Heroic leaders and despotic tyrants: How power and status shape leadership

When one thinks of a hero, one thinks of a leader. Leaders are an integral and coveted part of social life because they are essential for navigating their groups through murky waters and troubled times. When they succeed in doing so, they are raised up by the group and become a hero in their followers’ eyes. From a young age, most people dream about becoming leaders of their group, perhaps even the world, in part because they strongly desire the many benefits that are bestowed upon leaders. In return for bestowing valuable resources upon leaders, followers expect that leaders use their influence for the good of the group (e.g., van Vugt, Hogan, & Kaiser, 2008).

• View at Publisher
• View at Scopus