Why do we live—only to die?

I’m not the first to ask this question, and I’m sure that I won’t be the last. But that does not make the question any less important.

You might be wondering why the title explicitly states that this is an irreligious view. It’s simple: religion offers insights into the purpose. A Christian will say that the purpose is to serve God and spread his word. A die-hard atheist will say that life is meaningless and random, and that it resulted from chance chemical reactions on earth a long time ago .

Only someone with no religion, no belief whatsoever, is truly bothered by such a question. If one knows nothing, how can one know the answer to this baffling question?

First, let me explore some answers previously given, and why they have always been unsatisfactory.

Common Answers

There is no purpose to life. We live to die and, thus, help our species evolve.

This “answer” simply brings up another question: “Why do we evolve?” What’s the point of the existence of our species, if there is no purpose to life? Why should we evolve?

Our life’s purpose is to make the lives of those who come after us better.

Again, this answer begs to be asked another question. “What’s life’s purpose for those who come after us?” To make the lives of those who come after them even better? This reasoning is obviously flawed as there is no end to the cycle. There is no ultimate purpose. Nothing is ultimately achieved, and thus, the answer is unsatisfactory.

Our life’s purpose is to make the world a better place to live.

Those who follow this ideology donate money and time to help fight world hunger, cure dangerous diseases, promote peace, and help other similar efforts. Perhaps these people found a purpose for their own lives. What about those people who benefited from their aid? What’s their purpose? Why are we saving lives and making the world a better place (besides the inherent value of such actions)? This answer is unsatisfactory because, once again, it’s not an ultimate purpose, but simply a purpose that leads to an unknown purpose.

Our purpose is to live life to the fullest.

Surely this is a worthy goal for everyone. After all, we are given this life, so we should value it and do the most that we can with it. However, this is a “goal” at most. If the ultimate purpose is to live life to the fullest, then why do we live at all? What’s the point?

So… what is it?

I believe that the most anyone can say is that no one really knows what the purpose to life is—no one can know. The only time that we can find out is when we pass away into another world—heaven, hell, a state of nothingness, nonbeing… If you seek the purpose of life outside the context of religion, then you are chasing at the wind. Life is an experience, not a means to an end. Does that mean that life is ultimately meaningless? Perhaps. However, that doesn’t mean that we should not live and do everything that we feel is good and right.

Why are we given a body? No one knows. But the fact is that we are. As such, we should do everything we can to protect it. To nourish it. To cherish the beauty and magic of our perfect system of cells, organs, and limbs. To be in awe of our brains, to which even the most complicated and sophisticated computer system cannot compare (and perhaps never will).

Why are we given feelings? Another baffling question. But yet, we simply are. We are given the ability to love. Then love all you can. We are susceptible to tears. Then do not hold them back when they burst forth.

We are given eyes. Then observe everything around you and be glad. We are given ears. Listen carefully. We can touch and feel. Then do not take any senstation for granted. We can smell. Cherish each odor.

We are put into this world with 6 billion other humans, plus countless other creatures. Recognize the importance of every human being, every living creature, every immobile rock. Do your part to better your environment and help your fellow lifeforms.

So, I guess Common Answer #4 gets closest. Do not worry about your ultimate purpose if you do not know it. If you are destined to know your purpose, then it will come to you.

Do not be afraid of death. If you lived your life fully, then there’s nothing truly terrifying about leaving it behind. But while you are here, live.

But have you thought about why some people volunteer “voluntarily”?

Why do we volunteer, anyway? What’s the point?

It Gives Back to the Community

Think about where we would be without diligent volunteers. The world would have no Wikipedia, making that 2000-word Biology essay that much harder. There would be no annual Red-Cross blood drive, making saving people who need blood impossible. There’d be no parent associations for all sorts of school activities, driving many of those to a halt. Volunteering make a community a better place, for all. In the words of the bard:

How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a naughty world.
~ William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

You Learn Valuable Skills

Think volunteering is nothing more than you giving? Think again. You are probably receiving more than you give. If you volunteer at your public library, then every interaction with a library patron is another piece of experience of on-the-spot human-to-human interaction. You learn how to deal with strangers. If you volunteer at the nursing home, then every resident you help gives you more insight into their medical condition and the human body. Your interactions with them can teach you life lessons, as they are most likely old and experienced. If you volunteer at the local botanical gardens, you learn the proper way to prepare soil for planting, to weed out undesirable grasses, to take care of plants, to spot dangerous plants such as poison ivy, and much more. If you volunteer physical labor, then you experience what it’s like (and possibly get a work out at the same time!) The more experiences you have in life, the more prepared you are for what’s to come. Do you still think volunteering is about giving?

You Gain a Sense of Self-Worth

Every time you volunteer, you should feel some positive reinforcement. You should feel good about what you’ve done. After all, you’ve probably helped countless people with nothing more than your personal effort and time. What’s not great about that?

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin – First Class, 

In life, Albus Dumbledore was a champion of peace and love. A very old man in the 90s, he was documented by J.K. Rowling in a series of books concerning a boy named Harry Potter. His wisdom has been passed through the generations and is very well documented through numerous memorable quotes.

Dumbledore’s Philosophy

“To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself.” - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

” . . . to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“It is our choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“The best of us must sometimes eat our words.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

“You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don’t recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble?” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, screenplay by Steven Kloves

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“It is my belief… that the truth is generally preferable to lies.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“You place too much importance… on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

“Suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human … the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“People find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

“It is important to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then can evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

“There is nothing to be feared from a body, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness.” -Albus Dumbledore,  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

“It’s the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.” - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

“Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” - Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, screenplay by Steve Kloves

Check With Your School

Each high school or college almost definitely has some sort of volunteer organization or service bulletin asking for volunteers. These organizations specialize in finding opportunities for volunteer work in the surrounding community. Ask about these organizations and, if possible, join the organization in order to get the most up-to-date information about volunteer opportunities.

Check with Local Community Organizations

Most communities have non-profit organizations that help coordinate the volunteer efforts for that specific community. Examples include companies such as United Way. These organizations organize all sorts of activities such as summer volunteer camps, fundraising walks, and much more. Checking with these organizations will ensure that you find a volunteer opportunity that you’ll love.

Check with Local Non-profits

Of course, you can always find volunteer opportunities on your own, without going through a school or community organization. Call up your local public library, Red Cross, Salvation Army, food bank, or similar organization and ask if they have the need for a volunteer. More often than not, they’d be more than happy to have some (free) help! Many times, you’ll be able to find volunteer opportunities in hospitals and nursing homes as well. Don’t be afraid to ask around!

Check with National and International Non-profits

You don’t have to volunteer strictly within your community. Think global. If you have the ambition, you can apply for a position in the Teach for America corps, which helps give low-income families’ children a great education. Be careful! These volunteer opportunities may require you to travel around the country or world, which is something that not everyone can accept.

Check With Your Administration

Check with the activities director or the principal about starting your club. Most schools allow you start a club, but only if they see merit in the organization. First, set a plan for your organization. What is going to be about? Would you have basic requirements for joining? Do you have a sponsor for your club or organization? (If in high school, most clubs require teacher supervision; if in college, regulations vary.) Why would your club or organization be a valuable addition to the school?

Make sure that you satisfy your administration and get its approval before continuing with your club or organization!

Turn to Your Friends

Your friends watch movies with you, steal your food, and laugh at your jokes. Did you know that they’re also your most fervent supporters? That’s right: your friends should be your first members. Communicate with them about your new organization and encourage them to join. Most of them (hopefully) can’t turn you down.

Choose Good Leadership

Make sure that you choose talented and dedicated people to be leaders in your new organization. Simply giving the VP position to your best friend may not be a good idea if you know that your best friend won’t step up to the plate. Bad leadership will inevitably drive your club into oblivion.

Have a Purpose

Why would people want to join your club? Is it a socially orientated organization? Do you do service? If so, to the greater community or just your school? Do your meetings consist of chirping crickets or are members actively engaged? Because your club is new, it has no reputation within the school, and new members may be difficult to acquire because of skepticism towards your organization. You must put out all skepticism by having productive meetings and making the purpose of your club clear. If your club is project-oriented, make sure that the projects are engaging and rewarding and that they mean something. No one wants to waste time in club that does absolutely nothing. Reassure people that joining your club is the best thing (next to the Dancing Gummy Bear, of course).

Accept Criticism

Your new members may have suggestions about your club that might prove valuable. Do not discard any criticism or suggestion lightly. You want your club or organization to be the best that it can be, and the more ideas you have, the more chance you have of making it really special. Don’t be afraid to change any aspect of your club if you see that something doesn’t work. Be open.

Pour in Your Heart and Soul

If you’re not enthusiastic about your club, then no one will be. You must be the obnoxious one encouraging everyone to join and reassuring everyone that your club is the best. You must be the first one to volunteer to do the grunt work. You must be willing to put in hard work and sweat into everything that your club does. Only then does your club stand a chance.

Whatever your reason for running for leadership, you need to make sure that you know what you’re doing.

Are You Sure?

Do you know what a leader is supposed to do? What sorts of responsibilities come with being a leader? If not, you should read Effective Leadership – What’s a Leader? and the rest of the Effective Leadership series. After you’re sure that you want to run for leadership, continue reading.

Before the Campaign

If you’re new to an organization, chances are, you won’t be elected (or are not allowed to run). Unless others have seen you being a successful leader in other organizations, you should do your best to show that you are an integral part of the organization or club. You should pick up your act at least one year before running for the position. Even though you’re not an officer “yet,” being an active and enthusiastic member will elevate your position inside the organization automatically. People will start to trust you, and that is the first step in receiving a leadership position. Many times, officers will ask for volunteers to take temporary leadership positions—you should use these opportunities. If you prove yourself in a temporary position, running for a permanent position will become much easier.

During the Campaign

Use Your Friends

Make sure that you notify your friends that you are running! They are most likely to vote for you, so the more you tell your friends, the more votes you are going to receive. If you have great friends, they’ll most likely root for you and spread the word that you’re running too! It’s a chain reaction that will help you greatly.

Don’t Mess Up Your Speech

If you are ever given the opportunity to make a speech, make sure that it’s a wonderful speech! People will make their final decisions based on how you deliver this campaign address. Make sure that the voters understand what a responsible leader you are (give examples! Use specifics!), and why you would be a great officer (again, specifics!). Appear confident in front of the group. Speak loudly and clearly. Your speech is one of the most important aspects of your campaign: don’t blow it.

Candy? Only If You Want To

Sure, everyone likes candy, but most people aren’t as fickle as you think (if they are… do you really want to be a part of that organization?). Having candy makes people happy, which might or might not help you. Point is, bribery rarely works, so if you don’t have the time or if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.

After the Campaign

Just because you’ve been elected doesn’t mean that you can sit back and relax now. Review the Effective Leadership series and make sure that you are a good leader! Don’t let your followers regret electing you!

You should also notice much faster speeds and less downtime from now on. Please notify us of all problems immediately!

Cheers!

Steve Jobs Commencement Speech, Stanford University, 2005

In a landmark commencement speech made in 2005 at Stanford University, Steve Jobs made his mark again. His speech was not only special to those graduates, but also to everyone who’s watched or read it. It is one of those rare speeches with a lifespan more than the half an hour it takes to give the address.

Now, you are either being asked to or you have chosen to write a commencement address for your college or high school graduation. Where do you start? Do you fear giving a speech that’s not “good enough”? Let’s explore the secrets to writing a great commencement speech.

Speak About Something Real

As with writing college essays (and just about anything else in life), it absolutely must be real. To you, your audience, your grandmother yelling her head off in the stands… If you cannot read your speech without shuddering with shame at the lies and insincerity, then it probably doesn’t quite fulfill this requirement. Remember, your audience has to sit patiently (in really hot gowns!) for the duration of your speech. If you wouldn’t want to listen to your own speech—imagine what your audience would be going through.

Avoid Cliché (At All Costs!)

If your speech is filled with the generalities from the following list, then it probably is something that everyone has heard 2,438,293,392 times already.

• Guys, we’ve come so far! We made it!
• We’ve grown so much over the past few years. It’s been awesome goin’ to school with you guys.
• We must thank our teachers for helping us grow.
• Freshmen year, we were little guys, not knowing anything about anything. Sophomore year, we took class X with teacher Y and we learned so much. Junior year, Event Z happened at our school and it was cool. Senior year, we applied to college and had a wonderful year!
• We’re going to be so successful with the stuff we learned here. The future’s gonna be awesome.
• We had such a sense of community and I loved this school so much. I hope you did too.
• Here, our paths part. We choose our own lives.
• Etc etc etc

There’s nothing inherently wrong with making these points in your speech. In fact, if you can bring a creative twist to it or put it within a larger, original structure, they may even be effective. However, know that these points are made again and again each year in commencement speeches across the country. To be original with them is extremely difficult, though not completely infeasible. Also, avoid overused metaphors as much as possible—especially the paths metaphor and the cheese metaphor. Please, for your audience’s sake.

Have a Sense of Humor

You’re writing a commencement speech, not a eulogy (which could be funny too…). There’s no need to make it so serious that you put everyone to sleep within the first five minutes. (Trust us, no one wants to drool on the graduation gown. That’s just not cool.) Humor is a must in your speech in order to capture and hold everyone’s attention. A laugh here and there makes everyone happy. Careful! It is possible to overdo it, so you must find the correct balance.

Don’t Use Big Words

Your audience is comprised of all sorts of people. Though you memorized that dictionary for the SAT and never forgot your vocabulary, others did not. Trying to sound smart will only turn people off. Use everyday, respectable vocabulary and language. Your audience will thank you for it. Also, don’t try to use convoluted structure to convey your ideas. You don’t live in the 14th century. Just talk as you normally would. Remember: “If understand your writing people cannot, then your ideas in the first place not worth reading they were.”

Take Advantage of Common Experience

Chances are, you won’t know more than 20% of the people sitting in the audience. However, that shouldn’t stop you from connecting with them, and the easiest way to do so would be through common experiences. Since you and your classmates are graduating at the same, you must have all had some sort of common experience: a dreaded graduation requirement, a class-wide field trip, an incident at school, etc. Make use of these moments to drive your point home or to make a special impact.

Tell Stories

People have been telling stories even before historical documentation. It is one of those fundamental human experiences, and you should use that to your advantage. Everyone wants to listen to a good story. Using anecdotes to make certain important points might make that point more memorable. Careful! Your stories should be short and to-the-point. Writing a novel on the stage is never a good idea.

You’re Not Alone

Your friends, family, and English teachers would be more than happy to help you write a great speech should you want the help. If you feel stuck, or if you simply need a fresh pair of eyes to look your speech over, don’t forget that there are people who would be glad to do so. Don’t try to handle this on your own if you don’t feel up to the job.

Read Some Examples

There have been numerous wonderful speeches made already that could help you organize your ideas. We recommend that you look at the following speeches to see if you can get some inspiration.

Famous (and GREAT) College Commencement Speeches

• Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005
• Bono, University of Pennsylvania, 2004
• Bill Gates, Harvard University, 2007
• J. K. Rowling, Harvard University, 2008

A Not-So-Famous (but also great) High School Commencement Address

The following commencement address was delivered by a recent high school graduate who is going to be a member of the Harvard College Class of 2015.

When I was six years old, my mom took me, one day, to the bookstore. At the time, I still lived in China. When we were done, my mom called me to get on the back of her bike to go home, which was the most common form of transportation there. For some reason, I didn’t get on the back of the bike. My mom, however, didn’t realize that and rode off into the street, leaving me on the front steps of the bookstore. Love you, mom.

She’d left me. By myself. A long ways from home. Alone. Can you imagine how frightened I was? I was a six year old wandering by myself on the busy streets of China.

Now, instead of staying in front of the bookstore to wait for my mom to realize after about 60 seconds that I wasn’t actually on her bike, I decided that she had abandoned me and that I must catch a cab and find my own way home.

I had no idea what my address was. What the neighborhood was. But I knew the way home, so I offered to just direct the cab driver.

My mom was worried sick. Just as the cab pulled up to our house, she was about to call the cops to look for me. When we saw each other, we started laughing, crying, jumping up and down like crazy people… The driver, however, was not amused.

“你这小兔崽子！” (Chinese for “You little brat!”) he yelled, “You directed me half way around town when you could’ve just told me ‘Straight ahead for one mile’?”

A trip that should have taken five minutes, took half an hour. It was indeed quite the adventure.

Ladies and gentlemen, today is the day that we get left outside the bookstore. Today we take our lives into our own hands, to decide our own destinations. We have to find our own way now. It may be a little scary. You might already know where you’re going, you might not. You might know how to get there, you might not. And if you think you know how to get there, like I did when I was six, chances are, it won’t be the most direct route. You may face detours, twists, and turns, before you get to your final destination. But that’s okay, because you will get there… eventually. It will be your adventure.

And if you don’t remember anything else from high school, at least remember this: to get anywhere, you must start out with some sort of, I’m sure you’ll all remember this for the rest of your lives, magnitude and direction. *hand gestures here* Who knew that Mr. Roger’s vector addition problems could turn into life lessons?

Pick a path and follow it. If you find out you’re going the wrong way, take an exit and go back. Just don’t be afraid to depart. Move forward.

But whatever your future goals may be, you must not forget those who were with you along the way.

Saint-Exupéry once wrote a book titled Le Petit Prince, which translated to English, means the The Little Prince. It is one of my favorite books of all time. In parts of this children’s book, he documents the little prince’s travels from one planet to the next. When he was on Earth, he met a little fox.

“Please—tame me!” the fox said.

“What does that mean—’tame’?” asked the little prince.

“It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.”

“To establish ties’?”

“Just that,” said the fox. “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys and to you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…”

So the little prince tamed the fox. And when the hour of his departure drew near–

“Ah,” said the fox, “I shall cry.”

“It is your own fault,” said the little prince. “I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you…”

“But it has done me good,” said the fox, “because I shall remember you. You have hair that is the color of gold. The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat…”

“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

Who are you responsible for? Whose name will forever bring a smile to your lips?

As I think of people I’ve made connections with, they kept me to the highest standard. Corrected me when I was wrong. They helped me grow as a human being. Laughed with me, cried with me, made fun of me when necessary… But truly, without them, I wouldn’t be here.

Class of 2011, who do you have to thank?

Soon, we’ll be going our separate ways. It’ll be difficult to deal with. But remember that your friends are now a part of you. You have forever touched their lives, and they’ve forever touched yours. As you leave this place, think about that.

What’s your calling, Class of 2011? What will be your adventure?

Steve Jobs once said to the Stanford Class of 2005. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

So, don’t be afraid of detours – welcome them. Follow your dream – with magnitude and direction. And never, ever forget that sometimes the most important parts of your life may be those whom you tame and those who tame you.

Godspeed, Class of 2011.

Final Words

Finally, we’d like to remind you that this is YOUR speech. What goes in to it is all up to you. Follow your gut—you’ll be fine.

Good luck!

Notice that you—the leader—didn’t assign any jobs to yourself. This is usually a sign that something’s wrong. In most instances, the leader is the one that will have the most responsibilities, in addition to coordinating the efforts of each of the followers. If the leader completes those tasks well and in a timely fashion, he or she serves as the perfect example of what the followers should strive for. In addition, the leader must instill in the followers how important their individual jobs are, though not to such a hyperbolic extent that the followers don’t feel sincerity. Anything that the leader says or does must be sincere.

In the organization of the talent show, the leader should not try to control every aspect—in fact, it’s not feasible for especially large projects. Rather, tasks and deadlines need to be explained fully so that the people responsible for different tasks can problem-solve for themselves. This serves as the perfect motivator—some people would jump at the opportunity.

Finally, your followers must feel important. Follow up personally on their tasks, and offer to help them in any way that you can. Most importantly, it’s imperative that you listen to comments or suggestions—after all, you’re not perfect. Be led by the people that you’re leading.

Following Up 

As a leader, you are responsible for making sure that progress on the completion of the project is monitored. You can never rely on your followers to complete
their tasks without nudging them, but a balance is also imperative. Constantly nagging your followers will turn them off faster than a faucet can turn off the flow of water. For different groups, different schedules of follow-up need to be followed. Less responsible groups might need more follow up than more responsible ones. The actual method is up to the leader.

It’s Your Show

And what a show it is. The leader needs to spread happiness and confidence—being led by you must be enjoyable and inspiring. You need to captivate their attention; you need to impress on them how important the project is. Without them, you are nothing; but without you, nothing will ever be accomplished.

This article is a part of the Effective Leadership series.
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Laissez-Faire or Passive Leadership

This type of leader is fairly rare—he or she will probably never be elected. Let’s say that Bob is a laissez-faire leader. In our example of the talent show (as seen in Effective Leadership – What’s a Leader), he will take no action at all. How the talent show ever going to be organized?

Transactional Leadership

This is the type of talent show leader described in Effective Leadership – What’s a Leader? That is, the followers provide the leader with the means to achieve a goal; the leader gives instructions and helps facilitate; and the followers gain some sort of advantage by this transaction. In our case, probably a sense of satisfaction about the success of the talent show. These leaders typically solve problems and are “reactive,” but not “proactive.”

This type of leadership is probably most common, and in fact works fairly well in a work environment. The incentive for the followers to work is pretty significant—money to eat and buy fancy things with (such as iPods). However, in a school environment, many times the incentive (such as the satisfaction of a successful project) is not enough to make people really responsible, and projects fall apart before your very eyes.

Transformational Leadership

This type of leader generally exhibits the following traits:

• Idealized Influence – followers of leader share the leader’s vision and willingness to sacrifice for that goal. The followers “follow” leader’s actions. The leader is dedicated and behaves morally and ethically. A sense of purpose drives everything that is done.
• Intellectual Stimulation – the leader believes in the ability of followers to solve problems and to approach them from different perspectives, and encourages them to do so. The leader believes that the followers are ready to solve “current and future problems.”
• Inspirational Motivation – the leader is very enthusiastic in his goal. He is committed and is confident that his followers will be able to achieve that goal.
• Individualized Consideration – the leader encourages members to achieve to the utmost of their ability and helps them in achieving goals. The leader listens to suggestions and responds to follower’s comments. He or she considers the individual.

In addition to these qualities, the leader must be responsible and organized, and he or she must have enough appeal to motivate followers. Transformational Leadership also tends to be the type that works the best in a school-like environment because no extrinsic “rewards” are given. Instead, followers follow because it gives them an intrinsic satisfaction. Sound like a good idea?

This article is a part of the Effective Leadership series.
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