[August 17, 2016] Great leaders are made, not born. Leaders have been told this from the time they were young children and those who believe it do well because they are proactive, demonstrate ingenuity, personally bravery, and trustworthiness. Lord Robert Baden-Powell was a British General and founder of the modern Scouting movement. His outstanding leadership made him a hero in Britain and remembered for his work on improving the lives of many, especially boys.
It was during the Second Boer War that then Colonel Baden-Powell defended the town of Mafeking, South Africa from a Boer siege for 217 days; ending in May 1900. This event was a decisive victory for the British and crushing defeat of the Boers who outnumbered his forces many times over.1 It also made Baden-Powell a national hero and later helped push his scouting movement into a successful organization.
“It’s the spirit within, not the veneer without, that makes a man.” – Chief Scoutmaster Lord Baden Powell
Baden-Powell’s leader traits are well known and account for his success both in the British Army and in Scouting. His leadership traits were:
- Strategic minded
- Visionary
- Master of understanding the needs of people and acting on it
- Morally and physically courageous
- Easily gained the respect of soldiers, citizens, and government
- Motivates others
- Creative, resourceful, and innovative
Baden-Powell wrote a military training manual during the Second Boer War and later used it as a basis for his book Aids to Scouting.2 The book became a best-seller and was used by teachers and several youth organizations. The story of Baden-Powell’s military service and his creation of and development of scouting are each worth study for insights to leadership.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]
—————————
- http://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/baden-powell.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Baden-Powell,_1st_Baron_Baden-Powell