This is an opinion-based question; therefore, you can feel free to answer either way and defend your position. Modern-day books and movies would tell you that Beowulf's leadership format hasn't changed. He's a brave, strong, and selfless warrior type leader. He goes out and puts his life on line in very dangerous situations so that others may live. Other men gravitate toward him for that reason, and they listen to him and respect his thoughts. That's exactly what we see in many Hollywood hero movies. Audiences get characters like Thor or Captain America, and those men are essentially modern-day retreads of Beowulf. They fight the fight that others can't, so that the population can be made safer. Audiences are rarely asked to consider how intelligent Beowulf or Thor is. We assume that because they are brave and selfless, they are good leaders. Those are definitely qualities that I (and probably other people) want a leader to have; however, beyond that, I think leadership has changed since Beowulf.

I think a great deal of importance is now placed on how intelligent and well-educated a leader is. Those are important qualities in a leader because they would hopefully increase that person's ability to think critically about a situation and make good decisions. Beowulf's leadership example is too often fight-orientated. He is even offered the chance of great wealth and a more permanent leadership role, but he turns it down. Readers automatically praise his humility and selflessness, but it's entirely possible that Beowulf would rather throw himself into the next fight rather than actually lead in a way that doesn't involve fighting.