This question is from Anderson Secondary’s 2023 Sec 4 Prelim paper.
General approach for essay
- I view this as a factual, discursive essay. Use your PEEL format to point out a major trait, explaining it, and providing an example. Lastly, link back to your main point.
- Acknowledge that there are multiple traits that people look out for, but emphasise that the three pointers you have selected are the most important of all.
- Define what “good” is. Someone that brings results? Someone who is able to empower the people in their charge?
- When setting out the traits, think about why they are effective. Focus on the desired end goal. After all, a leader needs to be able to motivate the people under them towards the same goal (preferably in a positive way).
Sample Essay
Note: This sample essay is 461 words. Please note that in O Level English (Syllabus 1184), the compo section has a 500-word upper limit.
What makes a leader “good”? Is it someone who exudes charisma and confidence? Ask someone for their criterion and you will get a plethora of answers. When evaluating leaders, of particular importance to me are the virtues of confidence, resilience, and integrity. These three, in my opinion, are a must-have in every good leader, to lead a team onwards.
| Vocabulary | |
| Criterion | Singular form of “criteria” |
| Plethora | A wide range |
It is of no doubt one would rather be led by someone with firm confidence and conviction in their beliefs over one who seems to doubt their own judgement every step of the way. While a healthy level of prudence in decision-making is appreciated, an excessive amount leads instead to decision paralysis, harming progress. One such figure that comes to mind is Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. While several of his decisions like the creation of smartphones were unpopular back then owing to weak demand, he had pressed on, undeterred. Today, his legacy lives on in the proliferation of Apple’s mobile devices, rehashing how unshakeable belief defines a good leader.
| Vocabulary | |
| Conviction | Here, it means “a firmly held belief/opinion”. The other meaning is “a formal judgement of a crime”, not applicable here. |
| Prudence | Being cautious; showing care for the future |
| Decision paralysis | A situation where one fails to make a choice as there are overwhelmed by the number of options and/or potential risks |
| Undeterred | Not being stopped by |
| Proliferation | The wide-ranging spread of |
| Rehash(ing) | To emphasise |
A good leader, in my view, is one that is also highly resilient to setbacks; one who perseveres even in the face of great adversity. It is realistically impossible to truly insulate ourselves from setbacks; one instead needs to live with it, turning headwinds into tailwinds. Back in 1965, differences between a merged Singapore and Malaysia culminated in Singapore’s eventual ejection. Despite this, Lee Kuan Yew did not back down. Instead, he and his team geared Singapore to become a self-sufficient independent nation despite lacking natural resources, and still reeling from unrest. The Singapore we know today is built off the backbones of good leaders who faced setbacks head-on, and why I believe resilience to be a key trait of a good leader.
| Vocabulary | |
| Adversity | Setback; great difficulty |
| Insulate | To shield something from negative influences/experiences |
| Headwind / Tailwind | Wind moving against you, slowing you down / Wind blowing from behind, serving as a boost. |
| Ejection | Forced removal |
| Reeling from | Feeling very confused/shocked, such that one is unable to act |
Lastly, a good leader is one with integrity. Lying breaks all trust between people. Even in leadership, this is no exception. A leader seen as untrustworthy will cost the overall group numerous opportunities. Adolf Hitler, then-ruler of Nazi Germany, was a notorious example of this. He had inked numerous treaties with other nations, yet eventually reneged on all of them, significantly souring Germany’s relations with the rest of the world. In stark contrast is former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who remains a widely respected figure owing to her integrity, long after her departure from her role.
| Vocabulary | |
| Inked | Sign (a contract or agreement) |
| Renege(d) | To go back on one’s promise; betray a prior agreement |
| In stark contrast | Showing a huge difference from |
While there are many other attributes that define a leader as “good” or “bad”, it remains that the three traits set out above – confidence, resilience, and integrity – lay the bedrock for a good leader. It is the starting point for a leader who is best placed to empower the people that they lead, such that they are willing to rally behind their leader and strive for collective success and achievement.
| Vocabulary | |
| Lay the bedrock | Setting the foundation/core principles (of something) |
Note regarding factual accuracy
This essay is written for a paper meant for the assessment of the English language. The information is not to be taken as factually or historically accurate. Generally, mild factual inaccuracies and are overlooked, as long as the information is not outright misleading or revisionist (example: 5G radio signals spread COVID; the first moon landing was a fake set-up in a studio etc.).