John Smith Leadership Style Analysis

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“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and actions,” quoted by Harold S. Geneen. There are many different types of leadership styles that people around the world live by. I believe that people’s self centeredness is reflected through their leadership style.
One of the main differences in the leadership styles between Smith and Bradford was the way that the viewed themselves. John Smith was a leader that tries to set the picture that he is the selfless leader that was willing to give up everything for his men and that he was willing to do the most work. One example, according to Smith, was when they were building the houses: “Himself always bearing the greatest task for his own share, so that in short time he provided most of them lodgings, neglecting any for himself” (Smith 2). This shows that he always wants to be in the spotlight of being a leader and that he takes credit for the work that others do. In the beginning, he pictures them as a group by using we, by the end of the story it’s revolving around him and he’s using, Captain Smith, instead of I so that he doesn’t sound like he’s bragging about himself. Then on the other side of the spectrum you have Bradford. He is a very humble man that doesn’t think he does all the work and doesn’t have …show more content…

John Smith and his crew were very self centered and thought of each other individually. They always thought of themselves before they thought of others. Smith expresses this when he writes: “Our President would never have been admitted for engrossing in his private oatmeal, sack, oil, aqua vitae, beef, eggs, or whatnot” (Smith 1). This show that their president, the main leader, was more worried about how he was going to fare, rather than how the crew as a whole would fare. Bradford and his crew on the other hand, were willing to take care of each other and they helped treat the ill and hurt

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