leadership-qualities-woman-holding-mug-like-a-boss

Leadership Qualities

Some people follow others get in the way, but leaders lead. No mission gets accomplished without good leaders and leadership. Being a good leader is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. Good leaders are few and far between. Many people are referred to as leaders yet exhibit no leadership qualities.

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5 Qualities Of Leadership

You can be called a leader, but holding a title does not necessarily make you a good leader. A good leader is someone people will follow. They will perform above their abilities for that leader. Good leaders get subordinates to be better than their skill level. They build belief in people. If the subordinates believe in their leader, they will believe in themselves. Below are five qualities of a good leader.

  1. Humility
  2. Integrity
  3. Intelligence
  4. Innovation
  5. Decisiveness

Be Humble

One of the first things I was taught, when I was training to be a military officer was to be humble. You have to take care of the troops. A good leader ensures that they take care of their subordinates. When addressing subordinates outside, the leader should always face the sun. A good leader is always first to arrive and the last to leave. They make sure all the subordinates’ needs are taken care of. Then they can take care of themselves.

Tell It Like It Is

Another quality of a good leader is honesty and integrity. Lead by example and always do the right thing. Good leaders stand up for what they believe. Telling the truth is paramount, no matter how dire the situation is. I had a great leader tell me once, “Bad news never gets better with age.”

leadership-qualities-group-people-top-mountain-sunset
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Read

All good leaders are intelligent. They continue to read and educate themselves. Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. A good leader develops his/her subordinates. They make sure the subordinates are prepared for the job, mission, etc. Even though it might be easier to perform a task themselves, they will delegate parts of the tasks to others. The delegation of tasks will develop leadership in others.

Think

Good leaders are innovative; they think outside the box. They keep an open mind and are always welcome to new ideas. The old ways of accomplishing the mission are not necessarily the best. They understand this concept. Leaders actively listen to everyone on their team.

Make A Decision

A good leader is always decisive. They never want to leave their team in limbo. They always make a decision even if it’s not a popular choice. Leaders listen to different ideas from their team and then make the final decision. The decision is always based on what is best for the group as a whole. Not all decisions are the right ones. If their decision was wrong, they take responsibility. They regroup, reevaluate, and make another decision. They always learn from their failures.

These are only five qualities of a good leader. There are many more qualities of true leadership. If you would like to add a quality you admire please do so in the comments section. If you enjoyed this post don’t forget to like and follow my blog. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my articles and listen to my podcast.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

https://unsplash.com/@nataliepedigo

Qualities Of A Good Leader

Some people follow, others just get in the way, but leaders lead. No mission is accomplished without good leaders and leadership. Being a good leader is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. Good leaders are few and far between. Many people are referred to as leaders yet exhibit no qualities of a good leader.

The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.
~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Don’t follow the crowd. Let the crowd follow you.
~ Margaret Thatcher

Leadership is a choice, not a position.
~ Stephen Covey

Good Leader Qualities

You can be called a leader, but holding a title does not necessarily make you a good leader. A good leader is someone people will follow. They will perform above their abilities for that leader. Good leaders get subordinates to be better than their skill level. They build belief in people. If subordinates believe in their leader, they will begin to believe in their selves. Below are five qualities of a good leader.

  1. Humility
  2. Integrity
  3. Intelligence
  4. Innovation
  5. Decisive

The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.
~ Ronald Reagan

Good Leaders Are Humble

One of the first things I was taught, when I was training to be a military officer was to be humble. You have to take care of the troops. A good leader ensures that they take care of their subordinates. When addressing subordinates outside, the leader should always face the sun. A good leader is always first to arrive and the last to leave. They make sure all the subordinates’ needs are taken care of. Then they can take care of themselves.

Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader; you have to listen to the people who are on the front line.
~ Richard Branson

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.
~ Peter F. Drucker

Honesty

Another quality of a good leader is honesty and integrity. Lead by example and always do the right thing. The good leader stands up for what they believe. Telling the truth, no matter how dire the situation is, is paramount. I had a great leader tell me once, “Bad news never gets better with age.”

qualities-good-leader-woman-coffee-cup-like-a-boss
https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
~ Colin Powell

Educate

All good leaders are intelligent. They continue to read and educate themselves. Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. A good leader develops his/her subordinates. They make sure the subordinates are prepared for the job, mission, etc. Even though it might be easier to perform a task themselves, they will delegate parts of the task to others. The delegation of tasks will develop leadership in others.

If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself, and the organization gets pulled up with you.
~ Indra Nooyi

Thinkers

Good leaders are innovative; they think outside the box. They keep an open mind and are always welcome to new ideas. The old ways of accomplishing the mission are not necessarily the best. They understand this concept. Leaders actively listen to everyone on their team.

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
~ Jack Welch

Never Waver

A good leader is always decisive. They never want to leave their team in limbo. They always make a decision even if it’s not a popular choice. Leaders listen to different ideas from their team and then make the final decision. The decision is always based on what is best for the group as a whole. Not all decisions are the right ones. If their decision was wrong and they take responsibility. They regroup, reevaluate, and make another decision. They always learn from their failures.

Great leaders can see the greatness in others when they can’t see it themselves and lead them to their highest potential they don’t even know.
~ Roy T. Bennett

These are only five qualities of a good leader. There are many more qualities of true leadership. If you would like to add a quality you admire, please do so in the comments section. If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like and follow my blog. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my articles.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@capturedby_kiana

https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

leadership-qualities-Lincoln-statue

Leadership Qualities Of Abraham Lincoln

In episode 38 of my podcast/blog, I want to discuss the leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln. He overcame obstacles and was a great leader. I have learned great lessons from him. His leadership qualities have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow.

This will be part 2 of this series. Several years ago, I read a book titled Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips. This is one of the best books on leadership that I have ever read. As I mentioned in Part 1, Ernest Shackleton, the author of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill had an imaginary mastermind group. Because of his incredible leadership qualities, Abraham Lincoln was part of that group.

Napoleon Hill created his mastermind group out of people who had the characteristics he admired. They all have characteristics that I would like to emulate in my life. They are great leaders, overcame enormous obstacles, and set great examples. I always learn something by reading about them.

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Abraham Lincoln’s Leadership Qualities

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, and grew up in poverty. He was self-educated and eventually became a lawyer. There are many tales of Lincoln and his successes and failures before he became the 16th President of the United States.

He inherited the nightmare of a Union which was severely divided from President James Buchanan. Before he took the oath of office, seven states had already succeeded from the union to form the Confederate States of America. Buchanan had already given up hope of holding the country together. He did nothing at the end of his term to try to repair the division that was happening in this country. Congress also did nothing to defeat the growing rebellion.

Lincoln was the country’s first Republican President and he was elected by a minority vote. He was disliked in Washington because he was an outsider. The media and the people saw him as a second-rate country lawyer. They thought he was ill-equipped and unable to handle the presidency. No one could predict the unparalleled strength of leadership he possessed.

The Leadership Qualities Of Abraham Lincoln:

He would get out and circulate among the troops.
Compassion.
Honesty and integrity are the best policies.
Courage to handle unjust criticism.
Consistency.
Decisiveness.
Being open-minded and flexible.
Setting goals and being results-oriented.
He believed that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader.

leadership-qualities-lincoln-statue-night

Leadership Traits

Lincoln believed in leading from the front. He was hardly ever in the oval office. If you wanted to find him you should start in the War Department. That’s where he spent most of his time. He would go to the field and circulate among the troops. He wanted to know what they were going through. This gave him first-hand knowledge to make accurate decisions. He went to the field to observe or take charge of several battle situations and even came under fire at least once.

Compassion

To Lincoln, a leader shows compassion. The leader knows the job of his lowest subordinates and treats everyone the same. Lincoln spent many days visiting the hospitals and talking to the wounded. He spoke no differently to a private than he did to one of his generals.

Honesty

Lincoln believed that the best way to lead is with honesty and integrity. The government exists to elevate the condition of man. It is there to level the playing field and allow man to climb the ladder of success. He was not kind to politicians taking kickbacks. Many of his appointed cabinet members were fired for lack of honesty and integrity.

Courage

Lincoln showed an amazing amount of courage over an extended time. He survived defeats in his life and also at the beginning of the Civil War. He took risks and never played it safe. The faith he had in himself was unmatched. He knew his decisions were the right ones and didn’t need to be told by others.

Impervious To Criticism

Great leaders will be subjected to severe criticism from all sides just because of their position. They will suffer attacks on their honor and character. Lincoln was no different. He was slandered and criticized by the media, the public, and the Union he was trying to save. Southern sympathizers, members of Congress, and even some from within his own Republican Party verbally attacked him.

Lincoln didn’t allow the attacks to deter him from his definite purpose of saving the Union. He overcame all his critics to secure victory in the war. Not only did he preserve the nation but he also reorganized the military and renewed the spirit of patriotism in America. He is best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, abolishing slavery in the United States.

Consistent

Lincoln led with consistency in how he treated people and his interactions with cabinet members. He was very consistent with how he administered and managed the government. He did whatever it took to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

Decisive

Lincoln was decisive and bold in his decisions. Many of the decisions he made were not popular but he knew they were necessary for victory. At the beginning of the war, the Union was undermanned. President Buchanan had decimated the military by cutting the budget. Lincoln knew that he would need a call for troops and enacted conscription.

His bold decision to direct a blockade of the Confederate states was necessary to cut off supplies. Probably his most unpopular decision was declaring martial law. In addition, he also suspended the writ of habeas corpus, giving the military the power to arrest without charges. Lincoln would not waiver on this decision. He felt it was necessary to protect against spies and traitors.

Open-Minded

Lincoln was open-minded and flexible. He always listened to his subordinates. If their decisions were not what he had in mind, he would explain the shortcomings. But, if their ideas matched his, he would let them proceed as if it was their idea.

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Goal Oriented

Arguably his greatest leadership trait was setting goals and being results-oriented. Lincoln had always persevered and used his failures as lessons to learn from. He had the ability to turn certain defeat into a decisive victory. At the beginning of his presidency, Lincoln had one ultimate goal, preserving the United States of America.

The leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln are best summed up with one trait. Like all great leaders, Lincoln knew that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader. Lincoln displayed all of the traits listed above to determine his personality. By setting the example of a great leader, Lincoln led the Union to persevere and overcome great odds, and securing victory.

In conclusion, the leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln are unmatched. He was a great man and remarkable leader. I hope you enjoyed this post. If so, here is some homework for you. First, like this post. Second, leave a comment. I enjoy reading your comments. Third, Follow my blog. Fourth, subscribe to my email list. Fifth, Check out my courses. The button is above. Lastly, subscribe to my podcast. It is on many platforms. You can find them below the player above.

All the best! Scott

Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration

Episode 34: The Inspiring Sir Ernest Shackleton

I hope you enjoy episode 34 of my podcast, Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. A few weeks ago I was reading the book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It is one of my favorite books and I read it over and over. (You can purchase it from Amazon by clicking on the icon, hint hint, wink wink). In chapter 14, The Sixth Sense is about using your creative imagination. Hill created a mastermind group in his imagination. These were people that he admired, some alive and others long gone. They were people like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Abraham Lincoln. This got me thinking about people who inspire us.

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Hill was inspired by his mastermind group and would even have roundtable council meetings in his mind. During these meetings, he would have imaginary conversations with the members. Each one had a different quality that he admired. By doing this, he opened up his creative mind and came up with ideas on things he could accomplish. I began thinking about different people who I admired and who have inspired me throughout my life. So I decided to write about these inspirational people. They are people who overcame obstacles and were great leaders. I have learned great lessons from them. They have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow.

An Inspirational Leader

I will begin with an incredible leader, Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton was born in 1874 in Kildare, Ireland. He was an Antarctic explorer who attempted to reach the South Pole. He joined Robert Scott’s expedition in 1901 and took part in the sledge journey across the Ross Ice Shelf. In January 1908, he led an expedition to Antarctica but was prevented from reaching their intended based site by the ice. On that expedition, he later led a sledging party to within 112 miles (180 km) of the South Pole. Due to their success in claiming the Victoria Land plateau for Britain, he was knighted on his return.

I first heard of Ernest Shackleton when I was given a book titled Endurance. You can also get this book by clicking on the icon to the right. (Another wink). The book, written by Alfred Lansing, is well written and inspirational. It entails the 1914 ill-fated expedition to Antarctica led by Shackleton. They proceeded from England aboard the ship, Endurance. The expedition had planned to make the first crossing of Antarctica. They would travel via the South Pole from the Weddell Sea to McMurdo Sound.

Sir-Ernest-Shackleton-An- Inspiration-Ship-trapped-ice
Endurance

Trapped

The Endurance became trapped in the ice and drifted for 10 months. Eventually, the ice crushed the powerful ship. Shackleton and his men then drifted for another five months on ice floes. Running low on food and supplies, they escaped in boats to uninhabited Elephant Island.

Knowing their only hope for survival was a dangerous journey across the sea, Shackleton and five men set out in a whaleboat. Their destination was the tiny island of South Georgia. There was a whaling station where they could find help. South Georgia was 800 miles from Elephant Island. The journey took 16 days across a rough and dangerous ocean. Through expert navigation, they landed on the south side of South Georgia.

An Arduous Journey

Although elated to have reached their destination, Shackleton knew their ordeal was not over. The whaling station was on the north side of the island. They would have to cross rugged terrain to reach it. It had been 16 months since the Endurance had become trapped in the ice. The six men set out and eventually reached the whaling station. The whalers couldn’t believe their eyes when these six ragged men walked into their station.

Shackleton never forgot about the men they left behind on Elephant Island. He worried about them every day. Despite his lack of strength he wanted to set sail and rescue them right away. The weather wouldn’t allow for a return trip at that time. Shackleton never gave up. He made four unsuccessful attempts at rescuing his men.

Rescue!

Four months later Shackleton’s perseverance paid off and they successfully arrived at Elephant Island. Shackleton couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that all his men were alive. They survived despite the lack of food sources and water on this barren island. All his men were loaded onto the ship and they embarked to Chile.

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You can see why I titled this podcast Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. Sir Ernest Shackleton displayed extraordinary leadership in saving all his men. He is an inspirational figure in which I admire greatly. His unmatched perseverance is a lesson that we should all learn. Persevering and overcoming all obstacles is the key to success. Shackleton had a definitive purpose, rescuing his men, and nothing was going to stop him. He was dedicated to his men and put their needs before his. This is the definition of a leader.

I hope you enjoyed Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. Do you have any particular person who inspires you? Are there people that you admire and help you on your journey? If so, leave a comment below and let me know. Always enjoy reading your comments.

A Tribute To My Friend

This is a very hard post for me to write, but I wanted to write a tribute to my friend. I’ve been absent from WordPress for the last couple of weeks for a few different reasons. Normally I’ll spend a couple of hours a day reading and commenting on different blog posts. Recently, several things have happened that have gotten in the way of my normal day-to-day activities.

Firstly, one of my other businesses has become busy and I’ve had to write some rush reports and meet some quick deadlines. Secondly, I’ve been dealing with a torn meniscus and arthritis in my left knee. It is very painful and has limited my activities. I’ve had to stop my morning walks which gives me the energy and inspiration for the rest of the day.

The main reason is, I’m dealing with the unexpected death of a friend. Last month, I wrote about how he was in the hospital fighting for his life. He recovered, was released from the hospital, and seemed to be back to his old self. On Thanksgiving afternoon, he was rushed back to the hospital and we were told Friday afternoon he was gone.

A Tribute To My Friend

Tom Keller was a great man. Everyone should strive to live their life like Tom lived his. I write a series about inspiring people whom I admire and Tom would definitely make that list. During his Celebration of Life Service, the pastor spoke about how God wants us all to live a life of abundance. Tom was the perfect example of living an abundant life. Tom had an abundance of love, an abundance of compassion, an abundance of unselfishness, an abundance of leadership, and an abundance of joy.

I met Tom 13 years ago when we moved to South Florida. Our daughters were in the same second-grade class. One evening I took my family to the soccer field to watch Tom’s daughter, Chrissy play. I was introduced to Tom and instantly liked him. This will tell you a lot about Tom because at that time in my life I didn’t like many people, especially when I first met them.

Even though we didn’t see each other much, I still considered him a friend. I always enjoyed the times when I would run into him. That’s how Tom was, everyone enjoyed seeing him because he always made you feel welcome. I never saw him when he wasn’t smiling.

tribute-to-my-friend-cross-sunset
A Tribute

A Godsend

About four years ago, Tom and his wife Livi asked my wife to join their business. I then got to spend more time with Tom and get to know him better. Whenever we were together, Tom asked a lot of questions and was always interested in my opinion on different topics. I always came out of our discussions much smarter than when I went in.

One story that sums up the type of man Tom Keller was, happened about two years ago. I was getting ready to move my two daughters to college. One was moving into an apartment in Orlando and the other into a dorm in Alabama. One day, Tom asked me how I was going to move all their things. I told him that I was going to have to rent a truck because they each had a lot of stuff.

Immediately, Tom offered to let me use his Ford Expedition. I knew he had just recently purchased the vehicle and I turned him down. Tom wouldn’t take no for an answer and over the next few weeks continued to insist I take the truck. As Sofia and I were driving Tom’s Expedition to drop the girls off at college, I looked at my wife and asked, “Who else do you know that would just give you the keys to their vehicle?” My wife responded, “Nobody except Tom Keller.”

Abundance

Like I said before, Tom lived a life of abundance and had so many quality traits. These are a few of Tom’s traits that I’m going to try to emulate in my life.

  • Leadership – Tom was a great leader and was looked up to by many people. He worked diligently with the youth in his church. He always led by example and didn’t mind getting his hands dirty.
  • A Provider – Tom was an intelligent businessman and worked hard to build a profitable business with his wife. He provided for his family and passed on his knowledge to his children.
  • Unselfishness – Tom was the most unselfish man I have ever met. He would help anyone at any time. It didn’t matter where, what, or when, Tom would be there. The story above about Tom giving me his vehicle is just the tip of the iceberg of his unselfish acts.
  • Joy for Life – Tom was always smiling even when I knew he was going through stressful situations. I never had a conversation with him that wasn’t positive. If things weren’t going well, a minute with Tom would brighten your day. Tom loved his family and enjoyed getting the most out of life on family vacations.

I am Truly Blessed

I didn’t know Tom as long as others but I feel blessed and honored to have known him these few years. Even though his body is gone, his energy remains and you can see it in his children. Ryan has his leadership qualities, Lauren has his unselfishness, and Chrissy has his joy for life and determination to succeed. On the program printed for his Celebration of Life Service, it shows his date of birth and date of death separated by a dash. The two dates aren’t nearly as important as the dash which represents what he did with his life. Tom Keller made the most of his dash and will be missed.

He is now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is home and has earned his wings. I believe that there are angels that walk among us here on earth, Tom Keller was one of them.

Inspiring People Whom I Admire – Part 2

I began thinking about different people who I admired and have inspired me throughout my life. As a result, I decided to write about these inspirational people. They are people who overcame obstacles and were great leaders. I have learned great lessons from them. They have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow. To keep the blogs short, I have decided to do this in parts. I hope you enjoy Inspiring People Whom I Admire – Part 2.

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“You can’t make a weak man strong by making a strong man weak.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln Memorial

Inspiring People Whom I Admire – Part 2

This will be part 2 of this series and I want to talk about Abraham Lincoln. Several years ago, I read a book titled Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips. This is one of the best books on leadership that I have ever read. I have linked it to Amazon if you would like to pick it up. As I mentioned in Part 1, Ernest Shackleton, the author of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill had an imaginary mastermind group. Abraham Lincoln was part of that group because of his incredible leadership skills.

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
 ~ Abraham Lincoln

Napoleon Hill created his mastermind group out of people who had the characteristics he admired. This series will cover different individuals who have inspired me. They all have the characteristics which I would like to emulate in my life. They are great leaders, overcame enormous obstacles, and set great examples. I always learn something by reading about them.

16th President

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, and grew up in poverty. With no formal schooling, he was self-educated. Eventually, he became a lawyer. There are many tales of Lincoln and his successes and failures before he became the 16th President of the United States.

“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

He inherited the nightmare of a Union which was severely divided, from President James Buchanan. Before he took the oath of office, seven states had already succeeded from the union to form the Confederate States of America. Buchanan had already given up hope of holding the country together. He did nothing at the end of his term to try to repair the division that was happening in this country. Congress also did nothing to defeat the growing rebellion.

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was the country’s first Republican President. He was elected by a minority vote. Because he was an outsider, he was disliked in Washington. The media and the people saw him as a second-rate country lawyer. They thought he was ill-equipped and unable to handle the presidency. No one could predict the unparalleled strength of leadership he possessed.

Union Army

A Born Leader

Lincoln’s leadership traits:

  • He would get out and circulate among the troops.
  • Compassion.
  • Honesty and integrity are the best policies.
  • Courage to handle unjust criticism.
  • Consistency.
  • Decisiveness.
  • Being open-minded and flexible.
  • Setting goals and being results-oriented.
  • He believed that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader.

Lead From The Front

Lincoln believed in leading from the front. He was hardly ever in the oval office. If you wanted to find him you should start in the War Department. That’s where he spent most of his time. He would go to the field and circulate among the troops. He wanted to know what they were going through. This gave him first-hand knowledge to make accurate decisions. He went to the field to observe or take charge of several battle situations and even came under fire at least once.

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Compassion

To Lincoln, a leader shows compassion. The leader knows the job of his lowest subordinates and treats everyone the same. Lincoln spent many days visiting the hospitals and talking to the wounded. He spoke no differently to a private than he did to one of his generals.

“I want it said of me by those who knew me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Honest

Lincoln believed that the best way to lead is with honesty and integrity. The government exists to elevate the condition of man. It is there to level the playing field and allow man to climb the ladder of success. He was not kind to politicians taking kickbacks. He fired many of his appointed cabinet members for lack of honesty and integrity.

“You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Courageous

Lincoln showed an amazing amount of courage over an extended period of time. He survived defeats in his life and also at the beginning of the Civil War. He took risks and never played it safe. The faith he had in himself was unmatched. He knew his decisions were the right ones and didn’t need to be told by others.

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Overcame Criticism

Because of their position, Great leaders will be subjected to severe criticism from all sides. They will suffer attacks on their personal honor and character. Lincoln was no different. The media, the public, and the Union he was trying to save all criticized him. Southern sympathizers, members of Congress, and even some from within his own Republican Party verbally attacked him.

Lincoln didn’t allow the attacks to deter him from his definite purpose of saving the Union. In fact, he overcame all his critics to secure victory in the war. He not only preserved the nation but also reorganized the military and renewing the spirit of patriotism in America. Lincoln is best known for, The Emancipation Proclamation, abolishing slavery in the United States.

Confederate Soldiers

Consistency

Lincoln led with consistency in how he treated people and his interactions with cabinet members. He was very consistent with how he administered and managed the government. He did whatever it took to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

“Be with a leader when he is right, stay with him when he is still right, but leave him when he is wrong.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Decisive

Lincoln was decisive and bold in his decisions. Many of the decisions he made were not popular but he knew there were necessary for victory. The Union Army was undermanned at the beginning of the war. President Buchanan had decimated the military by cutting the budget. Lincoln knew that he would need a call for troops and enacted conscription.

His bold decision to direct a blockade of the Confederate states was necessary to cut off supplies. Probably his most unpopular decision was declaring martial law. He also suspended the writ of habeas corpus, giving the military the power to arrest without charges. Lincoln would not waiver on this decision because he felt it was necessary to protect against spies and traitors.

“I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Flexible

Lincoln was open-minded and flexible. He always listened to his subordinates. If their decisions were not what he had in mind, he would explain the shortcomings. But, if their ideas matched his, he would let them proceed as if it was their idea.

“You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

Goal Setter

Arguably his greatest leadership trait was setting goals and being results-oriented. Lincoln had always persevered and used his failures as lessons to learn from. He had the ability to turn certain defeat into a decisive victory. At the beginning of his presidency, Lincoln had one ultimate goal, preserving the United States of America.

“Tact: the ability to describe others as they see themselves.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

He Set The Example

Lincoln’s leadership is best summed up with one trait. Like all great leaders, Lincoln knew that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader. Lincoln displayed all of the traits listed above to determine his personality. By setting the example of a great leader, Lincoln led the Union to persevere and overcome great odds and securing victory.

“When I’m getting ready to reason with a man I spend one-third of my time thinking about myself and what I am going to say—and two-thirds thinking about him and what he is going to say.”
~ Abraham Lincoln

I hope you enjoyed reading Inspiring People Whom I Admire – Part 2. I will continue this series in the weeks to follow. Do you have any particular person who inspires you? Are there people that you admire and help you on your journey? If so, leave a comment below and let me know. I always enjoy reading your comments.

inspiring-people-I-admire-part-2-black-train
All Aboard!!

This Train Is Moving On. You Can Get On, You Can Get Off, But The Train Keeps Moving On! We Are Going To The Top Of The Mountain!

Final Thoughts

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This article may include affiliate links. http://www.inspirechief.com is a participant of the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. http://www.inspirechief.com participates in other affiliate programs and receives commissions when purchases are made through the links. This is at no extra cost to you.

Works Cited

“Chapter 14 – The Sixth Sense.” Think and Grow Rich: the Complete Classic Text, by Napoleon Hill, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2008, pp. 308–323.

Phillips, Donald T. Lincoln On Leadership. Warner Books, Inc, 1992.

Great And Inspiring People Whom I Admire

A few weeks ago I was reading the book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It is one of my favorite books and I read it over and over. (You can purchase it from Amazon by clicking on the icon, hint hint, wink wink). In chapter 14, The Sixth Sense is about using your creative imagination. Hill created a mastermind group in his imagination. These were people that he admired, some alive and others long gone. They were people like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Abraham Lincoln. This got me thinking about the great and inspiring people whom I admire.

Before I begin, today I completed my 60th trip around the sun and I’m grateful for everything. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to my blog. I appreciate all my followers and subscribers. I am humbled.

“Men are not made from easy victories but based on great defeats.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

Join my team!

Great And Inspiring People

Hill was inspired by his mastermind group and would even have roundtable council meetings in his mind. During these meetings, he would have imaginary conversations with the members. Each one had a different quality that he admired. By doing this, he opened up his creative mind and came up with ideas on things he could accomplish.

I began thinking about different great people who I admired and have inspired me throughout my life. So I decided to write about these inspirational people. They are people who overcame obstacles and were great leaders. I have learned great lessons from them. They have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow. To keep the blogs short, I have decided to do this in parts.

“Loneliness is the penalty of leadership, but the man who has to make the decisions is assisted greatly if he feels that there is no uncertainty in the minds of those who follow him and that his orders will be carried out confidently and in expectation of success.”
~  Ernest Shackleton

Sir Ernest Shackleton

Sir Ernest Shackleton

I will begin with an incredible leader, Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton was born in 1874 in Kildare, Ireland. He was an Antarctic explorer who attempted to reach the South Pole. He joined Robert Scott’s expedition in 1901 and took part in the sledge journey across the Ross Ice Shelf. In January 1908, he led an expedition to Antarctica but was prevented from reaching their intended based site by the ice. On that expedition, he later led a sledging party to within 112 miles (180 km) of the South Pole. Due to their success in claiming the Victoria Land plateau for Britain, he was knighted on his return.

“When things are easy, I hate it.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

“Difficulties are just things to overcome.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

Endurance

I first heard of Ernest Shackleton when I was given a book titled Endurance. You can also get this book by clicking on the icon to the right. (Another wink). The book, written by Alfred Lansing, is well written and inspirational. It entails the 1914 ill-fated expedition to Antarctica led by Shackleton. They proceeded from England aboard the ship, Endurance. The expedition had planned to make the first crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole from the Weddell Sea to McMurdo Sound.

The Endurance became trapped in the ice and drifted for 10 months. Eventually, the ice crushed the powerful ship. Shackleton and his men then drifted for another five months on ice floes. Running low on food and supplies, they escaped in boats to uninhabited Elephant Island.

Trapped!

A Dangerous Journey

Knowing their only hope for survival was a dangerous journey across the sea, Shackleton and five men set out in a whaleboat. Their destination was the tiny island of South Georgia. There was a whaling station where they could find help. South Georgia was 800 miles from Elephant Island. The journey took 16 days across a rough and dangerous ocean. Through expert navigation, they landed on the south side of South Georgia.

“No person who has not spent a period of his life in those ‘stark and sullen solitudes, that sentinel, the Pole’ will understand fully what trees and flowers, sun-flecked turf and running streams mean to the soul of a man.”
~  Ernest Shackleton

Close

Although elated to have reached their destination, Shackleton knew their ordeal was not over. The whaling station was on the north side of the island. They would have to cross rugged terrain to reach it. It had been 16 months since the Endurance had become trapped in the ice. The six men set out and eventually reached the whaling station. The whalers couldn’t believe their eyes when these six ragged men walked into their station.

Shackleton never forgot about the men they left behind on Elephant Island. He worried about them every day. Despite his lack of strength he wanted to set sail and rescue them right away. The weather wouldn’t allow for a return trip at that time. Shackleton never gave up. He made four unsuccessful attempts at rescuing his men.

“Through endurance we conquer.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

“The questions are always more important than the answers.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

Rescued

Four months later Shackleton’s perseverance paid off and they successfully arrived at Elephant Island. Shackleton couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that all his men were alive. They survived despite the lack of food sources and water on this barren island. All his men were loaded onto the ship and they embarked to Chile.

“If you’re a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you’ve got to keep going.”
~  Ernest Shackleton

The Definition Of A Leader

Sir Ernest Shackleton displayed extraordinary leadership in saving all his men. He is an inspirational figure in which I admire greatly. His unmatched perseverance is a lesson that we should all learn. Persevering and overcoming all obstacles is the key to success. Shackleton had a definitive purpose, rescuing his men, and nothing was going to stop him. He was dedicated to his men and put their needs before his. This is the definition of a leader.

“I have often marveled at the thin line which separates success from failure.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

“No one asks how to motivate a baby. A baby naturally explores everything it can get at unless restraining forces have already been at work. And this tendency doesn’t die out, it’s wiped out.”
~ Ernest Shackleton

I hope you enjoyed part one of the great and inspiring people whom I admire. I will continue this series in the weeks to follow. Do you have any particular person who inspires you? Are there people that you admire and help you on your journey? If so, leave a comment below and let me know. I always enjoy reading your comments.

All Aboard!!

This Train Is Moving On. You Can Get On, You Can Get Off, But The Train Keeps Moving On! We Are Going To The Top Of The Mountain!

Final Thoughts

If anyone would like to support this blog please click on the product icons if you need to purchase anything from Amazon. You can purchase whatever you want and I earn a small commission as long as you enter through my links. You will be supporting my blog and it will not cost you anything extra. I appreciate it and I am grateful to all my followers and readers.

This article may include affiliate links. http://www.inspirechief.com is a participant of the Amazon.com Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. http://www.inspirechief.com participates in other affiliate programs and receives commissions when purchases are made through the links. This is at no extra cost to you.

Works Cited

Lansing, Alfred. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. Basic Books, 2015.

“Chapter 14 – The Sixth Sense.” Think and Grow Rich: The Complete Classic Text, by Napoleon Hill, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2008, pp. 308–323.