Great man theory of leadership
The great man theory of leadership is the hypothesis that suggests that history and development in the world are driven by the influence of so-called heroes, great people, or influencers, and not by the fact that the generations and times "simply change" [1]. According to this theory, it is highly influential individuals with unique personality traits, manners of communication, heroic behavior, a superior intellect, supernatural courage, or extraordinary leadership abilities that have decisive historical significance. This theory concerning the great people's impact on the world processes, ideas, and actions, first arose in the 19th century due to the contributions of the Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher Thomas Carlyle [2]. He highlighted his main ideas regarding the great man theory in the book called On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History [3].
Footnotes
References
- Kaur, Sharan & Naqshbandi M.M. (2015) Theories in Leadership. In: Selected Theories in Social Science Research UM PRESS, p. 219-231
- Madanchian Mitra, Hussein Norashikin, Noordin Fauziah, Taherdoost Hamed (2016) Leadership Theories; an Overview of Early Stages, Published by Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; Research and Development Department, Ahoora Ltd | Management Consultation Group, Malaysia; Advanced Informatics School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia, p.199
- Uslu Osman (2019) A general overwiev to leadership theories from a critical perspective, Published by Sakarya University, Turkey, p.163-164
Author: Anna Sobolieva
