Tessa Schlesinger
1 min readSep 18, 2023

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My understanding of leadership is very different to yours. To me, you're talking about what we used to call stage presence.

Leadership, to me, is someone who knows how to lead i.e. have the capability to solve problems, the ability to extrapolate what the probable future is and take preventative action if it's dangerous, and protecting people from dangers.

If you look at leadership in herd animals (and we are a herd animal), the leader is always the strongest and the most intelligent. If you look at leadership in primitive tribes, it is the same thing.

Nelson Mandela had none of the attributes you mention. Yet he led South Africa through a perilous time.

Richard Attenborough had none of the attributes you mention. He became a biologist and film maker. He was a leader because he pointed out things that nobody else knew about - he shared his knowledge. He didn't have wealth, power, beauty or fame.

On the other hand, there are a lot of 'leaders,' Elon Musk, for instance, who most certainly have not renounced self, etc. In any event, one cannot be selfless and retain wealth.

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