Leader of the Pack

[Tracey]

Welcome to the Poll of the Week!

Machiavelli said "A great leader should be feared more than loved."

Patton said "A great leader is one willing to make the tough decisions."

Napoleon said, "A great leader is a “dealer in hope.”"

Groucho Marx said, "Only one man in a thousand is a great leader of men—the other 999 follow women."

With that being said, which Captain do you think was the greatest leader in the Star Trek franchise? The battle is between Kirk, Picard, Sisco, Janeway and Archer. May the best leader win and as always, don't be afraid to post your thoughts below!

[Valoru]

I need more input before I can vote, actually. As I grow in my own leadership journey professionally and in faith, I realize that a true leader is a delegator, an instiller of trust, a servant. Picard has always been my favorite captain and character in Trek as he has an excellent presence (thanks to P-Stew) and is decisive and fervent for what the Federation stands for. But is he a great leader? Does he serve his crew? Does he lead them to their own success? Perhaps that is not as applicable in a military setting, but I am not so sure he is the poster image for "leadership".

So do any of the other captains inspire and instill and empower better than Picard? I would argue Kirk is probably similar in style, just rougher around the edges, but I know very little in this area about the other three captains.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Valoru

[+ Trellis Vondaryan]

Part of me wanted to vote Janeway because she somehow managed to convince her crew not to mutiny and/or settle down in the Delta Quadrant after what should have been an impossible mission. But I think she was also the worst captain who changed her mind about what she wanted each week, too. My least favourite captain, for sure.

Archer was good, and Iove Scott Bakula, but he sometimes seemed a bit too heavy-handed to me.

Picard was the ultimate diplomat and face of the Federation. He was level-headed and had an open-door policy in regards to listening/taking advice from his crew. Those are fantastic qualities in leader.

Sisko was the best character and most complex person, and certainly one of (if not the) best parents in the Trek universe, but leader? I liked that he was willing to do whatever necessary to accomplish the mission, and Avery Brooks was fantastic in his portrayal, but outside of O'Brian and Dax I never felt like he inspired loyalty and bringing out the best in others.

Kirk somehow managed to make his crew extremely loyal in an often cavalier way. There's something to be said for leading from the front. He wasn't my favourite captain, but I thought he was the best leader because he always thought of the safety of his crew above anything else, even Starfleet ideals (when necessary).