The Secret: What Great Leaders Know – And Do

Essay by joycehendersonCollege, UndergraduateA, March 2008

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There is an exalted role that each individual may be able to play in today's society. This role is leadership. Leadership is defined by some as "a person in a position of authority who is responsible for the results of those under his or her direction" (Miller, 10). This statement is not incorrect but is far from complete. Leadership is a broad topic. It can apply to any aspect of life. There are different concepts of leadership. There are also several factors that are used to determine leadership status.

To begin, one must understand that leading and managing are two separate topics. A manager is a person that is trained to delegate different tasks and responsibilities. However, a leader can become a manager. This is the situation that Debbie was faced in The Secret. After being promoted, her misconception of leadership led to low performance. Once she realized her job was on the line, Debbie decided to re-evaluate her leadership strategies.

This problem occurs all to often. Although the situation can be addressed with such things as seminars or classes, the issue is often neglected.

There are various reasons for this problem. Many of them center on societies' definition of leadership. For generations, we have looked to past philosophers in search for answers. From their views and ideas, several theories were developed. First we must understand that leadership, as we know it today has a distinct meaning. In the past, only those in powerful positions in government or the church. People also compared leaders to heroes. Then there were those who thought leadership traits were inherited. If a person was an immediate descendant of a great leader then he was destined to reach a similar status (Wren, 133). This serves true in some instances. The former mayor and...