John Kenneth Galbraith
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The goal of this paper is to define what a leader is and how these leaders can help out today. John Kenneth Galbraith defines a leader as “the willingness to confront the major anxiety of their people in their time.” I think this definition of a leader is valid, though not complete. The word “leadership” is such a powerful and meaningful word that one sentence cannot justly define it. The word “anxiety” that Galbraith uses plays a big part in leadership as there are many anxieties in the business world today and it is up to the leaders to confront them. However, this is not the sole purpose of a leader.
Everybody in a business setting needs a leader, someone to look up to. It takes a lot to be a leader, let alone a “good” leader. Jack Welch gives eight points that define what a good leader is. Some of the key points he makes are, “Leaders have the courage to make unpopular decisions and gut calls. Leaders inspire risk taking and learning by setting the example. Leaders celebrate.” When his points are combines with Gailbraiths definition, the word leadership takes on more meaning. Colin Powell offers great leadership advice in which he lists eighteen lessons that a leader should follow. Each lesson can be quoted on its own to define leadership, and all together, along with the two groups of definitions mentioned above, can further complete the definition of leadership. A leader is not only one who takes action when in need, but also someone who can be looked up to, someone who courageous and trustworthy, and someone who knows what to say and when. Leadership is not a simple word and to each leader, it might take on a different meaning.
As technology is on the rise and people are evolving socially, there are many new anxieties in the business world today. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a phrase that has been buzzing around the business world the past several decades. CSR is a way for businesses to be seen well in the publics eye. CSR is appealing to environmentalists by going green, or following a strict code of ethics that is adherent to the law. By upholding corporate social responsibility, a business would be in the public interest in a positive way. However, many businessmen argue that CSR diverges from the main economic role of a business. To these critics, investing money to woo the public takes away from profits. This has been up for debate for a long time, and along the way there have been many business “leaders” to take a stand in the move towards being socially responsible.
An excellent example of a leader, and of someone who is dealing with present day anxieties, is Bill Gates. In practicing CSR, Bill Gates started the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed to help people in need. One of his recent major accomplishments is the funding of a company to mass-produce a cure for malaria, a disease that has plagued