What makes a good leader

1
What makes a good leader

• Divide class into groups of 4
• Give each group a set of the 5 cards (without
  names)
• Ask each group to review the cards and select the
  one candidate whom they would choose to be their
  leader, and the one they would least like to be
  their leader
• Groups have 10 minutes to discuss their choices
  and be ready to present their choices to the
  class along with an explanation
• After all groups get a chance to present, show
  the students who the leaders really were.
• Conclude by asking the class which leadership
  qualities were missing from the cards.

2
Card 1

• Son of a cobbler
• Age when taking power 45
• Married Twice widowed
• Children Three
• Education Three years of college did not
  graduate
• Previous employment Motivational speaker,
  editor, party politician, government employee
  (ran two departments)
• Greatest achievement Saved his country from
  complete domination by a foreign power

3
Card 2

• Born on a farm
• Age when taking power 61
• Married More than 25 years
• Children One
• Education High school
• Previous employment Retailer, local official,
  national legislator, senior executive branch
  official
• Greatest achievement Completely changed his
  countrys foreign policy which had lasted for
  almost 160 years

4
Card 3

• Son of a wealthy financial and political leader
• Age when taking power 35
• Married Once
• Children Two
• Education College graduate
• Previous employment Naval officer, legislator
• Greatest achievement Convinced his country to
  embark on a grandiose project without knowing
  whether it would succeed.

5
Card 4

• Son of a wealthy planter
• Age when taking power 43
• Married Once
• Children None
• Education No formal schooling after the age of
  11
• Previous employment Surveyor, army officer
• Greatest achievement Led his country in a
  successful revolution against the worlds
  dominant power at the time.

6
Card 5

• Father was a peasant who became wealthy
• Age when taking power 56
• Married Four times (twice widowed, once
  divorced)
• Children Five
• Education College graduate
• Previous employment Party office, army officer
• Greatest achievement Led his country through the
  most far-reaching revolution in its history.

7
Card 1

• Josef Stalin
• Soviet Dictator
• 1922-1953

Time Magazine name Stalin Man of the year in 1939!
8
Card 2

• Harry S. Truman
• 33rd U.S. President
• 1945-1953

9
Card 3

• John F. Kennedy
• 35th U.S. President
• 1961-1963

10
Card 3

• George Washington
• 1st U.S. President
• 1789-1797

11
Card 4

• Mao Zedong
• Chairman of the Communist Party of China
• 1945-1976

In October 1966, Mao's Quotations From Chairman
Mao Tse-Tung, which was known as the Little Red
Book was published. Party members were encouraged
to carry a copy with them and possession was
almost mandatory as a criterion for membership.
Over the years, Mao's image became displayed
almost everywhere, present in homes, offices and
shops. His quotations were typographically
emphasized by putting them in boldface or red
type in even the most obscure writings.