The importance of storytelling in leadership was one of the major points that Dr. Bezio discussed that I found most interesting. I remember in LDST 101, Dr. Hayter discussed the tactics that leaders used to gain their momentum and influence society. Using stories, you are able to implement certain ideas and principles into a society that may be missed at a first glance. Additionally, stories have the ability to reach a wide audience and can influence most demographics in society. An example that Dr. Hayter and Dr. Bezio both mentioned was based around the propaganda that Hitler used in assembling his supporters. The methods that Hiter used to rise to power were identical to the tactics that hundreds of leaders throughout history have used in the past.
I wrote an essay based on leadership acquisition where I used Hitler and Martin Luthar King as a comparison. Although that essay was mostly based on individual traits, the use of storytelling was used by both individuals. Both individuals were extremely strong orators and often used stories as a way of establishing a sense of community within their movements. This was highly effective in making each other the figurehead of their respective movements.
I think another really interesting point about this storytelling is how stories often become warped in order to “fit” certain agendas and narratives. What comes to mind first is the portrayal of historical figures in Disney movies; perhaps the most warped narrative Disney princess of all would be “Pocahontas,” where a romanticized version of John Smith is portrayed as a “hero” and the true horrors the Indigenous peoples had to endure at the hands of colonization was extremely played down. But this was changed to make it seem that white ancestors weren’t all “that bad” and that there were “good ones,” when in reality they all contributed to Native American genocide.
Your essay comparing MLK and Hitler sounds really interesting. When talking about leadership, I always think about how, whether an individual is good or bad, they tend to have a lot of the same qualities that got them into that leadership position. And storytelling is a big one. It is not about the story itself, but about how the story is told that allows it to have an impact. Leaders are charismatic, can make stories sound better than they actually are, and are convincing enough to get people on their side. It is powerful, but it can be really dangerous too.
Ultimately leadership traits such as charisma and strong oration skills are tools that can be used to satisfy one’s goals. Like with most things, it is not the trait itself that is bad or evil, but instead how it is used and for what purposes. The comparison of MLK and Hitler is especially interesting because there strongest leadership skills match up very well.