Leading like lions: The model junior officer in the Great War and a critique of present-day mainstream leadership models

Abstract

The Great War has been especially associated with poor leadership and British soldiers have been referred to as “lions led by donkeys,” but this article looks beyond generals to the leadership of junior officers, who were sometimes considered heroes by their men. Using obituaries, this study reconstructs the model of the ideal junior officer in the British Army during the Great War and then compares that model to present-day mainstream leadership theories. This comparison provides a fresh critique of present-day models both in their construction and from the lived experience of junior officers, which gives us insight into the real-life consequences of leadership models for leaders in assigned roles. This article both builds on critiques of mainstream leadership theories by other scholars and demonstrates the power of historical examples for offering evaluative insights into present-day approaches to leadership.