Leadership is an observable, learnable set of practices. Leadership is not something mystical and ethereal that cannot be understood by ordinary people. Given the opportunity for feedback and practice, those with the desire and persistence to lead – to make a difference – can substantially improve their abilities to do so.
- Kouzes and Posner, The Leadership Challenge
I believe this quote to be very true. A leader can be anybody who has the desire to make a difference in whatever area they choose to take action in whether he is a normal citizen or the president. Being a leader is not an unreachable goal because, “Leadership is an observable, learnable set of practices”(Kouzes). This is true because leadership traits are easy to learn and there are many ways such as observing leaders, taking a class, and trial and error. Also, desire and persistence are two key qualities to be a good leader. To effectively lead, one must truly desire the cause they are leading and they must have the persistence to not give up easily because if the leader gives up then all the followers will too. Being a leader is not easy, but it is an attainable goal for somebody who truly wants to make a difference.
Jacob, you do a nice job tackling this post and applying the quote to elements of our classroom discussion. Have you seen examples around you of leaders learning as they go? That could have made for a nice addition. Otherwise, this is constructed well and with care. Nice job!
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