risk. Industry leaders understand that company success depends on striving toward goals both easy to attain and longer term.

These daring leaders are not afraid to voice their opinions and put their ideas into action, even in the face of potential failure. These qualities set famous business leaders apart.

15 Business Leaders Who Changed the World

1) reshma saujani.

Saujani is the founder of Girls Who Code, which promotes technology training (specifically coding) to girls. She is an American lawyer and politician. Her company, Girls Who Code, has camps set up in 42 states with over 10,000 girls attending. She has been a leader in empowering women in the workplace.

2) Tim Cook

Cook is the CEO of the most valuable company in the world, Apple. He took over Apple after the company’s founder, Steve Jobs, succumbed to cancer in 2011. Cook has helped navigate Apple through the transition after Jobs’ death as well as developing new product lines and opening Apple retail stores in China.

3) Sheryl Sandberg

Sandberg has served as the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook from 2008 to 2022. She founded a nonprofit, Lean In, named after her best-selling book. She has been an influential advocate for women in the business world. She has made the successful transition from government work at the Treasury Department to the tech industry at Google and Facebook.

4) Bob Iger

Iger is the Executive Chairman and former CEO of the Disney Corporation. He has led the acquisitions of major companies like Marvel, Pixar, and, most recently, Lucas Films. His leadership has also led to the expansion of Disney’s theme parks into Shanghai and Hong Kong.

5) Reed Hastings

Hastings is the co-founder and CEO of Netflix. What originally started as a no-late-fees, no-due-dates subscription service soon transitioned into online streaming, which shook the very foundation of digital entertainment. In addition, Hastings constantly uses his position of influence to promote change and reform in the California State Board of Education and through charter schools.

6) Mary Barra

Barra is the chairman and CEO of General Motors Company. Prior to her in 2014, she served as the Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain at GM. She is currently contesting for space in the electric automobile market. In 2016, she launched the Chevrolet Bolt EV with a battery that outlasts Tesla’s. As of late 2017, Barra was elected to the board of Disney with high regards from Robert Iger.

7) Huateng “Pony” Ma

Also known as Pony Ma, he is the founder and president of Tencent, Inc. Tencent is one of the largest internet companies in China. He has been named to Time’s most-influential-people list twice (2007 and 2014). Ma is known for his secretive lifestyle but wields substantial power both domestically and with foreign companies.

Ma was the first entrepreneur from mainland China to appear on the cover of Forbes magazine. He is also the founder of Alibaba Group, a group of internet companies. Before getting accepted to Hangzhou Teacher’s Institute, Ma was rejected from university three times. After graduation, he applied for 30 jobs and was turned down for all of them . He first learned about the internet during a short trip to the U.S., and when he returned home, he created a small website about China and Chinese products. This would be his first step towards creating a company that would hold the record for largest IPO in history.

9) Jan Koum

Koum was born in Kyiv, Ukraine but moved to the United States when he was 16 years old. He soon discovered his passion for programming and enrolled at San José State University. After a brief stint at SJSU and working as a security tester at Yahoo, Koum started WhatsApp. WhatsApp quickly became one of the fastest downloaded apps in the App Store, and one of the most internationally used apps. Koum sold WhatsApp to Facebook in 2014 for approximately $19.3 billion.

10) Bill Gates

Gates founded Microsoft, the world’s largest PC software company, and each year, he is consistently near the top of the list of the world’s wealthiest people. Over the years, Gates has slowly transitioned away from Microsoft and into philanthropic ventures. His foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , is working to provide clean water and sanitation (among other things) to third-world countries. Like Warren Buffett, Gates has also promised to leave the vast majority of his wealth to charity.

11) Elon Musk

Musk was born in South Africa and is a businessman, inventor, and investor. Musk is most widely known for his founding of PayPal and SpaceX and his heavy involvement in Tesla Motors. His innovative vision and unrelenting passion for pushing the boundaries of technology and consumer integration have led to increased exposure to solar power, high-speed transportation, and artificial intelligence.

12) Warren Buffett

Buffett is one of the most successful investors in the world. Some people have referred to him as the “Wizard of Omaha” (his birthplace is Omaha, Nebraska) and he is consistently named as one of the wealthiest people in the world. He is currently the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He has also pledged to give away nearly 99% of his accumulated wealth to philanthropic causes after his death.

13) Jeff Weiner

Weiner is the CEO of LinkedIn. Although LinkedIn was founded in 2002, it was under Weiner’s leadership that LinkedIn completed its IPO and became one of the most-used social media platforms in the world. Weiner is also extremely active in non-profits, sitting on the Board of Directors of DonorsChoose.org and Malaria No More.

14) Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos is the founder of the mega-corporation Amazon. What started as an online bookstore is now the world’s largest online sales company. For 4 years from 2017-2021, Bezos was the wealthiest person in the world. As of 2021, he has stepped down as CEO of Amazon and moved to an executive chairman position.

15) John Zimmer

John Zimmer is the co-founder and president of Lyft, which started in 2012. The company was originally called Zimride, and started as a rideshare service on college campuses. Since the launch, Zimmer and his co-founder, Logan Green, have worked to make Lyft one of the fastest-growing tech companies.

16. Ursula Burns

Famous business leader Ursula Burns started at the Xerox Corporation as a summer intern in 1980 and became president of the company in 2007. From 2010 to 2017, she was the chairman of the board for Xerox and CEO from 2009 to 2016. She turned the company into one of the world’s most diversified business services companies during her tenure.

17. Arianna Huffington

In 2005, Arianna Huffington founded The Huffington Post. In 2016, she founded and became CEO of Thrive Global, a behavioral technology company. Its goal is to revolutionize the way people work and live. The company discussed the idea of burnout (and all but coined the term as a professional buzzword) before it became widely used.

18. Indra Nooyi

Nooyi was the Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2019. She was the creator of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s declaration to create successful businesses by paying attention to the world’s needs. Initiatives from this pledge included adding more nutritious products to their portfolio, becoming more environmentally sustainable, and revolutionizing the business by highlighting the importance of design. With Nooyi as CEO, PepsiCo’s net revenue increased by more than 80%, and shareholder return was 162%.

19. Meg Whitman

Whitman was CEO of eBay from 1998 to 2008, taking the company from $5.7 million to $8 billion in sales. She then became CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 2011 to 2015, overseeing its division into Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc. She’s currently the United States ambassador to Kenya.

20. Rosalind Brewer

In 2006, Brewer had various leadership positions at Walmart before moving to Sam’s Club in 2012. Her tenure at Sam’s Club ended in 2017 when she moved to become the CEO and Group President of Starbucks. In 2021, she became CEO of Walgreens, making her a particularly famous business leader as she is the only Black woman CEO for an S&P 500 company.

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159 Leadership Essay Topics & Ideas

18 January 2024

last updated

Leadership essay topics cover a broad range of themes, exploring the various dimensions of leadership. They prompt critical thinking about the attributes, styles, and impacts of effective leaders. Some topics may range from analyzing historical figures’ leadership styles and discussing the role of ethical leadership in contemporary society to exploring transformational leadership in the corporate world. Other themes may consider the impact of leadership in crisis situations or the intricacies of team leadership in sports. Some ideas may include the evolution of leadership theories and how they have shaped modern practices. Additionally, one may discuss the gender dynamics in leadership or the role of emotional intelligence in effective leadership. As a result, leadership essay topics provide a good platform to examine leadership in all its complexity, fostering a comprehensive understanding of what it means to lead, the challenges faced, and the potential impacts that leaders have on their followers and broader society.

Easy Leadership Essay Topics

Exploring Leadership Traits in Personal Life
Understanding Situational Leadership
How Do Leaders Influence Team Morale?
Appreciating the Value of Leadership in School
Leadership in Sports: A Beginner’s Perspective
Types of Leadership: A Simple Overview
Famous Leaders and Their Leadership Styles
Influence of Leadership on Career Success
Distinguishing Between Leadership and Management
Qualities of Good Leadership: An Exploration
Why Is Leadership Important: A Novice’s View
Analyzing Leadership in a Favorite Book or Film
Leadership Lessons From Famous Historical Figures
Personal Leadership Development Plan: A Preliminary Approach
Leadership in Volunteering: A Personal Experience
Leadership’s Influence on Organizational Culture
Effective Communication in Leadership
Importance of Leadership in a Successful Business
Leadership and Decision-Making Process
Youth Leadership: Why It Matters?

Interesting Leadership Essay Topics

Transformational Leadership: An In-Depth Look
Unraveling the Mysteries of Charismatic Leadership
Unconventional Leadership Styles in Modern Businesses
Analyzing Leadership Through Game Theory
Leadership Lessons From Unexpected Sources
Digging Into the Core of Servant Leadership
Neuroscience Behind Effective Leadership
Influence of Leadership on Employee Engagement
Leadership Styles Around the World
Deconstructing Leadership in the Art World
AI and Leadership: An Unforeseen Connection
Environmental Leadership in the Fight Against Climate Change
Leadership Through the Lens of Philosophy
Unorthodox Leadership Lessons From Stand-Up Comedy
Crisis Leadership: Tackling Difficult Situations
Leadership in the Animal Kingdom: Lessons to Learn
Exploring Leadership in Extreme Environments
Leadership Dynamics in Non-Profit Organizations
Analyzing Leadership in Post-Apocalyptic Literature

Leadership Essay Topics

Leadership and Vision: Case Study of Elon Musk at SpaceX
Jeff Bezos’s Leadership: Shaping Amazon’s Organizational Culture
Servant Leadership in Action: Case Study of Tony Hsieh at Zappos
Analyzing Leadership Strategies: Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook
Richard Branson’s Leadership Style: A Key Factor in Virgin Group’s Success
Satya Nadella’s Leadership: Transformation of Microsoft’s Corporate Culture
Transformational Leadership: Case Study of Indra Nooyi at PepsiCo
Understanding Leadership Through Crisis: Case Study of Mary Barra at General Motors
Howard Schultz’s Leadership: Driving Starbucks’ Success
Leadership and Vision: Case Study of Larry Page at Google
Apple’s Success Under Tim Cook’s Leadership: A Case Analysis
Leadership in Crisis: Bob Iger’s Turnaround of Disney
Sundar Pichai’s Leadership Style: Google’s Continuous Innovation
Leadership and Gender: Case Study of Marillyn Hewson at Lockheed Martin
Visionary Leadership: Case Study of Masayoshi Son at SoftBank
Leadership Styles in Sports: Case Study of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United
Change Management: Case Study of Alan Mulally at Ford Motor Company
Transformational Leadership: Case Study of Jack Ma at Alibaba
Organizational Turnaround: Leadership Strategies of Lou Gerstner at IBM
Sheryl Sandberg’s Leadership Style: Encouraging Diversity at Facebook
Decoding the Leadership Style of Tesla’s Elon Musk
Innovation and Leadership: Reed Hastings at Netflix
Authentic Leadership: Oprah Winfrey’s Influence on the Media Industry
The People-First Approach: Case Study of Richard Liu at JD.com
Leadership and Business Acumen: Warren Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway
Reviving a Brand: Leadership Lessons From Steve Jobs at Apple
Leadership and Resilience: Case Study of Brian Chesky at Airbnb
Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector: Case Study of Melinda Gates at the Gates Foundation
Ethical Leadership: The Case of Howard Schultz at Starbucks
The Role of Servant Leadership in Herb Kelleher’s Success at Southwest Airlines
Leadership and Change: Case Study of Satya Nadella at Microsoft
Leadership Style and Business Success: Case Study of Larry Ellison at Oracle
Innovation Leadership: The Case of Susan Wojcicki at YouTube
Visionary Leadership: Case Study of Mukesh Ambani at Reliance Industries
Analyzing the Leadership Strategies of Andrew Carnegie
Jack Welch’s Leadership at General Electric: A Case Study
Leadership Lessons From Bill Gates’ Tenure at Microsoft
Effective Leadership: Case Study of Ray Kroc at McDonald’s
The Impact of Walt Disney’s Leadership on the Disney Corporation
Leadership Under Crisis: Case Study of Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan Chase
Comparative Analysis of Leadership Practices in Different Civilizations
Confluence of Leadership Theories and Quantum Physics
Epigenetics: Can Leadership Qualities Be Inherited?
Conceptual Intersection of Leadership and Chaos Theory
Incorporating Leadership Development Into Higher Education Curriculum
Eco-Leadership: Sustainable Management in the Era of Climate Change
Analyzing Ancient Tribal Leadership Strategies in Modern Corporate Management
Transpersonal Leadership: Merging Psychology, Spirituality, and Business
Political Leadership in Post-Truth Era: A Critical Examination
Decoding the Complex Relationship Between Leadership and Power Dynamics
Investigating the Effect of Leadership Styles on Organizational Resilience
Explicating the Role of Ethical Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility
Analyze Leadership Through the Lens of Anthropological Studies
The Influence of Military Strategies on Corporate Leadership Practices
Exploring Leadership Styles in Multidisciplinary Research Teams
Dialectics of Leadership and Followership in Democratic Societies
Lattice Leadership: Disrupting Hierarchical Structures in Modern Enterprises
Probing the Impact of Transformational Leadership on Innovation Ecosystems
An In-Depth Study on Leadership in Virtual and Augmented Reality Environments
Deciphering the Paradoxes of Leadership in the Digital Age
Transformational Leadership: Unveiling the Effect on Organizational Success
Analyzing Autocratic Leadership: Its Potential in Crisis Management
Charismatic Leadership: Influence on Employee Motivation
Transactional Leadership Versus Transformational Leadership: An Analytical Comparison
Laissez-Faire Leadership: How it Shapes Creativity and Innovation in Organizations
Exploring Servant Leadership: Understanding Its Influence on Organizational Culture
Leadership Styles in Different Cultures: A Comparative Study
Women in Leadership: Assessing Progress and Challenges in the 21st Century
Leadership During Times of Change: Strategies for Successful Transition
Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: Interplay and Influence on Team Performance
Ethics in Leadership: Exploring Its Effect on Organizational Trust
Leadership Development Programs: Their Efficacy in Shaping Future Leaders
Analyzing the Intersection of Leadership and Organizational Strategy
Adaptive Leadership in Fast-Paced Industries: Key Strategies and Outcomes
Youth Leadership: Exploring Its Significance in Society
Leadership in Non-profit Organizations: Challenges and Opportunities
Understanding Leadership in Virtual Teams: Key Approaches and Challenges
Military Leadership Principles and Their Applicability in Corporate Settings
Leadership Communication: Its Effect on Team Dynamics and Cohesion
Leadership in Healthcare: Unique Challenges and Strategies
Analyzing the Interplay Between Leadership and Employee Engagement
Leadership in Academia: A Case Study Approach
Leadership Succession Planning: Best Practices and Outcomes
Leadership in Startups: Exploring Strategies for Success
Leadership and Decision-Making: An Analysis of Approaches
Cross-Cultural Leadership: Navigating Global Business Environments
Leadership and Organizational Performance: Investigating the Correlation
Analyzing Leadership Failures: Lessons for Future Leaders
Educational Leadership: Approaches in Modern Pedagogy
Leadership in High-Risk Industries: Case Studies in Decision-Making and Safety
Analyzing Leadership in the Tech Industry: Case Studies of Successful Leaders
Leadership Under Stress: Strategies for Maintaining Composure and Decision-Making
Public Sector Leadership: Challenges and Opportunities
Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility: Understanding the Interplay
Leadership and Change Resistance: Strategies for Overcoming Employee Pushback
Analyzing Leadership Dynamics in Family Businesses
Leadership Burnout: Understanding Causes and Prevention Strategies
Leadership and Knowledge Management: Unpacking the Connection
Leadership Styles in Entrepreneurial Ventures: Investigating Success Factors
Analyzing Leadership in Crisis: A Study of Pandemic Responses

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447 position paper topics & essay ideas, 392 entertaining speech topics & ideas.

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MGT420 Assignment (Famous contemporary leader)

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Yanghui Liu

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Ala Nasser Alomrani

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This audit study aims to discuss the innovative capabilities of Tesla and address the challenges and opportunities of its key innovative processes. Also included are the learning implications on future management practices and suggestions for organizational improvements.

Sam Holland

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Business And Management Studies: An International Journal

John W Lang

There has been no research conducted that uses a holistic conceptual framework that simultaneously relates the ecosystem, platform technologies, innovations, and modularity to the firms business model. These elements are central to Tesla’s shifting of the automotive paradigm from internal combustion engine transportation to electric vehicle (EV) energy powertrains. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the ecosystem, business model, modularity and innovations of Tesla, as an illustrative case, have contributed to a new vehicular platform and business model EV paradigm. The paper draws on the strategic and operations management literature and examines the relationship between the ecosystem platform's attributes, modular innovations, and a new business model created by Tesla. Battery technology has been a focal point of the Tesla platform, and this is predicted to be an essential part of the battleground for the future of the electric vehicle automotive industry. Our analysi...

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Electric vehicles have experienced waves of popularity since the early 20 century. This thesis examines the role of electric vehicles and automobility in the past, present and the future of personal transportation. Additionally, it brings together the history of the American automobile industry and the complex contemporary narrative of Tesla Inc, the young and ambitious auto manufacturer that exclusively builds electric vehicles. This analysis ends with a discussion on the author’s understanding of how a company like Tesla was able to come to fruition, how a similar path could be taken by a new or existing automaker, and what these narratives mean for the current age and future of personal transportation in today’s environmentally conscious climate.

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This case makes a contribution to the field of entrepreneurship by focusing on one of the most successful entrepreneurs and companies of our generation. The cases focuses on the personality and background of Larry Ellison. What were his motivations and experience before he became an entrepreneur? Students will also learn about how Ellison founded and grew Oracle Corporation. Finally, we examine the current problems and opportunities that confront Oracle in 2011.

Essays About Effective Leadership: Top 6 Examples and Prompts

Effective leadership is an essential trait that all people should strive to develop; here are 6 examples and topic ideas essays about effective leadership .

Many qualities make an inspiring and effective leader, such as vision, focus, and motivation. Like other skills, effective leadership can be innate or learned and practiced. When writing about leadership, include the strengths of an effective leader and how these qualities positively impact their team. You can also discuss weaknesses that can make a poor leader and how to combat these issues.

Here are 6 examples and 10 essay prompts to get you started on your next essay.

1. What Makes an Effective Leader? by Tony Gill

2. a guide to becoming an effective leader by yashi srivastava , 3. leadership: 5 practices of effective leaders by yvette gyles, 4. 6 characteristics of an effective leader by lauren landry, 5. six leadership lessons by order of the peaky blinders by andrew denton mbe, 6. leadership and the quest for certainty by keith grint, 1. what is effective leadership, 2. what does effective leadership look like in the corporate industry, 3. what to avoid to become an effective leader, 4. habits of an effective leader, 5. studying the mindsets of effective leaders, 6. effective leadership and its benefits to an organization, 7. indicators of strong and effective leadership, 8. poor leadership vs. effective leadership, 9. real-life examples of effective leadership, 10. how perception creates effective leadership.

“Work at using leadership styles that do not come naturally, styles that you find difficult. By becoming a well-rounded leader, it is easier to adapt your leadership technique for different situations.”

Gill uses a research-based approach to answer the central question of his essay. He looks at various sources that tackle the topic of effective leadership and stitch them together to make a comprehensive guide to effective leadership.

“Leadership is not a mystical quality, and anyone can become a more effective leader by developing some important skills.”

The author, Yashi Srivastava, defines what differentiates leaders from managers first. Then, she provides some dos and don’ts of an effective leader and how people could apply them in different situations.

“Whereas as leaders, we need to be concerned about creativity and innovation, making positive changes, and seeking to challenge and push boundaries.”

Gyles specializes in leadership training for companies, so her approach to the essay is geared more toward company leaders. Nevertheless, it’s highly educational for all those interested in learning effective leadership meant for dealing with various people and guiding people to a direction or goal.

“Effective leaders don’t avoid the hard truths. Instead, they take responsibility for their decisions, maintain optimism, and focus on charting a new course of action.”

Landry’s essay focuses on her six top characteristics of an effective leader. Some of these characteristics are what you’d expect to see in an essay like this. Entries like transparency are less common but equally important in practicing effective leadership.

“Rolling your sleeves up with everyone else not only sets an example, it makes people want to follow you.”

Fiction mirrors life, and it’s one of the best sources to learn lessons that are otherwise too complex or vague to see in real life. Despite his penchant for crime and violence, Thomas Shelby is undeniably one of the most influential leaders on TV. This essay details the leadership skills used by a 1920s gangster character and how you can use them in modern life to become an effective and inspiring leader.

“Leadership is often associated with certainty; indeed, it is sometimes reduced to the decision-making process such that anything which smacks of uncertainty is categorized as weakness or a failure of leadership.”

Grint’s essay on leadership explores the factors around leaders’ certainty or confidence. Of course, not all leaders have a clear answer to a problem, which is fine. The important thing is that they have a mindset to look for solutions and a modicum of honesty about their lack of uncertainty.

10 Essay Prompts on Effective Leadership

It’s your turn to express and explore your view of effective leadership. Use these prompts to work out your approach or steps to effective leadership. Here are ten prompts about effective leadership to help you get started on your essay.

Defining effective leadership is one way to explore your understanding of the idea. Remember that your definition of effective leadership could vastly differ from the other essays you’ve read. It’s also a great starting point for new people who want to warm up to the habit of writing essays about leadership.

Essay writing tip: If you’re new to writing essays, consider simplifying your essay. Try shortening it down to a five-paragraph essay .

Essays about effective leadership prompts: What does effective leadership look like in the corporate industry?

You can find many leaders in the corporate industry, but some are more effective than others. Use this prompt to work out how you envision effective leadership in the corporate world. You can also apply the same idea to other fields, like at school, among friends or peer groups, or in the family. Consider carefully the field or organization you’d like to use for the essay.

You may have personal experience with a person who could have been an effective leader if not for their bad habits. You might have been that person and realized how your bad habits had held you back from practicing effective leadership. This is your chance to write about your experience, whether via observing someone else or through personal growth.

Practicing effective leadership goes beyond having direction and a vision for the organization. Becoming an effective leader also takes time and patience. Use this prompt to discuss the habits of great leaders and how these habits make them effective in their leadership.

Get into the mind of a leader and explore how such a person might become more effective in their leadership. This topic may involve discussing various people, whether real-life persons or fictional characters. Research how they think, handle their role and manage the people they lead.

Understanding the benefits of effective leadership is one of the best ways to drive someone to practice and adopt it. Use this prompt to detail how an effective leader boosts morale, productivity, motivation, communication quality, and confidence in the people they lead. It applies to all organizations, like businesses, teams, and networks.

How do you know whether a person’s leadership style and approach are effective or not? Use this essay topic to discover the different methods of measuring effective leadership. Read about the different measurements and indicators of leadership used in corporations and organizations.

Leaders can be good, mediocre, or bad in their leadership approaches and styles. This essay prompt will push you to compare bad leadership and effective leadership. You can also add methods of improving one’s leadership style to become more effective.

You can find a lot of excellent leaders throughout history. This idea focuses on discussing different leaders, their leadership styles, and levels of effectiveness.

Interpersonal skills are vital to great leadership. Perception of others’ feelings and thoughts can help you become an even better and more effective leader. Discuss how intuitiveness positively affects one’s leadership style.

Check out our list of great essay writing topics for students for more topics to improve your writing.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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40 Best Essays of All Time (Including Links & Writing Tips)

I wanted to improve my writing skills. I thought that reading the forty best essays of all time would bring me closer to my goal.

I had little money (buying forty collections of essays was out of the question) so I’ve found them online instead. I’ve hacked through piles of them, and finally, I’ve found the great ones. Now I want to share the whole list with you (with the addition of my notes about writing). Each item on the list has a direct link to the essay, so please click away and indulge yourself. Also, next to each essay, there’s an image of the book that contains the original work.

About this essay list:

Reading essays is like indulging in candy; once you start, it’s hard to stop. I sought out essays that were not only well-crafted but also impactful. These pieces genuinely shifted my perspective. Whether you’re diving in for enjoyment or to hone your writing, these essays promise to leave an imprint. It’s fascinating how an essay can resonate with you, and even if details fade, its essence remains. I haven’t ranked them in any way; they’re all stellar. Skim through, explore the summaries, and pick up some writing tips along the way. For more essay gems, consider “Best American Essays” by Joyce Carol Oates or “101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think” curated by Brianna Wiest.

40 Best Essays of All Time (With Links And Writing Tips)

1. david sedaris – laugh, kookaburra.

david sedaris - the best of me essay collection

A great family drama takes place against the backdrop of the Australian wilderness. And the Kookaburra laughs… This is one of the top essays of the lot. It’s a great mixture of family reminiscences, travel writing, and advice on what’s most important in life. You’ll also learn an awful lot about the curious culture of the Aussies.

Writing tips from the essay:

Use analogies (you can make it funny or dramatic to achieve a better effect): “Don’t be afraid,” the waiter said, and he talked to the kookaburra in a soothing, respectful voice, the way you might to a child with a switchblade in his hand”.
You can touch a few cognate stories in one piece of writing . Reveal the layers gradually. Intertwine them and arrange for a grand finale where everything is finally clear.
Be on the side of the reader. Become their friend and tell the story naturally, like around the dinner table.
Use short, punchy sentences. Tell only as much as is required to make your point vivid.
Conjure sentences that create actual feelings: “I had on a sweater and a jacket, but they weren’t quite enough, and I shivered as we walked toward the body, and saw that it was a . . . what, exactly?”
You may ask a few tough questions in a row to provoke interest and let the reader think.

2. Charles D’Ambrosio – Documents

Charles D'Ambrosio - Loitering - New and Collected Essays

Do you think your life punches you in the face all too often? After reading this essay, you will change your mind. Reading about loss and hardships often makes us sad at first, but then enables us to feel grateful for our lives . D’Ambrosio shares his documents (poems, letters) that had a major impact on his life, and brilliantly shows how not to let go of the past.

The most powerful stories are about your family and the childhood moments that shaped your life.
You don’t need to build up tension and pussyfoot around the crux of the matter. Instead, surprise the reader by telling it like it is: “The poem was an allegory about his desire to leave our family.” Or: “My father had three sons. I’m the eldest; Danny, the youngest, killed himself sixteen years ago”.
You can use real documents and quotes from your family and friends. It makes it so much more personal and relatable.
Don’t cringe before the long sentence if you know it’s a strong one.
At the end of the essay, you may come back to the first theme to close the circuit.
Using slightly poetic language is acceptable, as long as it improves the story.

3. E. B. White – Once more to the lake

What does it mean to be a father? Can you see your younger self, reflected in your child? This beautiful essay tells the story of the author, his son, and their traditional stay at a placid lake hidden within the forests of Maine. This place of nature is filled with sunshine and childhood memories. It also provides for one of the greatest meditations on nature and the passing of time.

Use sophisticated language, but not at the expense of readability.
Use vivid language to trigger the mirror neurons in the reader’s brain: “I took along my son, who had never had any fresh water up his nose and who had seen lily pads only from train windows”.
It’s important to mention universal feelings that are rarely talked about (it helps to create a bond between two minds): “You remember one thing, and that suddenly reminds you of another thing. I guess I remembered clearest of all the early mornings when the lake was cool and motionless”.
Animate the inanimate: “this constant and trustworthy body of water”.
Mentioning tales of yore is a good way to add some mystery and timelessness to your piece.
Using double, or even triple “and” in one sentence is fine. It can make the sentence sing.

4. Zadie Smith – Fail Better

Aspiring writers feel tremendous pressure to perform. The daily quota of words often turns out to be nothing more than gibberish. What then? Also, should the writer please the reader or should she be fully independent? What does it mean to be a writer, anyway? This essay is an attempt to answer these questions, but its contents are not only meant for scribblers. Within it, you’ll find some great notes about literary criticism, how we treat art , and the responsibility of the reader.

A perfect novel ? There’s no such thing.
The novel always reflects the inner world of the writer. That’s why we’re fascinated with writers.
Writing is not simply about craftsmanship, but about taking your reader to the unknown lands. In the words of Christopher Hitchens: “Your ideal authors ought to pull you from the foundering of your previous existence, not smilingly guide you into a friendly and peaceable harbor.”
Style comes from your unique personality and the perception of the world. It takes time to develop it.
Never try to tell it all. “All” can never be put into language. Take a part of it and tell it the best you can.
Avoid being cliché. Try to infuse new life into your writing .
Writing is about your way of being. It’s your game. Paradoxically, if you try to please everyone, your writing will become less appealing. You’ll lose the interest of the readers. This rule doesn’t apply in the business world where you have to write for a specific person (a target audience).
As a reader, you have responsibilities too. According to the critics, every thirty years, there’s just a handful of great novels. Maybe it’s true. But there’s also an element of personal connection between the reader and the writer. That’s why for one person a novel is a marvel, while for the other, nothing special at all. That’s why you have to search and find the author who will touch you.

5. Virginia Woolf – Death of the Moth

Amid an ordinary day, sitting in a room of her own, Virginia Woolf tells about the epic struggle for survival and the evanescence of life. This short essay is truly powerful. In the beginning, the atmosphere is happy. Life is in full force. And then, suddenly, it fades away. This sense of melancholy would mark the last years of Woolf’s life.

The melody of language… A good sentence is like music: “Moths that fly by day are not properly to be called moths; they do not excite that pleasant sense of dark autumn nights and ivy-blossom which the commonest yellow- underwing asleep in the shadow of the curtain never fails to rouse in us”.
You can show the grandest in the mundane (for example, the moth at your window and the drama of life and death).
Using simple comparisons makes the style more lucid: “Being intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure”.

6. Meghan Daum – My Misspent Youth

Meghan Daum - My Misspent Youth - Essays

Many of us, at some point or another, dream about living in New York. Meghan Daum’s take on the subject differs slightly from what you might expect. There’s no glamour, no Broadway shows, and no fancy restaurants. Instead, there’s the sullen reality of living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. You’ll get all the juicy details about credit cards, overdue payments, and scrambling for survival. It’s a word of warning. But it’s also a great story about shattered fantasies of living in a big city. Word on the street is: “You ain’t promised mañana in the rotten manzana.”

You can paint a picture of your former self. What did that person believe in? What kind of world did he or she live in?
“The day that turned your life around” is a good theme you may use in a story. Memories of a special day are filled with emotions. Strong emotions often breed strong writing.
Use cultural references and relevant slang to create a context for your story.
You can tell all the details of the story, even if in some people’s eyes you’ll look like the dumbest motherfucker that ever lived. It adds to the originality.
Say it in a new way: “In this mindset, the dollars spent, like the mechanics of a machine no one bothers to understand, become an abstraction, an intangible avenue toward self-expression, a mere vehicle of style”.
You can mix your personal story with the zeitgeist or the ethos of the time.

7. Roger Ebert – Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Probably the greatest film critic of all time, Roger Ebert, tells us not to rage against the dying of the light. This essay is full of courage, erudition, and humanism. From it, we learn about what it means to be dying (Hitchens’ “Mortality” is another great work on that theme). But there’s so much more. It’s a great celebration of life too. It’s about not giving up, and sticking to your principles until the very end. It brings to mind the famous scene from Dead Poets Society where John Keating (Robin Williams) tells his students: “Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary”.

Start with a powerful sentence: “I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear.”
Use quotes to prove your point -”‘Ask someone how they feel about death’, he said, ‘and they’ll tell you everyone’s gonna die’. Ask them, ‘In the next 30 seconds?’ No, no, no, that’s not gonna happen”.
Admit the basic truths about reality in a childlike way (especially after pondering quantum physics) – “I believe my wristwatch exists, and even when I am unconscious, it is ticking all the same. You have to start somewhere”.
Let other thinkers prove your point. Use quotes and ideas from your favorite authors and friends.

8. George Orwell – Shooting an Elephant

Even after one reading, you’ll remember this one for years. The story, set in British Burma, is about shooting an elephant (it’s not for the squeamish). It’s also the most powerful denunciation of colonialism ever put into writing. Orwell, apparently a free representative of British rule, feels to be nothing more than a puppet succumbing to the whim of the mob.

The first sentence is the most important one: “In Moulmein, in Lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people — the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me”.
You can use just the first paragraph to set the stage for the whole piece of prose.
Use beautiful language that stirs the imagination: “I remember that it was a cloudy, stuffy morning at the beginning of the rains.” Or: “I watched him beating his bunch of grass against his knees, with that preoccupied grandmotherly air that elephants have.”
If you’ve ever been to war, you will have a story to tell: “(Never tell me, by the way, that the dead look peaceful. Most of the corpses I have seen looked devilish.)”
Use simple words, and admit the sad truth only you can perceive: “They did not like me, but with the magical rifle in my hands I was momentarily worth watching”.
Share words of wisdom to add texture to the writing: “I perceived at this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his freedom that he destroys.”
I highly recommend reading everything written by Orwell, especially if you’re looking for the best essay collections on Amazon or Goodreads.

9. George Orwell – A Hanging

It’s just another day in Burma – time to hang a man. Without much ado, Orwell recounts the grim reality of taking another person’s life. A man is taken from his cage and in a few minutes, he’s going to be hanged. The most horrible thing is the normality of it. It’s a powerful story about human nature. Also, there’s an extraordinary incident with the dog, but I won’t get ahead of myself.

Create brilliant, yet short descriptions of characters: “He was a Hindu, a puny wisp of a man, with a shaven head and vague liquid eyes. He had a thick, sprouting mustache, absurdly too big for his body, rather like the mustache of a comic man on the films”.
Understand and share the felt presence of a unique experience: “It is curious, but till that moment I had never realized what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man”.
Make your readers hear the sound that will stay with them forever: “And then when the noose was fixed, the prisoner began crying out on his god. It was a high, reiterated cry of “Ram! Ram! Ram! Ram!”
Make the ending original by refusing the tendency to seek closure or summing it up.

10. Christopher Hitchens – Assassins of The Mind

Christopher Hitchens - Arguably - Essays

In one of the greatest essays written in defense of free speech, Christopher Hitchens shares many examples of how modern media kneel to the explicit threats of violence posed by Islamic extremists. He recounts the story of his friend, Salman Rushdie, author of Satanic Verses who, for many years, had to watch over his shoulder because of the fatwa of Ayatollah Khomeini. With his usual wit, Hitchens shares various examples of people who died because of their opinions and of editors who refuse to publish anything related to Islam because of fear (and it was written long before the Charlie Hebdo massacre). After reading the essay, you realize that freedom of expression is one of the most precious things we have and that we have to fight for it. I highly recommend all essay collections penned by Hitchens, especially the ones written for Vanity Fair.

Assume that the readers will know the cultural references. When they do, their self-esteem goes up – they are a part of an insider group.
When proving your point, give a variety of real-life examples from eclectic sources. Leave no room for ambiguity or vagueness. Research and overall knowledge are essential here.
Use italics to emphasize a specific word or phrase (here I use the underlining): “We live now in a climate where every publisher and editor and politician has to weigh in advance the possibility of violent Muslim reprisal. In consequence, several things have not happened.”
Think about how to make it sound more original: “So there is now a hidden partner in our cultural and academic and publishing and the broadcasting world: a shadowy figure that has, uninvited, drawn up a chair to the table.”

11. Christopher Hitchens – The New Commandments

It’s high time to shatter the tablets and amend the biblical rules of conduct. Watch, as Christopher Hitchens slays one commandment after the other on moral, as well as historical grounds. For example, did you know that there are many versions of the divine law dictated by God to Moses which you can find in the Bible? Aren’t we thus empowered to write our version of a proper moral code? If you approach it with an open mind, this essay may change the way you think about the Bible and religion.

Take the iconoclastic approach. Have a party on the hallowed soil.
Use humor to undermine orthodox ideas (it seems to be the best way to deal with an established authority).
Use sarcasm and irony when appropriate (or not): “Nobody is opposed to a day of rest. The international Communist movement got its start by proclaiming a strike for an eight-hour day on May 1, 1886, against Christian employers who used child labor seven days a week”.
Defeat God on legal grounds: “Wise lawmakers know that it is a mistake to promulgate legislation that is impossible to obey”.
Be ruthless in the logic of your argument. Provide evidence.

12. Phillip Lopate – Against Joie de Vivre

Philip Lopate - The Art Of Personal Essay

While reading this fantastic essay, this quote from Slavoj Žižek kept coming back to me: “I think that the only life of deep satisfaction is a life of eternal struggle, especially struggle with oneself. If you want to remain happy, just remain stupid. Authentic masters are never happy; happiness is a category of slaves”. I can bear the onus of happiness or joie de vivre for some time. But this force enables me to get free and wallow in the sweet feelings of melancholy and nostalgia. By reading this work of Lopate, you’ll enter into the world of an intelligent man who finds most social rituals a drag. It’s worth exploring.

Go against the grain. Be flamboyant and controversial (if you can handle it).
Treat the paragraph like a group of thoughts on one theme. Next paragraph, next theme.
Use references to other artists to set the context and enrich the prose: “These sunny little canvases with their talented innocence, the third-generation spirit of Montmartre, bore testimony to a love of life so unbending as to leave an impression of rigid narrow-mindedness as extreme as any Savonarola. Their rejection of sorrow was total”.
Capture the emotions in life that are universal, yet remain unspoken.
Don’t be afraid to share your intimate experiences.

13. Philip Larkin – The Pleasure Principle

Philip Larkin - Jazz Writings, and other essays

This piece comes from the Required Writing collection of personal essays. Larkin argues that reading in verse should be a source of intimate pleasure – not a medley of unintelligible thoughts that only the author can (or can’t?) decipher. It’s a sobering take on modern poetry and a great call to action for all those involved in it. Well worth a read.

Write about complicated ideas (such as poetry) simply. You can change how people look at things if you express yourself enough.
Go boldly. The reader wants a bold writer: “We seem to be producing a new kind of bad poetry, not the old kind that tries to move the reader and fails, but one that does not even try”.
Play with words and sentence length. Create music: “It is time some of you playboys realized, says the judge, that reading a poem is hard work. Fourteen days in stir. Next case”.
Persuade the reader to take action. Here, direct language is the most effective.

14. Sigmund Freud – Thoughts for the Times on War and Death

Sigmund Freud - On Murder, Mourning and Melancholia

This essay reveals Freud’s disillusionment with the whole project of Western civilization. How the peaceful European countries could engage in a war that would eventually cost over 17 million lives? What stirs people to kill each other? Is it their nature, or are they puppets of imperial forces with agendas of their own? From the perspective of time, this work by Freud doesn’t seem to be fully accurate. Even so, it’s well worth your time.

Commence with long words derived from Latin. Get grandiloquent, make your argument incontrovertible, and leave your audience discombobulated.
Use unending sentences, so that the reader feels confused, yet impressed.
Say it well: “In this way, he enjoyed the blue sea and the grey; the beauty of snow-covered mountains and green meadowlands; the magic of northern forests and the splendor of southern vegetation; the mood evoked by landscapes that recall great historical events, and the silence of untouched nature”.
Human nature is a subject that never gets dry.

15. Zadie Smith – Some Notes on Attunement

“You are privy to a great becoming, but you recognize nothing” – Francis Dolarhyde. This one is about the elusiveness of change occurring within you. For Zadie, it was hard to attune to the vibes of Joni Mitchell – especially her Blue album. But eventually, she grew up to appreciate her genius, and all the other things changed as well. This top essay is all about the relationship between humans, and art. We shouldn’t like art because we’re supposed to. We should like it because it has an instantaneous, emotional effect on us. Although, according to Stansfield (Gary Oldman) in Léon, liking Beethoven is rather mandatory.

Build an expectation of what’s coming: “The first time I heard her I didn’t hear her at all”.
Don’t be afraid of repetition if it feels good.
Psychedelic drugs let you appreciate things you never appreciated.
Intertwine a personal journey with philosophical musings.
Show rather than tell: “My friends pitied their eyes. The same look the faithful give you as you hand them back their “literature” and close the door in their faces”.
Let the poets speak for you: “That time is past, / And all its aching joys are now no
more, / And all its dizzy raptures”.
By voicing your anxieties, you can heal the anxieties of the reader. In that way, you say: “I’m just like you. I’m your friend in this struggle”.
Admit your flaws to make your persona more relatable.

16. Annie Dillard – Total Eclipse

Annie Dillard - Teaching A stone to talk

My imagination was always stirred by the scene of the solar eclipse in Pharaoh, by Boleslaw Prus. I wondered about the shock of the disoriented crowd when they saw how their ruler could switch off the light. Getting immersed in this essay by Annie Dillard has a similar effect. It produces amazement and some kind of primeval fear. It’s not only the environment that changes; it’s your mind and the perception of the world. After the eclipse, nothing is going to be the same again.

Yet again, the power of the first sentence draws you in: “It had been like dying, that sliding down the mountain pass”.
Don’t miss the extraordinary scene. Then describe it: “Up in the sky, like a crater from some distant cataclysm, was a hollow ring”.
Use colloquial language. Write as you talk. Short sentences often win.
Contrast the numinous with the mundane to enthrall the reader.

17. Édouard Levé – When I Look at a Strawberry, I Think of a Tongue

This suicidally beautiful essay will teach you a lot about the appreciation of life and the struggle with mental illness. It’s a collection of personal, apparently unrelated thoughts that show us the rich interior of the author. You look at the real-time thoughts of another person, and then recognize the same patterns within yourself… It sounds like a confession of a person who’s about to take their life, and it’s striking in its originality.

Use the stream-of-consciousness technique and put random thoughts on paper. Then, polish them: “I have attempted suicide once, I’ve been tempted four times to attempt it”.
Place the treasure deep within the story: “When I look at a strawberry, I think of a tongue, when I lick one, of a kiss”.
Don’t worry about what people might think. The more you expose, the more powerful the writing. Readers also take part in the great drama. They experience universal emotions that mostly stay inside. You can translate them into writing.

18. Gloria E. Anzaldúa – How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Anzaldúa, who was born in south Texas, had to struggle to find her true identity. She was American, but her culture was grounded in Mexico. In this way, she and her people were not fully respected in either of the countries. This essay is an account of her journey of becoming the ambassador of the Chicano (Mexican-American) culture. It’s full of anecdotes, interesting references, and different shades of Spanish. It’s a window into a new cultural dimension that you’ve never experienced before.

If your mother tongue is not English, but you write in English, use some of your unique homeland vocabulary.
You come from a rich cultural heritage. You can share it with people who never heard about it, and are not even looking for it, but it is of immense value to them when they discover it.
Never forget about your identity. It is precious. It is a part of who you are. Even if you migrate, try to preserve it. Use it to your best advantage and become the voice of other people in the same situation.
Tell them what’s really on your mind: “So if you want to hurt me, talk badly about my language. Ethnic identity is twin skin to linguistic identity – I am my language”.

19. Kurt Vonnegut – Dispatch From A Man Without a Country

In terms of style, this essay is flawless. It’s simple, conversational, humorous, and yet, full of wisdom. And when Vonnegut becomes a teacher and draws an axis of “beginning – end”, and, “good fortune – bad fortune” to explain literature, it becomes outright hilarious. It’s hard to find an author with such a down-to-earth approach. He doesn’t need to get intellectual to prove a point. And the point could be summed up by the quote from Great Expectations – “On the Rampage, Pip, and off the Rampage, Pip – such is Life!”

Start with a curious question: “Do you know what a twerp is?”
Surprise your readers with uncanny analogies: “I am from a family of artists. Here I am, making a living in the arts. It has not been a rebellion. It’s as though I had taken over the family Esso station.”
Use your natural language without too many special effects. In time, the style will crystalize.
An amusing lesson in writing from Mr. Vonnegut: “Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college”.
You can put actual images or vignettes between the paragraphs to illustrate something.

20. Mary Ruefle – On Fear

Most psychologists and gurus agree that fear is the greatest enemy of success or any creative activity. It’s programmed into our minds to keep us away from imaginary harm. Mary Ruefle takes on this basic human emotion with flair. She explores fear from so many angles (especially in the world of poetry-writing) that at the end of this personal essay, you will look at it, dissect it, untangle it, and hopefully be able to say “f**k you” the next time your brain is trying to stop you.

Research your subject thoroughly. Ask people, have interviews, get expert opinions, and gather as much information as possible. Then scavenge through the fields of data, and pull out the golden bits that will let your prose shine.
Use powerful quotes to add color to your story: “The poet who embarks on the creation of the poem (as I know by experience), begins with the aimless sensation of a hunter about to embark on a night hunt through the remotest of forests. Unaccountable dread stirs in his heart”. – Lorca.
Writing advice from the essay: “One of the fears a young writer has is not being able to write as well as he or she wants to, the fear of not being able to sound like X or Y, a favorite author. But out of fear, hopefully, is born a young writer’s voice”.

21. Susan Sontag – Against Interpretation

In this highly intellectual essay, Sontag fights for art and its interpretation. It’s a great lesson, especially for critics and interpreters who endlessly chew on works that simply defy interpretation. Why don’t we just leave the art alone? I always hated it when at school they asked me: “What did the author have in mind when he did X or Y?” Iēsous Pantocrator! Hell if I know! I will judge it through my subjective experience!

Leave the art alone: “Today is such a time, when the project of interpretation is reactionary, stifling. Like the fumes of the automobile and heavy industry which befoul the urban atmosphere, the effusion of interpretations of art today poisons our sensibilities”.
When you have something really important to say, style matters less.
There’s no use in creating a second meaning or inviting interpretation of our art. Just leave it be and let it speak for itself.

22. Nora Ephron – A Few Words About Breasts

This is a heartwarming, coming-of-age story about a young girl who waits in vain for her breasts to grow. It’s simply a humorous and pleasurable read. The size of breasts is a big deal for women. If you’re a man, you may peek into the mind of a woman and learn many interesting things. If you’re a woman, maybe you’ll be able to relate and at last, be at peace with your bosom.

Touch an interesting subject and establish a strong connection with the readers (in that case, women with small breasts). Let your personality shine through the written piece. If you are lighthearted, show it.
Use hyphens to create an impression of real talk: “My house was full of apples and peaches and milk and homemade chocolate chip cookies – which were nice, and good for you, but-not-right-before-dinner-or-you’ll-spoil-your-appetite.”
Use present tense when you tell a story to add more life to it.
Share the pronounced, memorable traits of characters: “A previous girlfriend named Solange, who was famous throughout Beverly Hills High School for having no pigment in her right eyebrow, had knitted them for him (angora dice)”.

23. Carl Sagan – Does Truth Matter – Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization

Carl Sagan was one of the greatest proponents of skepticism, and an author of numerous books, including one of my all-time favorites – The Demon-Haunted World . He was also a renowned physicist and the host of the fantastic Cosmos: A Personal Voyage series, which inspired a whole generation to uncover the mysteries of the cosmos. He was also a dedicated weed smoker – clearly ahead of his time. The essay that you’re about to read is a crystallization of his views about true science, and why you should check the evidence before believing in UFOs or similar sorts of crap.

Tell people the brutal truth they need to hear. Be the one who spells it out for them.
Give a multitude of examples to prove your point. Giving hard facts helps to establish trust with the readers and show the veracity of your arguments.
Recommend a good book that will change your reader’s minds – How We Know What Isn’t So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life

24. Paul Graham – How To Do What You Love

How To Do What You Love should be read by every college student and young adult. The Internet is flooded with a large number of articles and videos that are supposed to tell you what to do with your life. Most of them are worthless, but this one is different. It’s sincere, and there’s no hidden agenda behind it. There’s so much we take for granted – what we study, where we work, what we do in our free time… Surely we have another two hundred years to figure it out, right? Life’s too short to be so naïve. Please, read the essay and let it help you gain fulfillment from your work.

Ask simple, yet thought-provoking questions (especially at the beginning of the paragraph) to engage the reader: “How much are you supposed to like what you do?”
Let the readers question their basic assumptions: “Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. It causes you to work not on what you like, but what you’d like to like”.
If you’re writing for a younger audience, you can act as a mentor. It’s beneficial for younger people to read a few words of advice from a person with experience.

25. John Jeremiah Sullivan – Mister Lytle

A young, aspiring writer is about to become a nurse of a fading writer – Mister Lytle (Andrew Nelson Lytle), and there will be trouble. This essay by Sullivan is probably my favorite one from the whole list. The amount of beautiful sentences it contains is just overwhelming. But that’s just a part of its charm. It also takes you to the Old South which has an incredible atmosphere. It’s grim and tawny but you want to stay there for a while.

Short, distinct sentences are often the most powerful ones: “He had a deathbed, in other words. He didn’t go suddenly”.
Stay consistent with the mood of the story. When reading Mister Lytle you are immersed in that southern, forsaken, gloomy world, and it’s a pleasure.
The spectacular language that captures it all: “His French was superb, but his accent in English was best—that extinct mid-Southern, land-grant pioneer speech, with its tinges of the abandoned Celtic urban Northeast (“boned” for burned) and its raw gentility”.
This essay is just too good. You have to read it.

26. Joan Didion – On Self Respect

Normally, with that title, you would expect some straightforward advice about how to improve your character and get on with your goddamn life – but not from Joan Didion. From the very beginning, you can feel the depth of her thinking, and the unmistakable style of a true woman who’s been hurt. You can learn more from this essay than from whole books about self-improvement . It reminds me of the scene from True Detective, where Frank Semyon tells Ray Velcoro to “own it” after he realizes he killed the wrong man all these years ago. I guess we all have to “own it”, recognize our mistakes, and move forward sometimes.

Share your moral advice: “Character — the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life — is the source from which self-respect springs”.
It’s worth exploring the subject further from a different angle. It doesn’t matter how many people have already written on self-respect or self-reliance – you can still write passionately about it.
Whatever happens, you must take responsibility for it. Brave the storms of discontent.

27. Susan Sontag – Notes on Camp

Susan Sontag - Essays of the 1960 and 1970

I’ve never read anything so thorough and lucid about an artistic current. After reading this essay, you will know what camp is. But not only that – you will learn about so many artists you’ve never heard of. You will follow their traces and go to places where you’ve never been before. You will vastly increase your appreciation of art. It’s interesting how something written as a list could be so amazing. All the listicles we usually see on the web simply cannot compare with it.

Talking about artistic sensibilities is a tough job. When you read the essay, you will see how much research, thought and raw intellect came into it. But that’s one of the reasons why people still read it today, even though it was written in 1964.
You can choose an unorthodox way of expression in the medium for which you produce. For example, Notes on Camp is a listicle – one of the most popular content formats on the web. But in the olden days, it was uncommon to see it in print form.
Just think about what is camp: “And third among the great creative sensibilities is Camp: the sensibility of failed seriousness, of the theatricalization of experience. Camp refuses both the harmonies of traditional seriousness and the risks of fully identifying with extreme states of feeling”.

28. Ralph Waldo Emerson – Self-Reliance

Ralph Waldo Emerson - Self Reliance and other essays

That’s the oldest one from the lot. Written in 1841, it still inspires generations of people. It will let you understand what it means to be self-made. It contains some of the most memorable quotes of all time. I don’t know why, but this one especially touched me: “Every true man is a cause, a country, and an age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his design, and posterity seems to follow his steps as a train of clients”. Now isn’t it purely individualistic, American thought? Emerson told me (and he will tell you) to do something amazing with my life. The language it contains is a bit archaic, but that just adds to the weight of the argument. You can consider it to be a meeting with a great philosopher who shaped the ethos of the modern United States.

You can start with a powerful poem that will set the stage for your work.
Be free in your creative flow. Do not wait for the approval of others: “What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness”.
Use rhetorical questions to strengthen your argument: “I hear a preacher announce for his text and topic the expediency of one of the institutions of his church. Do I not know beforehand that not possibly say a new and spontaneous word?”

29. David Foster Wallace – Consider The Lobster

David Foster Wallece - Consider the lobster and other essays

When you want simple field notes about a food festival, you needn’t send there the formidable David Foster Wallace. He sees right through the hypocrisy and cruelty behind killing hundreds of thousands of innocent lobsters – by boiling them alive. This essay uncovers some of the worst traits of modern American people. There are no apologies or hedging one’s bets. There’s just plain truth that stabs you in the eye like a lobster claw. After reading this essay, you may reconsider the whole animal-eating business.

When it’s important, say it plainly and stagger the reader: “[Lobsters] survive right up until they’re boiled. Most of us have been in supermarkets or restaurants that feature tanks of live lobster, from which you can pick out your supper while it watches you point”.
In your writing, put exact quotes of the people you’ve been interviewing (including slang and grammatical errors). It makes it more vivid, and interesting.
You can use humor in serious situations to make your story grotesque.
Use captions to expound on interesting points of your essay.

30. David Foster Wallace – The Nature of the Fun

David Foster Wallece - a supposedly fun thing I'll never do again

The famous novelist and author of the most powerful commencement speech ever done is going to tell you about the joys and sorrows of writing a work of fiction. It’s like taking care of a mutant child that constantly oozes smelly liquids. But you love that child and you want others to love it too. It’s a very humorous account of what it means to be an author. If you ever plan to write a novel, you should read that one. And the story about the Chinese farmer is just priceless.

Base your point on a chimerical analogy. Here, the writer’s unfinished work is a “hideously damaged infant”.
Even in expository writing, you may share an interesting story to keep things lively.
Share your true emotions (even when you think they won’t interest anyone). Often, that’s exactly what will interest the reader.
Read the whole essay for marvelous advice on writing fiction.

31. Margaret Atwood – Attitude

Margaret Atwood - Writing with Intent - Essays, Reviews, Personal Prose 1983-2005

This is not an essay per se, but I included it on the list for the sake of variety. It was delivered as a commencement speech at The University of Toronto, and it’s about keeping the right attitude. Soon after leaving university, most graduates have to forget about safety, parties, and travel and start a new life – one filled with a painful routine that will last until they drop. Atwood says that you don’t have to accept that. You can choose how you react to everything that happens to you (and you don’t have to stay in that dead-end job for the rest of your days).

At times, we are all too eager to persuade, but the strongest persuasion is not forceful. It’s subtle. It speaks to the heart. It affects you gradually.
You may be tempted to talk about a subject by first stating what it is not, rather than what it is. Try to avoid that.
Simple advice for writers (and life in general): “When faced with the inevitable, you always have a choice. You may not be able to alter reality, but you can alter your attitude towards it”.

32. Jo Ann Beard – The Fourth State of Matter

Read that one as soon as possible. It’s one of the most masterful and impactful essays you’ll ever read. It’s like a good horror – a slow build-up, and then your jaw drops to the ground. To summarize the story would be to spoil it, so I recommend that you just dig in and devour this essay in one sitting. It’s a perfect example of “show, don’t tell” writing, where the actions of characters are enough to create the right effect. No need for flowery adjectives here.

The best story you will tell is going to come from your personal experience.
Use mysteries that will nag the reader. For example, at the beginning of the essay, we learn about the “vanished husband” but there’s no explanation. We have to keep reading to get the answer.
Explain it in simple terms: “You’ve got your solid, your liquid, your gas, and then your plasma”. Why complicate?

33. Terence McKenna – Tryptamine Hallucinogens and Consciousness

To me, Terence McKenna was one of the most interesting thinkers of the twentieth century. His many lectures (now available on YouTube) attracted millions of people who suspect that consciousness holds secrets yet to be unveiled. McKenna consumed psychedelic drugs for most of his life and it shows (in a positive way). Many people consider him a looney, and a hippie, but he was so much more than that. He dared to go into the abyss of his psyche and come back to tell the tale. He also wrote many books (the most famous being Food Of The Gods ), built a huge botanical garden in Hawaii , lived with shamans, and was a connoisseur of all things enigmatic and obscure. Take a look at this essay, and learn more about the explorations of the subconscious mind.

Become the original thinker, but remember that it may require extraordinary measures: “I call myself an explorer rather than a scientist because the area that I’m looking at contains insufficient data to support even the dream of being a science”.
Learn new words every day to make your thoughts lucid.
Come up with the most outlandish ideas to push the envelope of what’s possible. Don’t take things for granted or become intellectually lazy. Question everything.

34. Eudora Welty – The Little Store

By reading this little-known essay, you will be transported into the world of the old American South. It’s a remembrance of trips to the little store in a little town. It’s warm and straightforward, and when you read it, you feel like a child once more. All these beautiful memories live inside of us. They lay somewhere deep in our minds, hidden from sight. The work by Eudora Welty is an attempt to uncover some of them and let you get reacquainted with some smells and tastes of the past.

When you’re from the South, flaunt it. It’s still good old English but sometimes it sounds so foreign. I can hear the Southern accent too: “There were almost tangible smells – licorice recently sucked in a child’s cheek, dill-pickle brine that had leaked through a paper sack in a fresh trail across the wooden floor, ammonia-loaded ice that had been hoisted from wet Croker sacks and slammed into the icebox with its sweet butter at the door, and perhaps the smell of still-untrapped mice”.
Yet again, never forget your roots.
Childhood stories can be the most powerful ones. You can write about how they shaped you.

35. John McPhee – The Search for Marvin Gardens

The Search for Marvin Gardens contains many layers of meaning. It’s a story about a Monopoly championship, but also, it’s the author’s search for the lost streets visible on the board of the famous board game. It also presents a historical perspective on the rise and fall of civilizations, and on Atlantic City, which once was a lively place, and then, slowly declined, the streets filled with dirt and broken windows.

There’s nothing like irony: “A sign- ‘Slow, Children at Play’- has been bent backward by an automobile”.
Telling the story in apparently unrelated fragments is sometimes better than telling the whole thing in a logical order.
Creativity is everything. The best writing may come just from connecting two ideas and mixing them to achieve a great effect. Shush! The muse is whispering.

36. Maxine Hong Kingston – No Name Woman

Maxine Hong Kingston - Conversations with Maxine Hong Kingston

A dead body at the bottom of the well makes for a beautiful literary device. The first line of Orhan Pamuk’s novel My Name Is Red delivers it perfectly: “I am nothing but a corpse now, a body at the bottom of a well”. There’s something creepy about the idea of the well. Just think about the “It puts the lotion in the basket” scene from The Silence of the Lambs. In the first paragraph of Kingston’s essay, we learn about a suicide committed by uncommon means of jumping into the well. But this time it’s a real story. Who was this woman? Why did she do it? Read the essay.

Mysterious death always gets attention. The macabre details are like daiquiris on a hot day – you savor them – you don’t let them spill.
One sentence can speak volumes: “But the rare urge west had fixed upon our family, and so my aunt crossed boundaries not delineated in space”.
It’s interesting to write about cultural differences – especially if you have the relevant experience. Something normal for us is unthinkable for others. Show this different world.
The subject of sex is never boring.

37. Joan Didion – On Keeping A Notebook

Joan Didion - We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live

Slouching Towards Bethlehem is one of the most famous collections of essays of all time. In it, you will find a curious piece called On Keeping A Notebook. It’s not only a meditation about keeping a journal. It’s also Didion’s reconciliation with her past self. After reading it, you will seriously reconsider your life’s choices and look at your life from a wider perspective.

When you write things down in your journal, be more specific – unless you want to write a deep essay about it years later.
Use the beauty of the language to relate to the past: “I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be; one of them, a seventeen-year-old, presents little threat, although it would be of some interest to me to know again what it feels like to sit on a river levee drinking vodka-and-orange-juice and listening to Les Paul and Mary Ford and their echoes sing ‘How High the Moon’ on the car radio”.
Drop some brand names if you want to feel posh.

38. Joan Didion – Goodbye To All That

Joan Didion - Slouching Towards Bethlehem

This one touched me because I also lived in New York City for a while. I don’t know why, but stories about life in NYC are so often full of charm and this eerie-melancholy-jazz feeling. They are powerful. They go like this: “There was a hard blizzard in NYC. As the sound of sirens faded, Tony descended into the dark world of hustlers and pimps.” That’s pulp literature but in the context of NYC, it always sounds cool. Anyway, this essay is amazing in too many ways. You just have to read it.

Talk about New York City. They will read it.
Talk about the human experience: “It did occur to me to call the desk and ask that the air conditioner be turned off, I never called, because I did not know how much to tip whoever might come—was anyone ever so young?”
Look back at your life and reexamine it. Draw lessons from it.

39. George Orwell – Reflections on Gandhi

George Orwell could see things as they were. No exaggeration, no romanticism – just facts. He recognized totalitarianism and communism for what they were and shared his worries through books like 1984 and Animal Farm . He took the same sober approach when dealing with saints and sages. Today, we regard Gandhi as one of the greatest political leaders of the twentieth century – and rightfully so. But did you know that when asked about the Jews during World War II, Gandhi said that they should commit collective suicide and that it: “would have aroused the world and the people of Germany to Hitler’s violence.” He also recommended utter pacifism in 1942, during the Japanese invasion, even though he knew it would cost millions of lives. But overall he was a good guy. Read the essay and broaden your perspective on the Bapu of the Indian Nation.

Share a philosophical thought that stops the reader for a moment: “No doubt alcohol, tobacco, and so forth are things that a saint must avoid, but sainthood is also a thing that human beings must avoid”.
Be straightforward in your writing – no mannerisms, no attempts to create ‘style’, and no invocations of the numinous – unless you feel the mystical vibe.

40. George Orwell – Politics and the English Language

Let Mr. Orwell give you some writing tips. Written in 1946, this essay is still one of the most helpful documents on writing in English. Orwell was probably the first person who exposed the deliberate vagueness of political language. He was very serious about it and I admire his efforts to slay all unclear sentences (including ones written by distinguished professors). But it’s good to make it humorous too from time to time. My favorite examples of that would be the immortal Soft Language sketch by George Carlin or the “Romans Go Home” scene from Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Overall, it’s a great essay filled with examples from many written materials. It’s a must-read for any writer.

Listen to the master: “This mixture of vagueness and sheer incompetence is the most marked characteristic of modern English prose.” Do something about it.
This essay is all about writing better, so go to the source if you want the goodies.

Other Essays You May Find Interesting

The list that I’ve prepared is by no means complete. The literary world is full of exciting essays and you’ll never know which one is going to change your life. I’ve found reading essays very rewarding because sometimes, a single one means more than reading a whole book. It’s almost like wandering around and peeking into the minds of the greatest writers and thinkers that ever lived. To make this list more comprehensive, below I included more essays you may find interesting.

Oliver Sacks – On Libraries

One of the greatest contributors to the knowledge about the human mind, Oliver Sacks meditates on the value of libraries and his love of books.

Noam Chomsky – The Responsibility of Intellectuals

Chomsky did probably more than anyone else to define the role of the intelligentsia in the modern world . There is a war of ideas over there – good and bad – intellectuals are going to be those who ought to be fighting for the former.

Sam Harris – The Riddle of The Gun

Sam Harris, now a famous philosopher and neuroscientist, takes on the problem of gun control in the United States. His thoughts are clear of prejudice. After reading this, you’ll appreciate the value of logical discourse overheated, irrational debate that more often than not has real implications on policy.

Tim Ferriss – Some Practical Thoughts on Suicide

This piece was written as a blog post , but it’s worth your time. The author of the NYT bestseller The 4-Hour Workweek shares an emotional story about how he almost killed himself, and what can you do to save yourself or your friends from suicide.

Edward Said – Reflections on Exile

The life of Edward Said was a truly fascinating one. Born in Jerusalem, he lived between Palestine and Egypt and finally settled down in the United States, where he completed his most famous work – Orientalism. In this essay, he shares his thoughts about what it means to be in exile.

Richard Feynman – It’s as Simple as One, Two, Three…

Richard Feynman is one of the most interesting minds of the twentieth century. He was a brilliant physicist, but also an undeniably great communicator of science, an artist, and a traveler. By reading this essay, you can observe his thought process when he tries to figure out what affects our perception of time. It’s a truly fascinating read.

Rabindranath Tagore – The Religion of The Forest

I like to think about Tagore as my spiritual Friend. His poems are just marvelous. They are like some of the Persian verses that praise love, nature, and the unity of all things. By reading this short essay, you will learn a lot about Indian philosophy and its relation to its Western counterpart.

Richard Dawkins – Letter To His 10-Year-Old Daughter

Every father should be able to articulate his philosophy of life to his children. With this letter that’s similar to what you find in the Paris Review essays , the famed atheist and defender of reason, Richard Dawkins, does exactly that. It’s beautifully written and stresses the importance of looking at evidence when we’re trying to make sense of the world.

Albert Camus – The Minotaur (or, The Stop In Oran)

Each person requires a period of solitude – a period when one’s able to gather thoughts and make sense of life. There are many places where you may attempt to find quietude. Albert Camus tells about his favorite one.

Koty Neelis – 21 Incredible Life Lessons From Anthony Bourdain

I included it as the last one because it’s not really an essay, but I just had to put it somewhere. In this listicle, you’ll find the 21 most original thoughts of the high-profile cook, writer, and TV host, Anthony Bourdain. Some of them are shocking, others are funny, but they’re all worth checking out.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca – On the Shortness of Life

It’s similar to the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam because it praises life. Seneca shares some of his stoic philosophy and tells you not to waste your time on stupidities. Drink! – for once dead you shall never return.

Bertrand Russell – In Praise of Idleness

This old essay is a must-read for modern humans. We are so preoccupied with our work, our phones, and all the media input we drown in our business. Bertrand Russell tells you to chill out a bit – maybe it will do you some good.

James Baldwin – Stranger in the Village

It’s an essay on the author’s experiences as an African-American in a Swiss village, exploring race, identity, and alienation while highlighting the complexities of racial dynamics and the quest for belonging.

Bonus – More writing tips from two great books

The mission to improve my writing skills took me further than just going through the essays. I’ve come across some great books on writing too. I highly recommend you read them in their entirety. They’re written beautifully and contain lots of useful knowledge. Below you’ll find random (but useful) notes that I took from The Sense of Style and On Writing.

The Sense of Style – By Steven Pinker

Style manuals are full of inconsistencies. Following their advice might not be the best idea. They might make your prose boring.
Grammarians from all eras condemn students for not knowing grammar. But it just evolves. It cannot be rigid.
“Nothing worth learning can be taught” – Oscar Wilde. It’s hard to learn to write from a manual – you have to read, write, and analyze.
Good writing makes you imagine things and feel them for yourself – use word pictures.
Don’t fear using voluptuous words.
Phonesthetics – or how the words sound.
Use parallel language (consistency of tense).
Good writing finishes strong.
Write to someone. Never write for no one in mind. Try to show people your view of the world.
Don’t tell everything you are going to say in summary (signposting) – be logical, but be conversational.
Don’t be pompous.
Don’t use quotation marks where they don’t “belong”. Be confident about your style.
Don’t hedge your claims (research first, and then tell it like it is).
Avoid clichés and meta-concepts (concepts about concepts). Be more straightforward!
Not prevention – but prevents or prevented – don’t use dead nouns.
Be more vivid while using your mother tongue – don’t use passive where it’s not needed. Direct the reader’s gaze to something in the world.
The curse of knowledge – the reader doesn’t know what you know – beware of that.
Explain technical terms.
Use examples when you explain a difficult term.
If you ever say “I think I understand this” it probably means you don’t.
It’s better to underestimate the lingo of your readers than to overestimate it.
Functional fixedness – if we know some object (or idea) well, we tend to see it in terms of usage, not just as an object.
Use concrete language instead of an abstraction.
Show your work to people before you publish (get feedback!).
Wait for a few days and then revise, revise, revise. Think about clarity and the sound of sentences. Then show it to someone. Then revise one more time. Then publish (if it’s to be serious work).
Look at it from the perspective of other people.
Omit needless words.
Put the heaviest words at the end of the sentence.
It’s good to use the passive, but only when appropriate.
Check all text for cohesion. Make sure that the sentences flow gently.
In expository work, go from general to more specific. But in journalism start from the big news and then give more details.
Use the paragraph break to give the reader a moment to take a breath.
Use the verb instead of a noun (make it more active) – not “cancellation”, but “canceled”. But after you introduce the action, you can refer to it with a noun.
Avoid too many negations.
If you write about why something is so, don’t spend too much time writing about why it is not.

On Writing Well – By William Zinsser

Writing is a craft. You need to sit down every day and practice your craft.
You should re-write and polish your prose a lot.
Throw out all the clutter. Don’t keep it because you like it. Aim for readability.
Look at the best examples of English literature . There’s hardly any needless garbage there.
Use shorter expressions. Don’t add extra words that don’t bring any value to your work.
Don’t use pompous language. Use simple language and say plainly what’s going on (“because” equals “because”).
The media and politics are full of cluttered prose (because it helps them to cover up for their mistakes).
You can’t add style to your work (and especially, don’t add fancy words to create an illusion of style). That will look fake. You need to develop a style.
Write in the “I” mode. Write to a friend or just for yourself. Show your personality. There is a person behind the writing.
Choose your words carefully. Use the dictionary to learn different shades of meaning.
Remember about phonology. Make music with words .
The lead is essential. Pull the reader in. Otherwise, your article is dead.
You don’t have to make the final judgment on any topic. Just pick the right angle.
Do your research. Not just obvious research, but a deep one.
When it’s time to stop, stop. And finish strong. Think about the last sentence. Surprise them.
Use quotations. Ask people. Get them talking.
If you write about travel, it must be significant to the reader. Don’t bother with the obvious. Choose your words with special care. Avoid travel clichés at all costs. Don’t tell that the sand was white and there were rocks on the beach. Look for the right detail.
If you want to learn how to write about art, travel, science, etc. – read the best examples available. Learn from the masters.
Concentrate on one big idea (“Let’s not go peeing down both legs”).
“The reader has to feel that the writer is feeling good.”
One very helpful question: “What is the piece really about?” (Not just “What the piece is about?”)

Now immerse yourself in the world of essays

By reading the essays from the list above, you’ll become a better writer , a better reader, but also a better person. An essay is a special form of writing. It is the only literary form that I know of that is an absolute requirement for career or educational advancement. Nowadays, you can use an AI essay writer or an AI essay generator that will get the writing done for you, but if you have personal integrity and strong moral principles, avoid doing this at all costs. For me as a writer, the effect of these authors’ masterpieces is often deeply personal. You won’t be able to find the beautiful thoughts they contain in any other literary form. I hope you enjoy the read and that it will inspire you to do your writing. This list is only an attempt to share some of the best essays available online. Next up, you may want to check the list of magazines and websites that accept personal essays .

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COMMENTS

A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER "
'' A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER " PREPARED BY: PREPARED FOR: AHMAD NIZAM B MOHD YUSOF TABLE OF CONTENTS NAME ANISSA AFRINA BT JULIAZMIN MATRIC'S NUMBER 2020477212 CLASS AS2012-A. No Contents Pages. 1 Introduction. 3. 2 Leader's background. 4 - 6. 3 Contents: i) Leader' traits and skills ii) Leader's behaviour iii) Leader's power ...
Assignment 1-A Famous Contemporary Leader
2 LEADER'S BACKGROUND 4 3 CONTENTS. 3 Leader's Traits and Skill 5. 3 Leader's Behavior 6 3 Leader's Power 6 4 CONCLUSION 7. 5 REFERENCES 8 6 APPENDICE 9 DECLARATION FORM 10 2 LEADER'S BACKGROUND
The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around
A survey of 195 leaders from more than 30 global organizations suggests that there are five major themes of competencies that strong leaders exhibit: High ethical standards and providing a safe ...
Assignment: Evaluating Leadership
There are numerous websites naming leaders to get you started. A quick search on "famous contemporary leaders" revealed millions of possible lists, OR you may select a leader in your personal or professional life: your boss, a coach, a team leader, etc. ... Write a five-paragraph essay profiling your chosen leader. First, introduce your ...
10.5: Assignment- Evaluating Leadership
A quick search on "famous contemporary leaders" revealed millions of possible lists, OR you may select a leader in your personal or professional life: your boss, a coach, a team leader, etc. Research your chosen leader, identifying evidence of his/her traits, styles, and leadership situations. Relate your findings to the module concepts.
15 Of The World's Most Inspiring Female Leaders
Wolfe Herd frequently speaks to and mentors other female entrepreneurs, and under her leadership, an amazing 70% of Bumble's board is women. 10 . Maria Eitel, Founder and Chair of the Nike ...
10 Lessons From History About What Makes a Great Leader
Ability to plan—and Adapt. A leader's ability to plan meticulously is important, despite Moltke's dictum that few plans last beyond the initial contact with the enemy. "Plans are worthless ...
Leadership Essay Writing Guide with Examples
Body Paragraphs. You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point is give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader.
A Famous Contemporary Leadership Essay.docx
2.0 LEADERSHIP OF JACK MA 2.1 Traits and Skills To be a good leader and able to handle such big organization need lots of skills and good attitude to gain the trust of employees who work under our leadership. To be successful leader, traits and skills are the important thing in leadership. IQ are less use rather than personality traits. 85% of successful person use their skills while working ...
What Makes a Great Leader?
A willingness to take quick and bold action, even when it carries political risk, is surely among the most important hallmarks of leadership in a crisis. It is now obvious that China's efforts ...
Assignment A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER : TONY FERNANDES
MGT420 Reflective Essay; Famous Contemporary Leader INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT management; Individual Assignment 20% - Reflection Essay; Related Studylists Famous Comtemporary Leader MGT420 Mgt. AI Quiz. AI Quiz. Download. 6 1. Was this document helpful? 6 1. Save Share. Assignment A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER : TONY FERNANDES.
FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER ESSAY.docx
View FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER ESSAY.docx from BUSINESS MGT420 at Universiti Teknologi Mara. FACULTY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING MGT 420: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MANAGEMENT "A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY ... Therefore, this question is best answered by sharing a living tale and experience of one of the famous contemporary leaders.
5 Influential Leaders Who Transformed the World
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869-1948), political and spiritual leader of India. Public domain image. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led the fight for Indian nationalism against ...
20 Famous Business Leaders Who Changed The World
Famous business leader Ursula Burns started at the Xerox Corporation as a summer intern in 1980 and became president of the company in 2007. From 2010 to 2017, she was the chairman of the board for Xerox and CEO from 2009 to 2016. She turned the company into one of the world's most diversified business services companies during her tenure.
159 Leadership Essay Topics & Ideas
Leadership essay topics cover a broad range of themes, exploring the various dimensions of leadership. They prompt critical thinking about the attributes, styles, and impacts of effective leaders. Some topics may range from analyzing historical figures' leadership styles and discussing the role of ethical leadership in contemporary society to ...
MGT420 Assignment (Famous contemporary leader)
MGT420 Assignment (Famous contemporary leader) ... Related Papers. Elon Musks challenges and opportunities20191020 51727 1matkrp. Yanghui Liu. Download Free PDF View PDF. Tesla Final Project. Justine fournier. Download Free PDF View PDF. Ala Nasser Alomrani. Innovation Audit of Tesla Volume 7 Issue2 Feburary 2022.
Essays About Effective Leadership: 6 Essay Examples
Practicing effective leadership goes beyond having direction and a vision for the organization. Becoming an effective leader also takes time and patience. Use this prompt to discuss the habits of great leaders and how these habits make them effective in their leadership. 5. Studying the Mindsets of Effective Leaders.
A famous contemporary leader.docx
View A famous contemporary leader.docx from HUMAN RESO 102 at Universiti Teknologi Mara. A famous contemporary leader. Leadership is defined by how well you lead a team into the goals and objectives ... View Essay - Essay on Leadership #2.docx from AP CSP 1 at T.R. Robinson High School. Es... essay. Week 4 study ref.docx. University of Phoenix ...
Individual Assignment 1 famous contemporary leader
Arissa Reflective Writing Essay principles and practice of management; MGT420 Individual Assignment; Principles and Practice of Management-Famous Leader (Nigel Austin) ... A FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER' IN ANY ORGANIZATION. Rosnalina Abdul Rahman. 28 December 2021. SARAH BINTI SAMSURI. 2021849758 001120-10-BA249 1A MGT.
11 Examples of Good Leaders in Modern History
Good leaders share a level of brilliance that enables them to inspire the masses toward new ideas and innovations. Examples include Mahatma Gandhi, Oprah Winfrey, and Martin Luther King Jr. Reading about exceptional leaders is beneficial because it allows you to learn positive traits and behaviors to emulate.
40 Best Essays of All Time (Including Links & Writing Tips)
1. David Sedaris - Laugh, Kookaburra. A great family drama takes place against the backdrop of the Australian wilderness. And the Kookaburra laughs…. This is one of the top essays of the lot. It's a great mixture of family reminiscences, travel writing, and advice on what's most important in life.
Famous Contemporary Leader (TAN SRI SYED Mokhtar Albukhary)
assignment question: famous contemporary leader (tan sri syed mokhtar shah bin syed nor albukhary) lecturer name: madam roslina binti abd latiff prepared by:-student name student no. raihanah binti hassanudin 2020444362 submission date: 11th july 2021 table of contents page 1 acknowledgment 3 2 introduction 4 3 profile leader 5 4 content 6-5 ...
MGT420
FAMOUS CONTEMPORARY LEADER: TAN SRI PADUKA DR. UNGKU ZETI AKHTAR BINTI UNGKU ABDUL AZIZ. Leadership skills are the strengths and abilities individuals demonstrate that help the oversee processes, guide initiatives and steer their employees toward the achievement of goals while leadership traits are the personal qualities that shape effective ...