Geronimo Essay
Lauren Pam
Professor Papp
Leadership
22 October 2012
Geronimo, Apache: A Defined Leader Geronimo, or Goyathlay, was a great leader from the Native American Bendokohe Apache tribe. Although Geronimo was not a chief, the tribe depended on the wisdom of his position as medicine man. Geronimo gathered such influence that he led the last force to formally capitulate to the United States by upholding the core Apache values that embody aspects that define a leader: aggressiveness, diligence, and courage. Geronimo displayed the core values of the Apache tribe, that of courage, diligence, and aggressiveness. These core values were what kept them relatively safe from the increasing white settlement of the west, including Arizona and New Mexico (theinitialjourney.com.) Aggressiveness, or assertiveness, and diligence are key aspects of a leader. A leader must be assertive as well as persistent in order to maintain a certain level of self-confidence and influence over those who are being led, even in the face of adversity. Geronimo was a great example of an assertive leader. Geronimo led the last major Native American Fighting force to surrender to the United States; thus having the longest resistance period. Upon the discovery that his mother, wife, and his three young children had been murdered by Spanish troops, he vowed to avenge his family by retaliating against as many Mexican settlements as possible. It was not until this time that he received his ‘power’ of seeing visions (Indigenouspeople.net.) It was because Geronimo held out the fight for so long, that he became the most famous Apache of all. By asserting himself and applying himself in order to uphold his values of family and justice, Geronimo became an essential force as medicine man, acting in and out of combat as a spiritual and intellectual leader of the people (not a chief.) He escaped from a reservation three times, the final time bringing thirty five warriors and one hundred nine women and children
Professor Papp
Leadership
22 October 2012
Geronimo, Apache: A Defined Leader Geronimo, or Goyathlay, was a great leader from the Native American Bendokohe Apache tribe. Although Geronimo was not a chief, the tribe depended on the wisdom of his position as medicine man. Geronimo gathered such influence that he led the last force to formally capitulate to the United States by upholding the core Apache values that embody aspects that define a leader: aggressiveness, diligence, and courage. Geronimo displayed the core values of the Apache tribe, that of courage, diligence, and aggressiveness. These core values were what kept them relatively safe from the increasing white settlement of the west, including Arizona and New Mexico (theinitialjourney.com.) Aggressiveness, or assertiveness, and diligence are key aspects of a leader. A leader must be assertive as well as persistent in order to maintain a certain level of self-confidence and influence over those who are being led, even in the face of adversity. Geronimo was a great example of an assertive leader. Geronimo led the last major Native American Fighting force to surrender to the United States; thus having the longest resistance period. Upon the discovery that his mother, wife, and his three young children had been murdered by Spanish troops, he vowed to avenge his family by retaliating against as many Mexican settlements as possible. It was not until this time that he received his ‘power’ of seeing visions (Indigenouspeople.net.) It was because Geronimo held out the fight for so long, that he became the most famous Apache of all. By asserting himself and applying himself in order to uphold his values of family and justice, Geronimo became an essential force as medicine man, acting in and out of combat as a spiritual and intellectual leader of the people (not a chief.) He escaped from a reservation three times, the final time bringing thirty five warriors and one hundred nine women and children
Cited: www.indigenouspeople.net/geronimo.htm http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/4aa/4aa494b.htm www.theinitialjourney.com/features/geronimo_01.html