We know them and the pictures of these well to do and well known people are flashed across TV screens daily. We also see them in magazines on a regular basis. People love celebrities and so they monitor every move that these famous celebrities make, they also daydream about what it is to live the life of these celebrities. Wondering how they got there as well is also part of the curiosity mix. For people who took the time out to work their way to the top and not on a circumstantial basis, that is part of the usual rise that people experience on a regular basis.

When we consider leaders we do not only think of those that have been good and exemplary. In history you will have plenty examples of different kinds of leaders from which you can choose from. Some of these leaders make us smile while others make us want to do the opposite and erase them from the annals of history. What kind of leadership did some of these famous leaders show?

Martin Luther King:

He was a speaker who provided inspiration to a lot of people. Most popular among his inspirational speeches was the “I have a dream “speech. This speech brought a lot of people into taking action as King spoke with authority and was capable of mobilizing an entire country that shared his vision.

Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Cosmetics):

Anyone who thinks of pink Cadillac’s is completely right. The pink Cadillac symbolizes a highly successful and top performing company. The brand of inspirational leadership that Mary Kay has provided has turned as simple $5,000 investment into a billion dollar establishment.

Jack Welch:

When you remember this name you think of GE. With about 2 decades of direction and leadership, GE transformed from a million dollar company to a company worth billions of dollars. His style of leadership led him to be called both ruthless and fair at the same time in the business decisions that he made. Managers were allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as were able to create continuous change and do whatever they had to do a whole lot better.

Leona Helmsley:

This woman was renowned for her autocratic and tyrannical style of leadership. She was the president of the equally popular Helmsley hotel chain and went to jail when her employees gave away hotel records implicating her in tax evasion schemes. From then on she traded her life from living in a hotel suite to staying in a jail cell.

John F. Kennedy:

He was a very charismatic leader who along with is wife turned the White House into a fairy tale story. As a president he also energized the nation and made the space program a national affair. With his vision he set a goal that was reached and for which he will be eternally remembered.

Martha Stewart:

The image of a meticulous and highly demanding individual easily comes to mind when you think of this woman. In her we find a sizeable amount of controversy but she continues to flourish with her organization and is effectively served by her autocratic style of leadership as well.

Eleanor Roosevelt:

Americans all over the nation were told that: “We are on trial to show what democracy means.” She was both a champion of civil and women’s rights and she showed compassion to the poor in the depression era. Another lesson she inspired in her own true words was: “It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.”