The Great Deception: Discovering Why You Already Are the Leader You Were Born to Be
The Great Deception: Discovering Why You Already Are the Leader You Were Born to Be
Bridgette Sanders | 2020
Abstract
The question asked of every great leader is, “What makes them great?” This question’s elusiveness hinges on the variety of traits, characteristics, and behaviors of each leader. For years leadership theory has tried to answer this question to no avail. However, behind this question lies another fundamentally human one: “Can I also be great?” From Alexander to Eisenhower, great leaders have sprinkled history with images of exceptionalism that seem unattainable to everyone else. Even contemporary greats, like Steve Jobs, have left pedestals too high for most to climb. This book attempts to help leaders dispel the “greatness” myth, or deception, that only the noblest of us may pull the proverbial sword from the stone. In fact, achieving greatness may just be a matter of a leader finding the right sword in the right rock.
Newer ways of looking at leadership (through identity and influence) have emerged that afford a more expansive view of leadership effectiveness. The centuries-old ideas, fueled by the Great Man theory which has been the status quo, denied generations of leaders the opportunity to see themselves in such a light. In recent years, the rise of the social identity theory of leadership (SITL) has ascertained that the most effective leaders emerge from the group as prototypical members. Leaders are, therefore, not only representatives of their groups but extensions of them. As such, their path to greatness lies in fortifying the group’s influence and identity. The SITL is used as a framework for understanding the impact of leadership identity, and a new conceptualization, the leadership spherical system of influences (LSSI), is introduced to emphasize the importance of leadership influence. The present manuscript focuses on these theoretical aspects of leadership from the perspective of the Garden of Eden, where Adam, Eve, and the serpent set the stage for this lesson about the capacity that lies in every human being. In so doing, this work proposes that every person can become a great leader.