A great leader, Eisenhower inspires troops
Some of the greatest historic leaders were people who were short on resources, facing crises, yet found their own ways to inspire their people to superior performance. Some simply stood up for their values and acted as models of the way they wanted others to behave. They said, in words, in their body language, and through their actions, that they knew success was coming.
I am reminded, as I reflect on my own path through life, that role models have given me profound lessons. Some influenced me through discussions of new ideas, but others I simply observed, and then copied their behaviors.
Who are the people who most deeply inspired you? Did they give you money, promotions, formal recognition at awards ceremonies? Probably not. Perhaps they showed you, by their own examples, that you could achieve what you wanted.
How do you deliberately set out to be a role model in tough times? Ask Dwight Eisenhower, who had some dark days in World War II. He wrote, “Realizing that the commander has the double burden of ‘preserving optimism in himself and in his command’ and that optimism and pessimism are infectious . . . I firmly determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory—that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow.”
Thank you, Ike. I’ll work on that smile right now, and I’ll pass on your insights, hoping they help others, as well.
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