A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court By Simon Sinek

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Leadership is a largely misunderstood term at first glance. Most people who are told to think of a leader think of charismatic, highly-ranked individuals who decide where to lead those who follow. Simon Sinek and Mark Twain argue otherwise. A leader can often be misconstrued as the person at the top, and the way Simon Sinek explains the fault in that statement is more accurate than any previously stated definition. Mark Twain is notable for criticizing leaders and their values, as well as some who wouldn’t normally fit most definitions of leadership. In a discussion, Sinek explains that a leader isn’t a person who makes the decisions. He even states that “we do as they tell us because they have authority over us” (Sinek). Instead, he says, …show more content…
A true leader could very well be at the bottom of the hierarchy. As long as one has the courage to step up and help their peers succeed, they are considered leaders. Mark Twain wrote a book called A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. It centers around a modern man named Hank who somehow got transported to the Middle Ages in Camelot. When he tries to get out of a situation using his common modern knowledge, the people revere him and assume him to be a god or wizard. This is an exceptional example of a commoner at the bottom of a hierarchy leading the people around them to success, which was mentioned in Sinek’s discussion. In addition, Twain has a remarkable way of creating a story to criticize people who may be called leaders, but don’t have the qualities of leadership whatsoever. In the story, King Arthur himself submits to Hank and follows what he says. It implies that even kings possibly couldn’t have the necessary values to be considered leaders. As he starts to follow Hank’s orders, he becomes the person that Hank is trying to lead and make successful. Simon Sinek and Mark Twain each have their way of describing and criticizing the means of a true
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Comparing Sinek And A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court

make or break a leader. Simon Sinek and Mark Twain both have strong viewpoints on leadership and the characteristics necessary for leaders. First, they both believe that titles play no part in leadership. Sinek shows this in his leadership talk when he says, “Leadership has nothing to do with rank. I know many people who sit at the highest levels of an organization who are not leaders”(Sinek). Twain demonstrates this view in his story A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court when Arthur wanders upon…

Words 497 - Pages 2