How to Write Characters Who Are Leaders

Giving advice on how to write characters who are leaders is a bit complicated because there are so many different kinds of leaders. Leading soldiers into battle requires a different kind of leadership from leading volunteers at a church or students in a classroom. But you can ask yourself some basic questions for any kind of leader as you create him or her.

Effective or Ineffective Leader?

Is your character good at whatever kind of leading you want him to do? Or is she in over her head? If the answer is yes to the second question, you can concoct a variety of reason for her ineffectiveness. For example:

• Lack of skill, talent or training
• Received position due to nepotism. For a stunning example of an ineffective leader, you should watch the 1956 movie Attack. An officer has been promoted to captain during WW II due to who is father is, and his incompetence is getting his men killed.
• Ambition exceeds ability
• Personal problems, such as taking care of a chronically sick spouse or relative

But if your character is an effective leader, the next question you should ask is …

Good or Bad Leader?

We’ve already decided this character can lead. But does he do it in a good or bad way? If he leads in a good way, there are numerous routes toward making him a believable leader. He may lead with charisma or by being transparent or likable or personable or many other admirable attributes. One of my favorite novels is Watership Down, the story of a band of rabbits trying to survive the English countryside while establishing a new warren. Two of the leaders, Hazel and Bigwig, have very different styles and yet are both effective leaders. I found it interesting to learn that the author Richard Adams based the two characters on two officers he served with during World War II.

If she’s an effective but bad leader, her flaw usually comes down to leading through fear. That use of fear can be deployed into two main ways: aggression or manipulation. The aggressive leader is a bully. People under him fear his intimidating or humiliating tactics. The manipulative leader keeps the people under her off balance. No one knows what she’s doing behind the scenes, who will be let go next, or even what the rules are because she can change them without notice. And you can have a leader character who combines aggression and manipulation.

What books or shows have memorable characters who are leaders?