Leadership Lessons from Shakespeare’s Plays

Leadership Lessons

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Shakespeare is one of the most celebrated writers in history. World Book Day is held on April 23 every year to commemorate his death. There are various translations of his writings that shape the way people think and speak.

Shakespeare teaches great lessons about leadership, a topic that many people are obsessed with today. He teaches a lot about management and theories of leadership through diverse themes and many characters. The lessons are applicable in today’s business environment.

Avoid procrastination

In Shakespeare’s writing, the Prince of Denmark, Oh Hamlet, was unable to make decisions. If you are in a dilemma regarding how to handle tasks, just start. Procrastinating will lead to a waste of time and an inability to achieve academic goals. This can also hamper your productivity.

You can also find leadership lessons in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In the list of Macbeth essays, you will find character analysis and learn about the topic of leadership. Study the essay examples and understand the characters. From the free essay examples, you can identify characters with leadership abilities and find inspiration.

You can also learn how to write a research paper or any other paper. As a student looking to become a good leader, learn about leadership in Macbeth. 

Recognize other people’s achievements

The family of Percy risks life to support the battle or Bolingbroke of becoming a king. After getting into power, Bolingbroke gets distracted by emerging priorities. He does not pay attention to his former allies. He does not even recognize how they contributed to his success. This ignorance almost cost Bolingbroke his crown as the embittered Percy’s turn against him.

In today’s environment, changes often take place. As a leader, there could be a temptation to focus on the challenges ahead. Rather than doing so, pause and recognize the team’s or individual’s achievements. Reward good behavior so you become a role model in your organization. This is also a great way to propel others to greater heights in the future.

Be a good communicator

Just before the Agincourt’s battle, King Henry V listens to his people’s apprehensions and concerns. This changed his thinking frame and his ability to make decisions. Being a good communicator means being able to listen and speak. Just before the fighting begins, the king delivers a motivational speech to unite his people.

One of Shakespeare’s leadership quotes is,” Speak on but be not over tedious. As a leader, your focus should be on helping people to achieve extraordinary things. Use informal feedback, surveys, and forums to gauge your employee’s moods. Use what you have learned to make important decisions. Always leverage the power of public speaking because this can trigger employee feedback.

Plan your succession well

According to Shakespeare, all men and women are players. They have a point of entry and a point of exit. No matter how great a leader is, they will only serve for a particular period. Some leaders make the mistake of not planning how to hand over power. Rome became a war zone because of a lack of leadership plan after the fall of Julius Caesar.

Your mission as a leader should be to leave your organization in a better position than you found it. Always identify the talent that can lead the organization in the future. You are there to serve others, not yourself. So, think about where the organization should be after you exit. Travel the leadership journey with a sense of authenticity and purpose.

Give people a sense of purpose

In The Merchant Of Venice, people are busy pursuing wealth. There is Antonio dealing, Shylock lending money, and Bassanio struggling to raise funds. The most influential people are struggling for cash, and this culture spreads in the whole city.

In a working environment, money should not be the driving force. Articulating purpose beyond profit is the best way to showcase your leadership abilities. By doing so, people will gladly follow you. The famous Macbeth leadership quotes are about what happens when human wealth ambitions outperform the sense of purpose. The pursuit of wealth is selfish, and this does not mean good for an organization.

Conclusion

When in college, you are in a leadership position or preparing to become a leader. The above are the key leadership lessons to learn from William Shakespeare. Avoid procrastination and recognize the achievements of others. Be a good communicator, plan succession, and give people a sense of purpose. By doing so, it will be easier to encourage others to follow you and propel your organization to the next level. You will be recognized as a global leader, and the youth will see you as a role model. That’s like true success in every sense.

Also Read: Why Leadership Coaching is Paramount in today’s Business World?

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