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Ethical & Effective Behavior

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Bismarck exemplifies the best in effective leadership. While his methods may have been temporarily distasteful, his successful ends for Germany more than justified his means to achieve them. Under the “Iron Chancellor” Germany became a modern, unified nation. Following unification, Germany became one of the most powerful nations in Europe. Bismarck, a political strategist, made political decisions based on practical not moral considerations. Unfortunately that meant manufacturing wars where many lives were lost. As he stated in the movie, “People didn’t make nations strong leader and wars did.” He initiated wars with Denmark, Austria and France that allowed him to unite 39 independent German states. He manipulated his way to the top. Bismarck dominated because he understood a wider range of factors relevant to international affairs. I would describe Bismarck using Covey’s term coercive power. Coercive power is defined as power to make followers follow out of fear that something would happen if they don’t do what is asked. (Covey, 1991, p. 101) Wilhelm was a weak leader. A “political child” as Bismarck called him. Whenever Wilhelm would try to disagree with Bismarck, Bismarck would threaten to resign. Thus, Wilhelm would always give in. Is he any different from most leaders? Without him, would there have been a Germany?

References
Bismark- Germany from Blood and Iron. Retrieved on July 7,2013 http://cup.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-311358-dt-content-rid-5109659_1/courses/20141010832/resources/Week%204/BizmarkTranscript.htm
Covey, Stephen R. (1990) Principle- Centered Leadership. New York, New York.: Free Press.

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