For quite a long time, there have been arguments as to whether Hitler was an effective leader or not. Proponents of the argument that he was a great leader claim that he maintained a legitimate rule over his subjects and managed to reign in such a volatile time (Megargee para. 5). On the other hand, the opponents believe that his leadership style was such a mess as it caused more damage than good to the people of Germany and to the world as a whole.
Looking at this issue, this essay seeks to take the opinion suggested by Varghese (para 1). He claims that Hitler was a great leader but he was never an effective leader. On the good side, he made sure that Germany expanded in terms of technology and industrialization. He also ensured that the nation, which had never had any government sponsored infrastructural or architectural artifacts invested heavily in the Olympic Games that were held in the country. All these factors point to the fact that he was a good leader; a great leader even. He was not afraid to venture into something that his predecessors had shied away from. He could take risks, and never feared to raise his opinions and defend them (Robbins para. 2). Above all, he managed to maintain his vision and outlook throughout his time in power. For instance, his belief that the Germans were a superior race and that the Jews were inferior was never waivered, even at ta time when he was pushed to the edge. These factors leave no doubt that Hitler was indeed a great leader.
However, it is worth noting that not all great leaders are effective leaders. In as much as Hitler was great, he lacked the ingredient of efficiency in his leadership style. First of all, it is observed that he really distrusted his generals (Megargee para. 5). Though there were fair enough reasons as to why he distrusted them, the mere fact that he had doubts in the people he had appointed himself is a point of concern.
Another setback is that his rule was more dictatorial, disregarding the will and the interests of the people (Robbins para. 6). As such, the people obeyed him and respected his authority. However, this was not done because he was an effective leader. Rather, the submission was built on fear; the subjects feared that grave consequences would come to them should they fail to follow the fuehrer’s command. He used fear and intimidation as a tool of authority. This is not one of the aspects of an effective leader.
Megargee (para. 7) indicates that there were other personal factors that made Hitler ineffective as a leader. First of all, he had the habit of overruling the authority of his subordinates. In as much as his instincts were right most of the time, yet they often led to problems. An effective leader should be keen to listen and understand what his advisors go for. This was simply not one of Hitler’s strengths. His was a one man rule where he gave the orders and they rolled down the chain of command. His single handed form of authority could as well have been the cause of his downfall.
In conclusion, it can be seen from the above account that Hitler did quite a lot of things as a leader which proves that he was a great leader. However, there are equally numerous mistakes which sprinkle his reputation with mud. These have to do with the manner in which he run the country and the way he dealt with his assistants. Looking at the evidence provided, this essay holds that Hitler was not an effective leader. His profile definitely fits the one for a charismatic and great leader, but definitely not an effective leader.
Works Cited
Megargee, Geoffrey. ‘Hitler’s Leadership Style.’ BBC, 30th March, 2011. Web, 2nd Oct. 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/hitler_commander_01.shtml
Robbins, Jane. ‘Leadership Theory and Behavior.’ Leadership Theory and Behavior, Vanderbilt University, Nov. 10, 2010. Web, 2nd Oct. 2012, http://leadershiptheory3450.blogspot.com/2010/11/adolf-hitler.html
Varghese, Sangeeth. ‘Hitler: Great Leader, Not Perfect, Says Forbes Columnist.’ Gawker.com, Oct. 5, 2009. Web, 2nd Oct. 2012, http://gawker.com/5374689/hitler-great-leader-not-perfect-says-forbes-columnist
