what is leadership Essay Examples

Step by Step Guidelines on Writing a Leadership Essay: Example and Tips

An essay grants you an opportunity to convince a reader that you can produce a logical train of thought by exploring and demonstrating a particular topic. For an essay to be considered well written, you are required to conduct extensive research on your topic so that you can have a grasp and be knowledgeable about it. For you to convince readers about your essay, it is essential to look for evidence that supports your claim. Being a broad topic, leadership gives a writer the chance to explore numerous ideas that relate to it. Starting with an introduction is a requirement for an excellent essay, and the beginning paragraph should address all the main issues that will be covered in the essay. In this scenario, we are tackling leadership.

Facts about a Topic

How a writer has demonstrated leadership qualities in the past may be a requirement when writing a leadership essay. A writer should organize his thoughts and ideas before settling on what to write about in the essay. Past experiences in an organization, where you displayed your leadership abilities, are not necessary if you’ve never worked for one yet. Instead, concentrate on how this trait has come up either at the family level or during your volunteering period. You can start organizing your essay, once you’ve decided on the topic that you’re going to write about, following standards required for the essay beginning with the introduction, body paragraphs, and finally the conclusion. It is essential to have an outline that will guide you the way.

Beginning Your Essay

While presenting some topic in the introduction, a writer needs to use descriptive words to capture a reader’s attention within the first few lines and keep them interested throughout the essay. Starting with a hook by referring to a great leader who inspired people or using your personal experiences will develop an interesting essay on leadership. Using own experiences is acceptable. The introductory paragraph should have three to four sentences that present the topic while grabbing the attention of the reader at the same time. A thesis statement, which is one sentence that explains leadership, should be included in the introduction.

A Sample of an Introduction

“Leaders are available everywhere be it in our families, workplace, within the community or amongst our friends. Leadership is a difficult thing to implement, although it is a common term that gets described easily. Through my own experiences, I have come to the understanding that there are certain character’s traits that one needs to possess to get termed as a good leader. I found out what it means to be a leader by experiencing a major catastrophe. I was left with my younger siblings alone at home when floods swept our house away. During this period, I grasped that, as a leader, one is required to make sacrifices to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”

Guide on Writing the Body of an Essay

Three paragraphs make up a body paragraph of an essay with each expounding on the topic. Here is where a writer needs to use examples and evidence to support and justify the claims he makes. Each main point explanation should have its paragraph. A reader should be able to connect each paragraph with the previous one, the use of transitional words will, therefore, enable the smooth flow of the essay. In order to maintain a central theme, each body paragraph needs to contain a topic sentence. Arguments on leadership and evidence that backs why this topic should be of interest should be in each of the body paragraphs. The starting section of the body paragraph should be at least five sentences long containing solid arguments that are reinforced by examples. Anecdotes that boost an argument should appear in the body of an excellent essay. For example, the body of the essay needs to provide examples of some of the characteristics of a good leader and how this influences an organization if the thesis statement stresses it. The information that you came up with during your research should be used to justify the leadership qualities that you will include in the body paragraphs. For readers to easily link the ideas contained in the essay, the body paragraphs should consist of transition sentences. Some of the experiences of leadership can get used in developing the body of the essay with the information previously gathered.

Model of Body Paragraphs

The Starting Body Paragraph

“Despite the varying approaches to leadership, there are many styles of leadership that, as leaders, are common characteristics. Being ready to lead is one of the key features of a good leader. Having the confidence to lead people with adequate experience and knowledge are some of the features that a good leader needs to have. It is common to find individuals who occupy leadership roles but are not ready to pick an active role in being a leader of the people.”

A Sample of the Second Body Paragraph

“The greatest leaders are those that advocate for communication and encourage feedback while still being ready to lead. In order for people to understand the expectations of a leader there needs to be effective communication between them. Patience and thinking thoroughly before making a decision is another quality that a good leader should possess. Also, a leader should first think analytically about a situation by reviewing it carefully before making any conclusions. There should be trust between a leader and the people which in turn will make their followers feel like part of the team.”

A Sample of the Third Body Paragraph

“There are other key qualities that a good leader needs to possess apart from communicating; they should also be willing to effect and accept change, which requires them to be open-minded. It is one of the hardest traits that a leader is willing to adopt. It stems from the fact that most leaders assume that they have sufficient knowledge hence believing that they know everything. They believe that if they agree to changes, it will get them viewed as being incompetent. But to avoid conflict with followers and subordinates, a good leader should embrace positive changes.”

The Conclusion of an Essay

It is the last paragraph contained in an essay providing a writer with the last opportunity to try and convince the reader about the topic. Summarizing the main points of the essay while still rearticulating the thesis statement that sustains the essay claim makes for a proper conclusion. It ties the entire essay thus it should emphasize on the thesis statement but not present any fresh ideas. Here, a writer needs to persuade the reader why the issues raised in the essay require their attention. The use of convincing language comes into play here to give the reader something to ponder on.

A Sample of a Conclusion for Laws of Life Essay

“Many traits contribute to making a good leader. The leaders that succeed, however, exhibit behaviors such as having a positive approach towards a situation while being open-minded. Exercising patience before making any decision along with maintaining good communication skills makes for a good leader. Leadership is about taking appropriate measures and being ready to lead people.”

A sample of an Outline

The introduction

1. The hook: Your experiences on leadership and an overview of leadership.
2. Your thesis statement

Body Paragraphs

The first body paragraph

1. Elaborating the traits of a good leader

The second body paragraph

1. The qualities which make a good leader
2. Having the knowledge and experience while still being confident to lead people

The third body paragraph

1. Having an open mind
2. Possessing excellent communication skills

The Conclusion

1. Making a call to action through rephrasing your thesis statement
2. Summarization of all the characteristics of a good leader

Final Points

Writing a leadership essay is not as hard as one could imagine. You just need to follow the right format as laid out here and you’ll be able to come up with one. It’s just like writing any other essay only that your content will have to focus on the specific theme. The target audience, too, varies depending on the topic. A leadership essay raises concerns while still giving solutions that we require to create and empower great leaders. You now have enough tools to come up with an excellent leadership essay!