Aragorn's political skills.

[the phantom]

Are a group of people more likely to follow a good leader (with proper claim) who is willing to let them die, or to follow a good leader (also with proper claim), who is more likely to go out and fight right next to them?

I don't know. The King can do as he pleases, but if I had a King that I really loved then I would prefer that he stay behind the lines. I'd tell him "Let me go in place of you. If I die you lose one soldier, if you die we all lose our King."

Though I guess a King that stays back doesn't fill the part of a romantic hero- the way fantasy Kings are supposed to be.