Elizabeth (Biz) Kiley 1

In reading Joshua Rothman’s article from the New Yorker, “Shut Up and Sit

Down: Why the Leadership Industry Rules” I found that I agreed with many points the

article makes concerning leadership, especially when it spoke on the issues

surrounding the idealization of leadership. The excerpt about John Adams’s qualms with

the fetishization of leadership particularly resonated with me. The article states, “The

country won’t improve, Adams wrote, until the people begin to ‘consider themselves as

the fountain of power.’” (Rothman). In our modern-day internet and social media filled

world, it is now more accessible than ever to have a voice and to make an impact. Due

to this, I believe it is crucial that people are able to recognize how much power lies

within the individual. For this reason, I feel the study of leadership is important for

everyone. I believe leaders are made up of actions and not identity traits, and we all

have the power to take action in our own lives and communities.

To me, leadership is the act of inspiring others into desired action. I feel that a

good leader is a person who exudes positivity, which energizes their followers. I think a

skilled leader delegates tasks to give their followers clear steps to complete to solve the

impending problem. I think a true leader is open to listening to the ideas of their

followers but is also decisive and in charge. When I reflect on my experiences with

leaders I often think of bosses, coaches, and teachers that have motivated me and

those that were not effective in these roles. For example, through playing various team

sports throughout high school, I realized that the teams I was on were more effective

when we were being coached by someone who encouraged the team versus being

coached by someone who insulted the team. Specifically, a professional context, I think

a leader is someone who makes their team or followers take pride in their work.