The Value of Leadership

Leadership is a personal characteristic exuded by profound actions that affect countless individuals, processes, and organizations. It can be taught or learned in many ways across large and small entities alike. The value of leadership, however, cannot be reduced to a specific dollar amount though it is, and always will be, directly tied to an organization’s financial successes and failures. This activity provides insight into the mind of two iconic leadership figures, Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc., and Andy Grove, cofounder and former CEO of Intel, Inc.

Michael Dell is considered a modern maverick of leadership. From the inception of his company he focused on providing his customers’ products based on their specific needs and requirements at the lowest price possible. He was not a big fan of filling shelves for retail businesses based on anticipated or surveyed customer buying trends. This allowed Dell to provide a higher level of satisfaction for every customer experience. And, as it turned out, it was a slam-dunk move. Consumers were excited about the opportunity to add their personal touch to newly acquired technologies. Andy Grove is also celebrated as a leadership maverick. From Intel’s early days and throughout his reign as CEO he implemented strategies and changes unlike many others of his time. For instance, he moved Intel completely away from a market in which they helped to pioneer and was highly skilled into an industry that was new, undeveloped and foreign to the company.

Other similarities shared between these two icons include their indoctrination of situational and transformational leadership styles. They both believed in rising to the occasion at hand and leading their respective organization as the crisis or opportunity demanded. For Dell, it was a better choice to address each customer’s