The Great Man Theory: An Academic Exploration in the Context of Educational Leadership
1. Introduction
The Great Man Theory of Leadership is one of the earliest leadership theories to emerge in Western thought, postulating that leaders are born, not made. Originating in the 19th century, the theory asserts that leadership qualities are innate and cannot be acquired through education or experience. The theory has historically influenced leadership practice in various domains, including politics, military, and education. Although criticized for its deterministic and gender-biased assumptions, it remains foundational in the historical development of leadership studies.
2. Historical Origins and Conceptual Foundations
The term "Great Man Theory" was popularized by Thomas Carlyle, a Scottish philosopher and historian, in his series of lectures titled On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History (1841). Carlyle argued that “the history of the world is but the biography of great men,” highlighting individuals like Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, and Martin Luther as examples of extraordinary leadership due to their inherent traits and capacities (Carlyle, 1841).
Carlyle's theory rested on two major premises:
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Leaders are born with specific heroic traits such as intelligence, charisma, courage, and decisiveness.
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Historical circumstances reveal these traits, allowing great men to rise to leadership in times of crisis or transformation.
3. Theoretical Assumptions and Characteristics
Key characteristics of the Great Man Theory include:
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Biological determinism: Leadership is a result of inherent traits rather than socialization or education.
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Exceptionalism: Leaders are fundamentally different from followers.
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Heroic individualism: Leadership is exercised by individuals rather than collectives or systems.
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Contextual necessity: Great leaders emerge when societies face upheaval or change.
These assumptions led to the identification and study of certain "leader traits" such as confidence, persuasiveness, intelligence, and willpower.
4. Applications and Critiques in Educational Leadership
In the field of educational leadership, the Great Man Theory has limited practical application in modern contexts due to its exclusionary and essentialist stance. However, its legacy persists in how some view charismatic school principals or transformative education ministers.
Historically, the theory shaped early education systems that venerated strong, authoritative headmasters or school leaders seen as “natural” disciplinarians or visionaries (Bush, 2011). In colonial and post-colonial education systems, leadership roles were often reserved for elite males, reinforcing the elitist assumptions of the Great Man Theory.
Critiques from contemporary scholars in educational leadership include:
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Gender bias: The theory inherently excludes women and non-binary individuals from leadership roles (Eagly & Carli, 2007).
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Lack of empirical support: Research in trait theory and behavioral sciences has shown that leadership skills can be learned and cultivated (Northouse, 2021).
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Context ignorance: The theory ignores the impact of organizational culture, politics, and team dynamics (Leithwood & Jantzi, 2005).
Instead, modern educational leadership embraces models such as transformational leadership, distributed leadership, and servant leadership, all of which stress learned competencies, collaboration, and ethical grounding (Spillane, 2006; Greenleaf, 1977).
5. Legacy and Influence
Despite its limitations, the Great Man Theory laid the groundwork for later leadership theories by:
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Initiating interest in studying individual leaders systematically.
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Inspiring the development of trait theories in the early 20th century.
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Introducing leadership as a distinct area of scholarly inquiry.
Today, scholars use the theory as a historical point of departure to emphasize how leadership thinking has evolved—from a top-down, trait-based model to a more inclusive and systemic understanding of educational leadership (Bush & Glover, 2014).
6. Conclusion
The Great Man Theory, though outdated in its original form, continues to offer valuable historical context for understanding the development of leadership theory. In educational leadership, its relevance lies not in prescription, but in provoking critical reflection on who is considered a leader and why. Moving away from its deterministic views enables a richer, more equitable, and practice-informed approach to developing leaders within schools and educational systems.
7. References
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Bush, T. (2011). Theories of Educational Leadership and Management (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
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Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2014). School leadership models: What do we know? School Leadership & Management, 34(5), 553–571.
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Carlyle, T. (1841). On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History. James Fraser.
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Eagly, A. H., & Carli, L. L. (2007). Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders. Harvard Business Review Press.
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Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist Press.
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Leithwood, K., & Jantzi, D. (2005). Transformational leadership. In B. Davies (Ed.), The Essentials of School Leadership (pp. 31–43). Sage.
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Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). Sage.
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Spillane, J. P. (2006). Distributed Leadership. Jossey-Bass.
