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Beowulf Leadership

According to Frantzen, Overing, & Near (1993), the challenge that today’s organizations face is that they are either over- or under-led. As a result, they need to increase their capacity to practice balanced leadership to its fullest extent. Most of the time, leadership happens because the person who wants to lead and the people who choose to follow (followers) have a relationship. Authentic leadership requires the courage to make difficult decisions, the self-assurance to stand alone, and the mercy to listen. He is not a monarch, but he becomes one through appropriate behaviour and honesty of purpose (Mize, 2008). Livingston and Sutton (2006) define leadership as “a process of individual influence on a group of people with the goal of achieving the group’s or organization’s individual or common objectives.”As a result, there are no two forms of leadership (Turgeon, 2007). The characteristics of good management, the contrast between the boss and the leader, emotions, leadership ambitions, and the advantages of good leadership are all critical determinants of an organization’s leadership.

Napierkowski (2005) states that genuineness and openness are hallmarks of inborn leadership. Through his acts of integrity and honour, Beowulf displayed these qualities. The trust of his followers was based on his honesty to his ideals. He is regarded as a hero due to his character traits while making choices and acting.

Leaders who practice transformational leadership can adapt to new situations and procedures. Beowulf’s determination to alter the status quo exemplifies transformational leadership. His dedication to this cause exemplifies his excellent leadership (Scheil, 2009). His every move transformed people’s lives. A good leader also possesses someone trustworthy. A noble, trustworthy, and moral individual is an honourable individual. Before leaving for Grendel’s battle, Beowulf throws away his sword and armour. The fight is fair because Grendel needs to learn how to use a sword or a shield effectively.

According to Beowulf, he did not take pleasure in defeating Grendel if the battle was fair, so he had to fight the beast openly. Beowulf reveals his true nature in this poem scene, for only the noblest men gave their lives to prevent anyone from having a more significant advantage over each other. Grendel demonstrates his intellectual inferiority on the other side when he attacks Beowulf and his men while they are asleep. The true heart of Beowulf is granted for vanquishing his inconsequential foe (State-of-the-art existence) toward the finish of this fight. Effective leadership networks are built on solid, open communication relationships. This idea helped Beowulf form friendships that would last a lifetime. He carried out his plan using extensive networks (Near, 1993). Beowulf and 14 of his men set sail for Denmark at the poem’s beginning to get rid of Grendel, a ruthless beast who was Cain’s son. Beowulf was told numerous tales about Grendel’s assassination of the Hrothgar King’s men. Beowulf fights Grendel in Denmark to test his strength and save the kingdom. He realized he was the only man on earth with the bravery to fight the enemy. After killing Grendel in the central hall, hundreds of people in the kingdom paid tribute to Beowulf as their courageous hero.

Loyalty is one of the essential qualities of a great leader. Beowulf was not stopped by his fear of failing to save many lives because he was determined to win Grendel. A good leader must know without a doubt that his or her team will not be left behind. Following the unfortunate demise of the young King Heardred, the kingdom desired a new emperor. At the time, Beowulf was moving along. Not only does Beowulf rule the Geats, but he has done so for fifty years. During his time as king, Beowulf fought in two more dangerous wars, allied with the Danes, and brought significant prosperity to the kingdom. Beowulf demonstrated loyalty to his people with a brave heart and sound judgment. Beowulf was praised by the Danes because he was a steadfast knight and the devoted monarch they so desperately wanted for the sake of their kingdoms.

Beowulf’s healthy self-respect serves as a pledge for his people. It is a guarantee that he will take care of them and maintain order in his country. Beowulf uses strong language about himself so that he can back up his arguments and share them with the public. They believe Hrothgar because he claims that flaunting is a way to impress the Geats. I will keep my word and my promises.”Now will make you come with counsel courage for their hearts through long comfort years to your Geat-friends” (1706).

The Geats leader requires someone who has faith in or does not have faith in someone with low self-esteem. Beowulf gives people the confidence they need to trust others. Beowulf gives his people the strength to face this challenge by telling them about the Dragon. I had a rough childhood; now, if the weary furnace from his mound of gold comes to meet me, I can fight a worn-out king, beaten for the end of time, with winters to come. Beowulf must have faith in his people to defeat his rivals once more. Beowulf must destroy the Dragon because of his obligations to the people. People believe that Beowulf will be victorious. Beowulf’s self-centeredness makes him the ideal king, according to Hrothgar. No matter what, a leader still needs to be inspired by his men.” Beowulf as Charismatic Leader,” by Tom Loughnan and John Finely (2010) explains how Beowulf talks about his boast before fighting Grendel. Beowulf urges his allies to put stock in themselves that there will be a special prize, empowering them never to permit nervousness to flourish and believe that their central goal will be achieved. I assume that this assertion is accurate and that leaders must encourage their teams to reflect on themselves. The demise of a team, and in particular of a leader to blame for the failure, can occur without encouragement until the end. Partners should comply with the sets of their bosses. For decades, the public has viewed politicians as inspiring, motivating, and terrifying (Malone, 1941).In this crucial position, leaders must accomplish their goals with excellence.

In addition, a leader’s effectiveness depends on their capacity to uphold moral standards. It supports Beowulf’s crucial character traits of honesty and dedication. In addition, they promote good leadership by setting the expected practice standards. Beowulf’s capacity to make significant decisions shows his moral behaviour. A leader is someone who speaks on behalf of the group. Beowulf realized that he was the only one who could complete the task and that the director had an overwhelming need. His success and leadership style came before him, and his actions will always be remembered. Beowulf was an outstanding leader because he displayed great Loyalty, honour, and courage toward his subjects. His courage and compassion for his followers are his most exceptional leadership traits. For the benefit of the Geats, Beowulf repeatedly gave his life in selfless service. Courage, honour, and Loyalty are outstanding leadership qualities that readers will remember for a long time.

Lessons learnt from the scenario

Leadership is the chance to motivate a group to achieve a common goal and has the power to get you going. Diverse scenes of the hero, Beowulf’s leadership, are featured in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf exemplifies strong leadership through his self-assurance, physical force, and integrity, all of which were essential virtues for the Anglo-Saxon period. Throughout the tale, Beowulf is regarded as the epic hero.

Leaders’ effectiveness is determined by how they deal with problems and situations (Schrader, 1972). Beowulf was a good king because he was able to act with integrity and honour no matter what. He overcame the situation head-on and worked extremely hard to benefit his kingdom. He was a great leader due to the circumstances that helped him put his leadership skills into practice.

Moreover, I have also learned that leaders should be able to achieve their objectives and involve their subordinates in the process. Beowulf’s ability to achieve his goals exemplifies good leadership. Furthermore, he acted in a way that would benefit his followers because he cared about them (Schrader, 1972). As a result, Beowulf is familiar with the idea of leaving behind a legacy for his land.

Leadership theories

Power theory.

This theory focuses on how a leader uses their power and influence to get things done. It investigates how personal and positional power influence the decisions and outcomes of leaders. From the scenario, the use of power theory enabled me to understand Beowulf’s transformational leadership practice and determination to alter the status quo. His dedication to this cause exemplifies his excellent leadership (Scheil, 2009). His every move transformed people’s lives. A good leader also possesses someone trustworthy. Before leaving for Grendel’s battle, Beowulf throws away his sword and armour. The fight is fair because Grendel needs to learn how to use a sword or a shield effectively.

Additionally, I have concentrated on Beowulf’s leadership qualities as a leader by employing situational/contingency theory. The situational effects of a leader’s success or failure are the focus of situational theories. The situational context directly determines a leader’s effectiveness. While a leader’s personality plays a small role in their success, the leader’s context and situation are more important. Based on the various leadership styles, this theory suggests that influential leaders can adapt their style to changing circumstances.

Additionally, selecting the appropriate leader for a given circumstance may be preferable. The theory has many advantages, including that leaders can influence any situation. The hypothesis centres around the significance of a circumstance yet may need more on the brain research of the supporter or the general public.

References

Drout, M. D. (2007). Blood and Deeds: The Inheritance Systems in” Beowulf”. Studies in Philology, 199-226.

Frantzen, A. J., Overing, G. R., & Near, M. R. (1993). Beowulf and the Intrusion of Literacy. Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 1177-1179.

Galloway, A. (1990). Beowulf and the Varieties of Choice. Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, pp. 197–208.

Hardy, A. (1979). Historical perspective and the Beowulf-poet. Neophilologus, 63(3), 430-449.

Livingston, M., & Sutton, J. W. (2006). Reinventing the Hero: Gardner’s” Grendel” and the Shifting Face of” Beowulf” in Popular Culture. Studies in Popular Culture, 29(1), 1–16.

Loughman, T. (2002, July). CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP IN BEOWULF. In Allied

Academies International Conference. Academy of Organizational Culture, Communications and Conflict. Proceedings (Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 23). Jordan Whitney Enterprises, Inc.

Loughman, T., & Finley, J. (2010). Beowulf and the Teaching of Leadership. Journal of Leadership Education, 9(1), 155–164.

Malone, K. (1941). Grundtvig as Beowulf Critic. The Review of English Studies, 17(66), 129–138.

Mize, B. (2008). Manipulations of the Mind-as-Container Motif in Beowulf, Homiletic Fragment II, and Alfred’s Metrical Epilogue to the Pastoral Care. The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, 107(1), 25–56.

Napierkowski, T. J. (2005). Beowulf: The heroic, the monstrous, and Anglo-Saxon concepts of leadership. Intl Journal of Public Administration, 28(5-6), 503-516.

Near, M. R. (1993). Anticipating alienation: Beowulf and the intrusion of literacy. Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 320-332.

Ruhland, E. C. (2017). “Your Legacy Is Yours to Build”: Defining Leadership in Beowulf and Its Adaptations.

Scheil, A. (2009). The Narrative Pulse of Beowulf: Arrivals and Departures. JEEP, Journal of English and Germanic Philology, 108(3), 392–394.

Schrader, R. J. (1972). Beowulf’s Obsequies and the Roman Epic. Comparative literature, 24(3), 237-259.

Turgeon, W. (2007). Philosophical Adventures: Thinking Along with Beowulf. Gifted Education International, 22(2-3), pp. 192–206.

Whitman, F. H. (1977). The kingly nature of Beowulf. Neophilologus, 61(2), 277-286.

 

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