Leadership is defined as “a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. In my opinion, leadership is one of the most desirable qualities that a person can possess. No matter the environment, leaders are needed in every aspect of life. Children need leaders to help them develop, students need leaders to help them learn, and teams need leaders to help the group achieve a common goal. But the real question emerges, how does one become a leader? Are leaders born, or do they rise to the occasion? How do leaders get their peers to rally around their actions? Former National Football League linebacker Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens epitomizes what a leader should be on the field. Lewis was a linebacker for 17 seasons (1996-2012) for the Baltimore Ravens, and the early 2000’s Ravens defense is considered one of the greatest units in sports history. However, while Ray Lewis was viewed as one of the best on the field leaders in NFL history, however his legacy, reputation, and image were tainted by actions away from the playing field.. How is it that a figure like Ray Lewis could be so revered on the field, but off the field he was heavily criticized for his actions and behavior? Throughout this essay I will analyze Ray Lewis’ upbringing and discuss how he developed his leadership qualities that caused former teammate Jamal Lewis to say, “In recent history, I can’t really think of a player who has been as valuable to a team as Ray Lewis has been. He’s a different player, as far as his physicality, his passion off the field, his work ethic, and at the same time he can lead vocally. You don’t have all of that in one player, and I think that’s what makes him a Hall of Famer and probably the best linebacker to ever play the game.” (Belmont 41). I will draw on Lewis’ leadership qualities and compare and contrast them to figures we studied throughout the semester…
