Examples Of Effective Leadership In Macbeth

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Rayan Khan
Mrs. Lontine
English 11 Period 6
March 31, 2023

What Are the Qualities of Effective and Ineffective Leadership?

The qualities of an effective leadership include responsibility, discipline, and morality, while the qualities of an ineffective leadership include corruption, selfishness, and irresponsibility.

In Macbeth, King Duncan portrays examples of effective leadership by being respectful to his subjects and by having upright morals. He shows this by being stern but not disrespectful to the wounded captain in the beginning of the play in act I, scene II.
What bloody man is that? He can report,
As seemeth by his plight, of the revolt
The newest state…
Oh, valiant cousin, worthy gentleman…
So well thy words become thee as …show more content…

The captain addresses Duncan with respect and loyalty as a result of discipline, and in exchange, Duncan replies austerely but politely, and calls for surgeons to help heal the captain’s wounds. This reveals qualities of an effective leadership by showing how Duncan’s subjects obey him and how Duncan’s subjects are treated justly. Duncan also has good morality, as he quickly takes care of the wounded captain after he is done addressing Duncan. In The Analects, Confucius states that a ruler must treat his subjects responsibly and decently or else the ruler will encounter many hardships under their reign. “If a prince can govern his kingdom with tolerance and decency, what difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that tolerance, how can there be decency?” (Confucius). This displays the qualities of an effective leadership because if a leader treats their subjects with respect, it is more likely that the kingdom or nation will prosper and it is less likely for there to be …show more content…

Later in the play, one of the witches’ prophecies states that Macbeth should fear Macduff from taking his power as king. Since Macduff is currently out of Scotland, Macbeth decides to target Macduff’s family and servants instead. This decision contributes to displaying Macbeth’s poor leadership qualities by showing that he is impulsive and that his actions are fueled by anger and fear rather than logic or strategy. According to Forbes “Five Similarities Between Leadership and Parenting”, accountability is one of the most important qualities an effective leader has. “Showing up on time, taking responsibility for your actions, and feeling an obligation to uphold your word by doing what you say you will, are all qualities that parents want to instill in their children…” (Forbes). Not being accountable is a major flaw for a leader because if they are not willing to take responsibility for their actions or fulfill the demands of their status, it is likely they will buckle under the weight of their corruption, ultimately collapse, and be remembered solely for their