UNIT 2:LEADERSHIP AND FAMOUS PEOPLE
Key unit competence: To use language learnt in the context of leadership andfamous people.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
Respond to the following questions:
1. Choose two different types of leaders you know from your
community and describe how they carry out their leadership.
Do you find their leadership styles compatible with your
understanding of leadership concept? Explain your answer.
2. Evaluate different information given in the picture above and
identify the qualities of a good leader.
3. On your opinion, what is a good style of leadership and why?
4. Do you think it is important for a group of people to have a leader?Why?
2.1 Talking about a famous Rwandan leader
Text: A famous traditional Rwanda Leader
Kigeli IV Rwabugiri was the king of the Kingdom of Rwanda in the late 19th
century. He was among the last Nyiginya kings in a ruling dynasty that had
traced their lineage back four centuries to Gihanga, the first ‘historical’ king
of Rwanda whose exploits are celebrated in oral chronicles. He was the first
king in Rwanda’s history to come into contact with Europeans. He established
an army equipped with guns he obtained from Germans and prohibited most
foreigners, especially Arabs, from entering his kingdom.
Rwabugiri held authority from 1853–1895. He died in September 1895, during
an expedition in modern day Congo, shortly after the arrival of the German
explorer Count Gustav Adolf von Götzen. His adopted son, Mibambwe IVRutarindwa, was proclaimed the next king.
By the end of Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardized
structure of provinces, districts, hills, and neighborhoods, administered by a
hierarchy of chiefs.
He defended the borders of the Rwandan kingdom against invading neighboring
kingdoms, slave traders, and Europeans. Rwabugiri was a warrior king and
is regarded as one of Rwanda’s most powerful kings. Some Rwandans see
him as the last true King of Rwanda due to the tragic assassination of his
successor Rutarindwa and coup by his stepmother Kanjogera who installed
her son Musinga. By the beginning of the 20th century, Rwanda was a unified
state with a centralized military structure. For his legacy, plans are underway to
revamp an expanse of land on a hill known as Kageyo in Ngororero district, on
which a palace of King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri was built in the 19 Century. This hill,
is a historical monument. It was also the venue where Count Von Götzen metKing Kigeri IV Rwabugiri towards the end of the 19 Century.
Adopted from : Musée Royal de l’Afrique (1964). Annalen - Koninklijke Museum voorMidden-Afrika, Tervuren, België. Reeks in-80. Musée royal de l’Afrique centrale. p. 473
Comprehension questions
1. In which century did King Kigeli IV Rwabugiri lead the Rwandan
Kingdom?
2. Which dynasty was he from as described by the writer?
3. Explain what really made Kigeli IV Rwabugiri a famous leader during his
kingdom.
4. Why is it important to leave a legacy as far as leaders are concerned?
5. Indicate the place where king Kigeli IV Rwabugiri met Count Von Götzenand when
2.1.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITY
2.2 Talking about leadership styles
Text : Leadership styles
Leadership is one of the primary determinants as to whether an organization and
its personnel will be successful. In order to be a successful leader it is important
that an understanding of the various leadership styles is developed. Leadership
style has a direct impact on an organizational effectiveness and employee
performance. A thorough understanding of the various leadership styles
enables us to “develop our own approach and become a more effective leader”
(Malos, 2012, p. 421). Research has shown that leadership style “influences the
team members’ execution and performance, as well as motivates the team to
reach the organization’s goal(s)” (Cunningham, Salomone, & Wielgus, 2015, p.
28). The leadership styles researched in this paper are autocratic, democratic,laissez-faire, transformational and Charismatic leadership.
Firstly, there is a type of leadership where the leader keeps strict, close control
over followers by keeping close regulation of policies and procedures given to
followers. Indeed, within this kind of leadership, there is direct supervision in
order to maintain a successful leadership environment. Followers are expected
to be productive, and therefore authoritarian leaders endeavour to keep close
supervision, because of their belief that for anything to be done it requires
consistent supervision and follow up. Authoritarian leadership style often
follows the vision of those that are in control even when the decisions are notagreed upon by every individual.
Secondly, this is a kind of style that involves the leader sharing the decision
making process with his followers. The followers have a sense of belonging,
ownership and responsibility; this also promotes the interests of the group
members by practicing social equality. One of the main characteristics of this
leadership is discussion, debate and sharing of ideas and encouragement of
people to feel good about their involvement. Therefore, as the description
states, it is democratic leadership.
Thirdly, it is where all the leaders and workers have the right and power to
make decisions. Laissez-faire leaders allow followers to have complete freedom
to make decisions concerning the completion of work and the running of the
community. There is a high degree of independence and self-rule, while at the
same time offering guidance and support when requested. The leader guides
with freedom, the followers are provided with all materials necessary to
accomplish their goals.
Fourthly, it is a kind of leadership where the leader is not limited by his or her
followers’ perception, ideas or innovations. The main objective is to work to
change or transform his or her followers’ needs and to redirect their thinking.
Leaders that follow the transformation style of leading challenge and inspire
their followers with a sense of purpose and excitement. They also create a
vision of what they aspire to be, and communicate this idea to others.
Fifthly, Charismatic leadership resembles transformational leadership: both
types of leaders inspire and motivate their team members. The difference lies
in their intent. Transformational leaders want to transform their teams and
organisations, while leaders who rely on charisma often focus on themselves
and their own ambitions, and they may not want to change anything.
Lastly by no means of least, as long as leadership styles are concerned, another
style is where the leader must adjust his/her style to fit the development level
of the followers he/she is trying to influence. With situational leadership, it
is up to the leader to change his/her style, not the follower to adapt to the
leader’s style. The style may change continually to meet the needs of others in
the organization based on the situation.
In conclusion, leadership is an integral part of human life. Leaders are evident
in families, in schools, in work places, in churches, in social groups, and in
one’s own life. Indeed, everyone must be a leader of his/her own life as he/
she matures into an adult and makes decisions for him/herself. What makes
a person successful in this endeavor is his/her ability to challenge, create,
achieve, inspire, energize, assess and ultimately decide what is best for both
him/herself and for his/her followers. Therefore, as there are different types
of leadership styles, the governing body, based on what type it is, may chosemanagement individuals with specific leadership styles to achieve their goals.
Adapted from General studies and communication skills, S5 student book
Comprehension questions
1. What is the importance of leadership style according to the research, as
discussed in the passage?
2. From the various types of leadership you have learnt, which one appeals
to you the most? Give reasons for your answer.
3. Identify and explain three leadership styles as discussed in the passage.
4. Think of an ideal leader, who is capable of bringing positive transformationand explain the character traits that such a leader should possess.
2.2.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITY
a. Juliet is the leader of an organization that provides computer services. She
has realized that there is a problem with the way they advertise their business.
Sitting at her desk, she lists some approaches they can take to improve their
communications. She then tells the other employees what they need to do
without asking for anyone else’s ideas.
b. Judith is the manager of a catering service called Best Bakery. They have been
asked to prepare cakes for an upcoming wedding of the daughter of a political
leader. She decides that coconut cakes will be the best and calls the staff
together to discuss the order. She informs them of the order and then launches
into a speech about all the advantages of making coconut cake. Others express
an interest in making vanilla cakes but in the end, Viviane convinces them that
coconut is best.
c. David is the owner of a successful auto mechanic workshop. A customer has
brought a vehicle in that has multiple problems. He asks his team to assess the
problems and get back to him with possible solutions. A few hours later they
have a meeting to discuss what they have found and what they propose. Theyhave a discussion, John gives some advice and the team begins to repair.
d. Joy runs a tailoring business in town. He has 5 employees. With an upcoming
holiday, they have many orders to fulfill. She gathers all the employees to
get their opinions on how to best manage the process so they can meet the
deadlines. In the end, they decide together to divide tasks amongst themselves.
Joy and two others were tasked with cutting and shaping the cloth while the
other tailors would do the sewing. In the end they managed to keep all of their
customers satisfied. Jimmy is one of the leading members of the community
youth association in a rural area. Following the illness of several community
members, she decided it was necessary for community members to have better
access to potable water. During weekly youth association meetings, she shared
her vision and got others interested in resolving the problem. Together they
researched different possibilities such as working with local government
offices to mobilize resources to install a borehole (pipe drilled down to access
clean water). During their association meetings, Jimmy always recognized the
effort each individual was making. Eventually the youth were able to mobilize
the resources necessary to access clean water. The youth and the community
members were all inspired by her commitment and hard work to make ithappen.
Extracted from: Entrepreneurship Student’s Book for Senior Five
Task:
1. Describe the leadership styles applied in the scenario and give reasons
to support your answers.
2. Justify whether they were the most appropriate styles to apply or not.Support your answers with clear facts.
II. Use a dictionary and thesaurus to look up the missing meanings of the
words/phrases and pronunciation in the table below. Copy the table into yourbook and fill in the blank spaces.
III. Debate the following motion: “a good leader is born, not made.”
IV. Use the following words as they are used in the passage to make sentences.
c) influences
d) strict
e) authoritarian
f) democratic
g) Charismatic
h) Inspire
i) Aspire2.3 Giving opinion on leaders
Text: Qualities of a good leader
No one denies the fact that a good leader should have some positive features no
matter which community he/she comes from. Leaders are important parts of
any community; so they all require some special attributes and skills. As for me,
the most important characteristics are as fallows:
First, leaders should be good decision makers; they should be able to make
their minds the best way possible in a short period of time and on the spur
of moment they should decide about various issues. For example a leader of
country should have the ability to take the best and efficient decision during a
limited time, regarding ratifying or declining a specific law.
Second, leaders should have a wide spectrum of information related to their
task’s area; without having fundamental and up to date true information in the
related context, they can’t make decisions, accretion and unity and many other
works. They should stay abreast of different issues related to them and theirjob.
Thirdly, leaders should be reliable, prudent, wise and responsible. These
features are also of importance and attention for a leader who has a vital
role in the fate and destiny of the community. They should act in a way that
attracts people’s trust and reliance; they should be mature enough not to act
on their whims, to anticipate the intended and unintended consequences of
their decisions, not to be indifferent and carefree about their tasks, not to be lax
and irresponsible. They should be aware of their duties and encourage other
people to work efficiently to achieve the common goals and aims of community.
For instance, a leader who doesn’t do their duties well and is apathetic about
the community and goals can’t ask other people to work and cooperate to gain
their goals.
To put it in a nutshell, I’m of the opinion that leading others requires leadership
qualities and skills and it’s not easy to be a good and successful leader. Good
and competent leaders should enjoy many characteristics and traits becausethe destiny, success and prosperity of the community all are related to them.
Adapted from: https://www.testbig.com/toefl-essays/what-are-characteristics-good ;leader-give-reasons-and-examples-support-your-response-
Comprehension questions
1. Explain why good leaders should possess the qualities of good decision
makers?
2. What makes a good leader according to the author?
3. Explain the importance of good leadership in socio-economic
development.
4. How would you predict the challenges a society with a bad leader canface?
2.3.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITY
2.4 Talking about famous persons in modern Rwanda
Text: The Leadership of President Paul Kagame
I am a Kenyan who worked in Rwanda for about three years from 2004 to 2008
but I consider Rwanda as my second home. I am proud to be associated with
Rwanda. During my stay there, Rwanda was going through one of the most rapid
developments to transform itself in all sectors. This was due to the leadership
of President Paul Kagame, which is one of the most progressive and dynamic
leadership in the world. Did I say that Rwanda has the most progressive and
dynamic leadership in the world? Yes, and it is not by mistake!
President Kagame has been and still is one of the greatest political leaders in
the world today in terms of vision, leadership, compassion, personal integrity
and magnanimity. He is on a daily basis overly concerned about small issues in
a village while at the same time providing the voice of reason in a tumultuous
Central and East African region in addition to charting new grounds on world
leadership at global forums such as the great speeches that have made him
famous all over the world.
He has had the power but, like Nelson Mandela, he did not and does not misuse
such power to revenge on those who did untold injustice to him, his family and
his country women and men. I read New Times almost every day since I left
Rwanda two years ago. I am amazed by the heartwarming stories that I read as
compared to newspapers in Kenya, Uganda or SA that are full of heartrending
stories of crime, political intrigues and corruption.
I hope Rwandans wherever they are have learned valuable lessons in history:
that we must praise and treasure good leaders when they are at it not when
they leave office or after they die. I have always told my friends everywhere that
President Kagame is the class of Nelson Mandela, Mahtma Gandhi and George
Washington and that Rwandans are lucky to have him. I wish he could become
the president of EA or Africa at large.
Many people visiting Rwanda , they might really have many choices but choosing
Rwanda - they know they are safe in a clean environment in a country that
makes everyone feel at home the first day, and every day), Rwanda can teach all
other countries in the world different lessons. From the above achievements,
we can affirm that good leadership remains the main cornerstone of sustainable
development; and has undoubtedly been the force powering Rwanda’s rapid
growth and transformation into a dignified nation.
In a nutshell, based on Rwanda’s experience, it is clear that good governance
stems from the commitment of leaders to the values of servant-leadership and
accountability, exercised with consistency and excellence. It also requires the
ingenuity of leaders at all levels to shape meaningful citizen-centered home
grown solutions and the participation of citizens in tackling local problems,
thus ensuring the current growth rates are sustainable.Adapted from New times: Published: June 20, 2010
Comprehension questions
1. Who is talking in the story and how does he/she consider Rwanda?
2. What makes his excellence Paul Kagame famous according to the writer?
Explain.
3. To whom did the writer compare the president of Rwanda? Why?
4. Explain why the writer affirms that good leadership is a cornerstone to
sustainable development.
5. Why do you think leaders are servants of the people?6. Based on the writer’s views, which conclusions can you draw?
2.4.2 APPLICATION ACTIVITY
2.5 Language structure: Past simple tense and Wh-clauses
Exercise
Fill in gaps within the following paragraph using verbs in brackets. Put these
verbs in the right tense.
Last Saturday, we (a) ----------------- (visit) a big art gallery in New York. We (b)
---------------- (come) by bus. The bus (c) ------------------- (park)-near a park.
We (d) ----------------- (go) through the park to the museum. In the gallery we
(e) ---------------------- (look) at a lot of paintings and drawings. After that, we(f) ----------------(write) our favorite painting in our notebooks. On Sunday
morning, I (g) ---------------------(go) in bed late. I was tired! In the afternoon, I
--------------------(see)--a picture for my mom. I (i) ---------------- (get) lots of
different colors. My mom was happy.
Notes
I. PAST SIMPLE TENSE:
This tense is usually used to:
• describe events completed in the past at time indicated by such adverbs
of time as yesterday, ago, last month, last week and last year.
Examples:
a. Some famous African leaders like Nelson Mandela and Mahtma Gandhi
died many years ago.
b. You didn’t call last night!
c. She went to Paris three years ago.
d. Adam arrived in London a week ago.
• express habits in the past
Examples:
a. John went to the park every evening.
b. She sang at parties regularly.
Such past habits are usually described in simple past with adverbs
of frequency like: always, never, frequently, sometimes, generally,…
• express actions that happened over a long time in the past
Examples:
a. The poor boy struggled and became rich.
b. The thieves grew into a big dacoit(a band of armed robbers)
• The simple past is also used after conditional phrases such as if only, as
if, as though, wish, etc.
Examples:
a. If only I were rich, people could see what I’m capable of.
b. He spoke to me as if he were my boss.
c. I wish I had wings then I would fly far away.
Spelling of regular verbs in past simple tense.
a. Verbs that end with y letter, y is replaced by letter i followed by ed:
Examples:
carry - carried, study - studied, fry - fried, try – tried
b. A one syllable regular verb that ends with a consonant, the consonant is
doubled and followed by ed.
Examples:
Stop - stopped, plan - planned, rob - robbed, beg – begged
d. If a regular verb has more than one syllable and ends with a consonant, the
past simple tense is formed by doubling the final consonant and adding ed only
if the final syllable is stressed.
Examples:
prefer - preferred, regret – regretted
e. Exception:
In British English verbs ending in -l have -ll before -ed whether the final syllable
is stressed or not.
Example: travel – travelled
Exercise
Use the correct past simple tense of the verb in brackets.
a. Ndabaga is famous in Rwanda because she (become) a warrior.
b. King Kigeri IV (extend) the boundaries of the kingdom during his rule.
c. He (prevent) any Rwandans from being captured as slaves.
d. Mao-Tse-Tung (be) the leader of the Chinese Communist party.
e. Julius Nyerere (form) a strong, modern Tanzania during his term in office.
f. Nelson Mandela (fight) against apartheid in South Africa.
g. He (show) that it was possible to bring about reconciliation in a country.
h. Agathe Uwiringiyimana (be) the first female prime minister.
i. She and her family (be) executed during the Genocide.
j. People believe that colonialists (assassinate) King Mutara III on his way
to hospital for treatment.
2. WH-word clauses
Notes
An interrogative word or question word is a function word used to ask
a question, such as what, when, where, who, which, whom, whose, why,
and how. They are sometimes called wh-words, because in English most
of them start with wh- (compare five Ws). They may be used in both direct
questions: (Where is he going?) and in indirect questions (I wonder where he
is going). In English and various other languages the same forms are also used
as relative pronouns in certain relative clauses (The country where he was
born) and certain adverb clauses (I go where he goes).
WH-word clauses get their name from the fact that most of the words that
introduce them begin with the letters wh. There are ten WH-words. Six of them
are pronouns; four are adverbs:
• The pronouns are who, whose, whom, which, what, that.
• The adverbs are: where, when, why, how.
Examples
Who was the first black president to lead South Africa?
What are the characteristics of a good leader?
Who is the president of the republic of Rwanda?
Who among prominent leaders inspire you the most in Rwanda?
N.B.
Wh-words are used to ask about specific qualities, times, places, people and so
on. The question word is used at the beginning. If there is a helping (auxiliary)
verb that precedes the main verb (for example: can, is, are, was, were, will,
would...), we add the question word and invert the subject and the helping
(auxiliary) verb. Below is table showing a list of question words and examplesentences:
Exercise
Choose the correct word from Which, why, who, what, how to complete the
blank spaces.
1. I don’t know……………………..jacket to choose!
2. Do you know………………….I am?
3. Richard will know……………………to do.
4. I wonder…………………she’s doing here.
5. Can you show us……………………to do it?
6. I don’t know…………………..I didn’t think of it before!
7. Do you know……………………….actors will be at the premiere?8. I’d like to learn ........................................ to be successful.
2.6 END UNIT ASSESSMENT
I. Complete the story below with appropriate tense of the verbs in blackest.
Kamaliza Divine is a leader in Imbuto foundation, she has been sick in the
hospital for two months. Her friend Joy….2… (go) to see her yesterday. She
… …….3…… (take) plenty of fruits with her. When she ……4…… (arrive) at
the hospital, she ……. 5… (find) that Joy……. …….6……. (leave) the hospital
the previous day.
Kamaliza…………..7……. (not know) what to do with the fruits, and she
………….(think) of throwing them all away but later, she ………..9…..(change)
her mind. The fruits…….10 ……. (cost) her a lot of money. Eventually, she
… ….11……. (decide) to give them to a poor patient. She … ….12…….(go)
home happy, knowing that she ……13……(do) the right thing. As famous
leader in her community, journalists also……….14…..(come) to see her but
unfortunately ……15….(find)…her.
II. Choose the right word to complete the following sentences
1. Ann brought (a new dictionary). Question: What did Ann buy? Noun
Clause: Do you know ___________________?
A. What Ann buy.
B. What Ann bought.
C. What did Ann buy.
D. What did Ann bought.
2. It is (350 miles) to Denver from here. Question: How far is it from here
to Denver? Noun Clause: I need to know _____________________________
A. How far it is from Denver to here.
B. How far it is from here to Denver?
C. How far is it from here to Denver.
D. How far it is from here to Denver.
III. Write an essay describing the qualities of a famous leader from yourcommunity. Pay attention to the use of past simple tense and wh-clauses.