How do we fill the void of Leadership?

Today was a day of contrasts. Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This draws us to memories of one of the great leaders in our nation's history, Ronald Reagan, who through his will, character, and integrity changed the world for the better. His own team of advisers told him not to do this speech, however, Reagan knew it was his responsibility to stand in the gap no matter what slings and arrows may come his way. Courage, integrity, confidence, and accountability are all keys to leadership.

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan
Two years later that wall came down, and freedom was won for millions who had been enslaved for over 70 years.

Today was a reminder of this leadership, Reagan along with his partner in making history for the free world, Margaret Thatcher showed us levels of leadership we hadn't seen since W.W.II. Unfortunately we saw the contrast with the potentially weakest leader, maybe in American history, who couldn't be inconvenienced to attend.

This very day a strong example of leadership was shown by Carrie Prejean who upon the press getting out that she had done a "sex" tape. She was strong enough to come out and tell her story, accept responsibility of poor choices, and was accountable. She is going to be a wonderful example to young girls all over who she will be able to talk to with the authority of someone who has been there, and can warn them about how choices can and will come back to haunt you. She showed great courage and strength in this and earned my respect. Who hasn't done something that they wouldn't want broadcast to the world. She understands that as a Christian, she isn't perfect, just forgiven. It is refreshing to see someone step and take what comes without blaming others or claiming victimhood.

Every day in all parts of our country, and at all levels of our daily lives, we see a lack of quality leadership. We see people who point fingers, assign blame, and act like children who are caught doing wrong but want to use the "not me" defense. Passing the buck, avoiding criticism and making ourselves "look good" seems to be in vogue. Our society today, maybe more than ever, has created a void of leadership by not valuing the character traits that are used in the leadership recipe.

We are so lacking examples of true leadership that I find when I see someone who displays the character of a leader, I find my eyes nearly ready to weep. How starved for those who stand on their own feet, who take responsibility, who are accountable, that it feels like rain on the desert when seen.

A leader can give up anything except final responsibility. When accepting a task, the question that must be answered is "What is required of me?" In other words, what do I have to do that no one but e can do? Whatever those things are we need to put them high on our priority list. Failure to do them will cause you to fail, not only yourself, but your team. There will be many responsibilities of the levels under your position, but only a few that require you to be the one and only one who can do them. Distinguish between what you have to do and what can be delegated to someone else.

What can we learn from some of the great leaders of the past? There are hundreds of outstanding examples of leadership, but I will stay with the most famous for now.

George Washington, one of the great leaders of all time, the corner stone that this nation was built upon. Washington was anything but a good military strategist, but was a great leader. Men wanted to do whatever they could to follow him. They believed in him, and would follow. Washington, though he had a huge ego, was always willing to listen to his subordinates. He had some outstanding generals in Knox and Green and Washington would listen to them and would implement their ideas, sometimes when they went against what he wanted to do. His ego was driving him to attack, his generals convinced him that a war of attrition was their best ploy and they were right, and he was right to lead against his ego. No one could question his courage, integrity, and his commitment.

Abraham Lincoln, led our nation through one of her darkest hours, as it was coming apart at the seams. The longstanding internal battle over the sin of slavery that our founders knew would have to be remedied or would tear America apart but passed the torch down for another generation to solve, that bill came due under Lincoln. Lincoln knew that he needed the very best and brightest around him and had the courage and strength to fill his cabinet with his more fervent political competitors, four were also candidates for President against him in the 1860 election. He wasn't looking for yes men, he wasn't looking for those who would support him, but those who would support America, and would be able to do their jobs at the highest level. Not many politicians would be so courageous, it was rewarded by the best cabinet since Washington's first. Lincoln's honesty, strength, integrity, courage, and resolve won each of these harsh rivals into his greatest friends and supporters. He saved America, and freed millions.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, though his economic policies led us deeper and longer into the Great Depression, he led by lifting the spirits of Americans. His legacy would have been quite different if not for W.W.II that saved the economy. History tells us that his programs did, however, there is no evidence of that. Unemployment was still 14% going into the war in 1941. However, he was a brilliant war time President. He was the leader who galvanized the American people to fight the Nazi's and the Axis of Italy and Japan. We were blessed with many great leaders during the war, soldiers, generals, but one of the great leaders of all time Winston Churchill as well. If you want to study leaders any of these names mentioned so far are great sources.

John F. Kennedy once again was a leader who could get America to come together for a goal. His vision and setting the date of the goal for a man on the moon, made the impossible a reality. Without his building that dream and setting that goal, we may not have ever achieved that amazing feat.

George W. Bush, if you like him or not, was a leader. He put what he believed was right above popularity, he sacrificed himself for his military. The courage for a politician to do the unpopular when he believed it best for America and world is not common throughout history. He did what he said, he was accountable and showed responsibility when things didn't go well. He always gave the credit to his military when things succeeded and deflected it from himself.

Today there seems to be a void of leadership, there is more of a culture of popularity and focus on celebrity than accountability and responsibility. This is most evident in the current White House, but it seen throughout American life. We see coaches, business managers, presidents, and owners, celebrities, all aspects of life ducking personal responsibility, hiding from being accountable. Where is their integrity, where is their simple pride? Where is their shame?

We see some leaders shining example rising, Benjamin Netanyahu from Israel, is possibly this generation's Winston Churchill. Their stories parallel frighteningly, hopefully Netanyahu will not have to be a war time leader as was Churchill, but it is very close right now. Mike Pence is showing that courage of leadership, when I watched him single handily stop a spending bill last fall fighting even his own party's president, I started paying a lot more attention to this rising star. There are others, there is hope. However, what we need is for you to consider taking the challenge.

We need examples of leadership all across our society, at civic organizations, churches, scouts, 4-H, schools, sports teams, local, State, and National politics. As Uncle Sam's posters always said, "We Need You!"