Leadership Essay

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The term ‘leadership’ has no definition, for it is defined different ways in the minds of people. A leader will ingrain a sense of positivity and necessity towards the set goal using the power of written and spoken word. The qualities of a leader differentiate between between each society. At the height of its power (16th-17th century), the Ottoman Empire spanned three continents long. The Ottoman Empire controlled Southeastern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. It contained twenty-nine provinces and man vassal states, some of which were later immersed into the empire, while others were allowed other types of sovereignty during the course of several centuries. The empire was at the center of interaction between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries. With Constantinople as its capital city, and large control of lands around the eastern Mediterranean during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Suleiman overruled the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566. It is remarkable that though in Turkey he is distinguished only as the law-giver (Kanuni), in European history he is known by titles such as the Magnificent. Suleiman had no noteworthy rivals and was one of the most fortunate of the sultans. From his father he inherited a well-organized army, a disciplined army, and a sufficient treasury. Being raised in such a political environment, Suleiman would grow up to be the embodiment of all the excellent qualities of his Father’s talented generals, admirals, and viziers. Suleiman was a generous man even as a child. As a young boy, he befriended Pargali Ibrahim, a slave who later became one of his most trusted advisers. Suleiman believed greatly is his cause of spreading his law based on the Islamic system of law (Sharia). Su... ... middle of paper ... ...fire with fire. I believe the silent leader is the more dangerous one. The soft spoken man thinks more, communicates more complex thoughts, takes the time to view life and create intelligent commentary. The silent leader needs to be outspoken though in order to get his point across. I do not agree with Suleiman’s tactics in using intimidation to reach his people. Like Mandela, I believe in showing compassion towards the people in order to get them to agree with the message. I am the quiet yet outspoken leader, even though that’s an oxymoron. Both of Mandela’s and Suleiman’s leadership tactics have worked throughout, but I connect more with Mandela’s message of peace. The ideology of power and leadership is defined in many different ways throughout history. The generalization has a common definition but each individual aspect is vastly different for each individual.

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