◄Unit 6: Study skills and writingUnit 8: Business►

Unit 7: Leadership and famous people

  • Unit 7: Leadership and famous people


    Key Unit Competence:     To use language learnt in the context of 

    Leadership and famous people.

    Introductory activity: Observe the images below and give answer 

    to the related question.

    You will develop these skills
    • Identify when to use the past simple tense.
    • Use ‘and’ clauses. 

    • State the vocabulary of leadership styles, character.

    Quick check
    Do you think our national football 
    team could win matches without a 

    good team captain to lead them?

    C

    Leadership is a very interesting subject. Throughout history, there 
    have been many famous leaders. Some have inspired their 
    followers to do great things. Others have been cruel or unkind. 
    Leadership has been the topic of many studies. Good leadership is 
    invaluable, for countries, businesses and organisations such as 
    schools and sports teams. In this unit, we will examine the 
    qualities of leadership and read about some well-known leaders 

    and famous people.

    C

    Read what people say about being a leader

    “Leadership is an action, not a position.” – Donald McGannon

    “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t 

    blow an uncertain trumpet.” – Father Theodore M. Hesburgh

    “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if 

    you had no title or position.” – Brian Tracy

    C

    Activity 1: Identify the qualities of a good leader

    C

    Activity 2: Write a definition of leadership

    In your own words, explain what being a leader means to you.

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    C

    During the reign of Mwami Rwabugiri, the state became more 
    centralised. This means that more of the administration and organisation 
    was under the control of the king. The country expanded right up to the 

    shores of Lake Kivu.

    The expansion process was due to both military conquest and migration. 
    This spread Rwandan agricultural techniques and social organisation and 
    extended the king’s political control. Camps of warriors were established 

    along the vulnerable borders to prevent any incursions.

    In traditional Rwanda, the king was treated as a semi-divine being, 
    responsible for making the kingdom prosper. The symbol of the king was 

    the kalinga (the sacred drum).

    Mwami Rwabugiri had a very strong economic base. He controlled over a 
    hundred large estates that were spread throughout the kingdom, 
    including banana plantations and many herds of cattle. These estates 

    formed the basis of his wealth. 

    Everyone who lived in the area had to pay tribute to the mwami. A 
    hierarchy of administrative chiefs collected this. Under the authority of the 
    mwami, there was a council of great chiefs and below them less 
    important chiefs who governed the country in districts. Each district had a 
    cattle chief and land chief. It is worth noting that, by the end of 
    Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardised structure of 

    provinces, districts, hills and neighbourhoods.

    Mwami Rwabugiri also established an army and equipped it with guns. 
    The army prohibited most foreigners from entering his kingdom. The 
    military chiefs who controlled the frontier regions were very important. 
    They played both defensive and offensive roles. They protected the frontier 

    and raided cattle from the neighbouring tribes. 

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    The king was the ultimate judge and arbiter for the cases that reached 
    him. Because of Rwabugiri’s authoritarian style of ruling, harmony and 

    cohesion were established among Rwandans.

    Activity 3: Find the meaning of words

    Discuss with a partner the following expressions and words used in the passage. 

    Look them up in your dictionary and write their meanings in your exercise book.

    1. decades-long process                              2. autonomous 

    3. centralised                                                  4. incursions

    5. semi-divine being                                   6. ornate

    7. frontier                                                       8. harmony and cohesion

    Grammar focus

    The past simple tense

    You will remember that we used the past simple tense in Unit 3, when we 
    discussed the civilisation of Ancient Egypt. The simple past is used to talk about 
    a completed action in a time before now. The length of time of the action is 
    not important. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant 
    past, but it must be completed.

    Example: Kigeri IV Rwabugiri ruled the kingdom of Rwanda from 1853–1895.

    Activity 4: Practise the past simple tense

    Complete the following sentences using the past simple tense.

    1. We _______ a good film last week.
    2. Last Wednesday, I _________ in Kigali.
    3. She ________ her homework by seven o’clock.
    4. I __________ to the soccer match last Saturday.

    5. My uncle _____________ to visit last week.

    Activity 5: Write about the leadership of King Rwabugiri

    Using the past simple tense, describe King Kigeri IV Rwabugiri’s achievements in 

    not more than 120 words.

    Read about why leadership is important

    Leaders are very important. If a group of people gets together for a reason 
    and does not have someone to lead it, it is unlikely that the group will 
    achieve its purpose. Countries, businesses, sports teams, communities and 

    families all need leaders.

    In sport, the teams have various leaders who influence those around them 
    and improve performance. These include:
    • Captains who motivate and set a good example by performing reliably 
    under pressure and encouraging their teammates. In some sports, they 
    change tactics during play.
    • Coaches who analyse individual and team performance. They plan 
    training programmes to improve fitness, technique and skill, and 

    decide the strategies to be used in competition.

    Sports leaders will have one or more of the following qualities:
    • outstanding ability in the sport
    • enthusiasm
    • the ability to motivate

    • the ability to ‘read’ the game or sporting situation.

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    Activity 6: Discuss the qualities of a good leader

    1. In your group, discuss the following qualities of a good leader:
    • Be visionary, give orders, inspire people and provide them with direction.
    • Look for opportunities and encourage change and innovation. 
    • Communicate effectively and have good listening skills.
    • Motivate people and have good people skills. 
    • Set an example for others to follow.
    • Be courageous.
    • Treat people fairly and equally.
    2. Choose one person in your school or community whom you regard as being 
    a good, strong leader. Write down four things that you think make this 
    person a strong leader.
    3. Discuss your findings with the rest of the class. (Hint: Elect a leader to read 
    your group’s presentation.)
    4. Working individually, make a list of the leadership characteristics mentioned 

    by each group.

    Read about styles of leadership

    There are many different leadership styles; two that are very different are 

    the authoritarian and democratic styles.

    An authoritarian leader makes decisions without consulting his or her 
    followers. Followers are not given an opportunity to be involved in decision 
    making. Because there are fewer people involved in the decision-making 
    process, tasks can be organised and finished on time. The authoritarian 
    leadership style provides strong leadership, which makes people feel safe. 
    Organisations such as the army usually use an authoritarian style of 
    leadership. For situations such as an emergency, where an on-the-spot 
    decision needs to be made, this type of leadership can be very useful. 
    Authoritarian leaders are often very charismatic. This means that that they 

    have the type of personality that makes people want to follow them.

    C

    The opposite of authoritarian leadership is democratic leadership. This 
    leadership style is very open. Everyone is given an opportunity to express 
    his or her opinion and be involved in decision making. This style is often 
    used in rapidly changing environments and businesses. Every option for 
    improvement has to be considered to keep the group from becoming out 
    of date. The democratic leadership style means encouraging people to 
    share their ideas, and then sorting through all the available information 
    to make the best possible decision. People like this leadership style 
    because they feel involved and part of the decision-making process, but it 

    does not work when decisions need to be made quickly. 

    C

    Activity 7: Write about styles of leadership

    Choose any business, sporting or political leader. Write a short report on what 

    you think their leadership style is.

    Activity 8: Comprehension – Identify a leadership style

    In pairs, read the following case study and answer the questions that follow. 
    Eric works for Betterwear Mills as a production foreman. His boss keeps a stern 
    eye on how the department functions. Eric has to fill in progress reports every 
    week, which are then checked by his boss. Eric’s boss also regularly checks up on 
    the work of the employees who report to Eric, and insists that certain tasks are 

    done on a daily basis even if they are not required. 

    Eric has been feeling frustrated because he believes there are better ways to run 
    the department, but he is not able to discuss his ideas with his boss. He is also 
    unhappy because his boss recently allocated a pay increase for the employees in 

    Eric’s department without first discussing it with Eric. 

    1. Explain which management style Eric’s boss uses.
    2. If you were Eric’s boss, would you use the same style of leadership? Explain 
    your answer. 

    3. Suggest ways in which Eric’s boss could improve his leadership style.

    Activity 9: Read and understand a poem

    Read the following poem silently and then answer the questions that follow.

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    1. Make a list of the leadership qualities admired by the writer of the poem.
    2. Does the leader, as depicted in this poem, seem to have an easy or a difficult 
    task? Explain your answer.
    3. What does the line ‘Bracing for war, but praying for peace’ mean to you?

    4. Is hindsight always a waste of time?

    Talking about famous people

    A famous person is someone who is well known. This includes local 
    celebrities and politicians, as well as well-known actors, film stars, 
    sports personalities, writers, and so on. Sometimes people become 
    infamous, which means they become well known because of their 

    bad reputation.

    Young people often use famous people as role models. This means 
    that young people try and copy them and become like them. For 
    this reason, many people think that, if you are famous, you must 
    set a good example. This means not taking drugs or abusing 
    alcohol, as well as being a responsible member of society and 

    helping others. 

    Activity 10: Debate the responsibilities of famous people

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    Some of them earn a great deal of money and they use their fame and 

    money to help other people. Here are some examples:

    • Jackie Chan is a famous actor/director/producer. He grew up very poor 
    in Hong Kong, but has become very successful and rich. In 2011 he 
    decided to donate half of his assets (money and property) to charity 
    when he dies. He has also established the Jackie Chan Foundation, 

    which gives education scholarships to young people.

    • Shakira is the highest-selling South American pop singer of all time. 
    She gives time and money towards education and early childhood 
    development, health, and nutrition in Columbia, Haiti and South 

    Africa.

    • Angelina Jolie is a well-known actress and a film director who has won 
    awards for her humanitarian work. Although she is very busy with her 
    work, she also serves as a United Nations Refugee Agency Special 

    Envoy. 

    • Bono is the lead singer in a famous group called U2. He uses his fame 
    to help fight poverty and hunger and works hard to try and make the 

    world a better place.

    In Rwanda we also have our own well-known local entertainers. We have 
    many talented singers, actors and writers. They have had to work hard to 
    become good at their craft and to become well known. Many of them 
    have succeeded in spite of coming from poor families and having little 
    education. They are able to use their fame to be good role models and 

    responsible leaders.

    Activity 11: Discuss Rwandan entertainers

    1. Make a list of all the famous Rwandan entertainers you can think of.
    2. Divide the list into groups, for example actors, writers, musicians or singers.
    3. Discuss which media you use to follow these people. For example do you 
    see them on the television, read about them in magazines or listen to their 
    music on your mobile phone?

    4. Compare their leadership with that of King Rwabugiri. How do they differ?

    craft an activity or job involving skill

    Activity 12: Make notes about a famous Rwandan

    Make notes about the life story of a famous Rwandan person and compare your 

    notes with other learners.

    Grammar focus 

    Clauses and Sentences

    SA clause is a group of related words containing at least a subject and a verb / 
    predicate. It is usually contained within a sentence, but can also stand on its 

    own.

    A Clause is the unit of measurement of every sentence.
    1) A sentence made of one clause is called simple sentence.
    Example:
    • Go.

    • Monica studies Mathematics. 

    2) A Sentence made of two clausesjoined by a coordinate conjuction is called 
     compound sentence.

    • Betty sings and Peter dances. 

    3) A sentence made of two or more sentences joined by a subordinate 
     conjuction is called compex sentence.
    • While he is singing, the audience cannot tear its eyes off him.
    • Tell me Rwabugiri story if you want that I retell you The Pharaohs 

    origin when mother arrives. (four clauses). 

    You can join two or more clauses to make a sentence by using a conjunction

    (joining word).

    Example: 

    Annie took the dog for a walk. It got very dirty. These two sentences can be 
    joined up by using ‘and’ or ‘when’:
    • Annie took the dog for a walk and it got very dirty.

    • The dog got very dirty when Annie took it for a walk.

    Conjunctions that you can use to join clauses include: and, but, although, when, 

    whenever, because...

    Activity 13: Join clauses using ‘when’ or ‘because’

    Make sentences from the following pairs of clauses using either ‘when’ or 
    ‘because’.
    1. The goalkeeper was a child. He dreamed of becoming a professional 
    footballer.
    2. The guitarist is well liked within the music industry. He is always polite and 
    courteous.
    3. Some people are infamous. They behave very badly.
    4. The singer has become very successful. He has worked very hard to become 
    a good musician.

    5. A leader is very important. A football team wants to win matches.

    Read about women of influence in Rwanda

    Did you know that International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 
    8th? The focus of International Women’s Day is to show respect and 

    appreciation towards women for their contributions in society.

    A woman of influence is one who makes a lasting impact on others. Not 
    all women of influence are famous and well known. Some work quietly in 

    the background, but their actions inspire others and change lives.

    There is a saying: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” The 
    importance of women in raising future generations can never be overestimated. 
    Mothers work hard and they often sacrifice a great deal to bring up their 

    children. For this reason alone they are worthy of respect and love. 

    In some countries, women do not have equal rights with men and their 
    influence is restricted to their homes and family life. However in many 
    countries, women are active and influential in other spheres of life besides 
    raising children. Women are proving themselves to be successful leaders, 
    politicians, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. In Rwanda, gender equality 
    is written into the Constitution and laws have been passed which give 
    women the right to inherit land, share the assets of a marriage and 

    obtain credit.

    C

    legacy a gift or inheritance
    majority women representation more women have been elected to parliament 
    than men

    overestimated give too high a value to

    C

    C

    Activity 14: Research some well-known women in Rwanda

    Answer the following questions:

    1. Discuss what is meant by the phrase: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the 
    world.” Do you agree with the statement?
    2. Think about the girls in your school or in your community. Choose one that 
    you consider to be a person of influence and write a brief paragraph 

    describing why she deserves to be considered a person of influence and worth.

    peer person of equal standing

    Activity 15: Research a well-known woman in Rwanda

    Choose a well-known Rwandan woman and plan a text describing her life story. 
    Make sure you divide your text into paragraphs and that you explain the 
    woman’s influence.
    Clauses that use ‘when’ and ‘because’.
    Write and evaluate your text, paying attention to the past simple tense and to 

    and paying attention to ‘when’ and ‘because’ clauses.

    Activity 16: Talk about famous people

    In groups discuss other famous people in Rwanda, describing their life stories.

    Corruption and leadership

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    Activity 17: Talk about corruption

    In your groups, discuss the following questions.
    1. Does corruption only happen at government level?
    2. Can you think of ways that corruption could happen in your school?

    3. How can you help to fight corruption?

    Vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation

    Activity 18: Improve your vocabulary

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    Assessment

    1. Write a short paragraph explaining the qualities of a good leader. 
    (4 marks)
    2. Join the following pairs of clauses to make sentences:
    a) I am going to walk. I can’t wait for the bus.
    b) I am going to buy that book. It is a best-seller.
    c) The president arrives. There will be a big fanfare of drums.
    d) No one wanted to eat the hamburger. Eric sneezed all over it.
    e) The meal has burnt. I left the pot on the stove. (5 marks)
    3. Write a paragraph describing a famous person that you admire, 
    explaining the characteristics that make them a leader. (5 marks)
    4. Change the following sentences into the past simple tense:
    a) She goes to the cinema with me.
    b) Jean-Paul will pass his examination.
    c) My mother makes a cake for my birthday.
    d) The king completes a modernisation of the army. (4 marks)
    5. Explain, in your own words, the difference between an authoritarian 
    and a democratic leader. (2 marks)

    Total (20)


    ◄Unit 6: Study skills and writingUnit 8: Business►