Presidential Studies
What defines the leadership qualities of an American president?
I remember November 2016 well: I travelled to Washington with a team led by Prof Filzmair and colleagues from Danube University Krems to follow the presidential election live on site. Personally, I assumed that the first female US president would be elected.
It turned out differently.
Tomorrow the USA will vote. And once again a woman is standing as a candidate. The first black female presidential candidate with Asian roots. The Americans are deciding between her and a white septuagenarian autocrat.
What actually defines the leadership qualities of an American president?
The American historian Doris Kearns-Goodwin provides some answers. She has portrayed and researched Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson, among others, and has thus fundamentally redefined the interpretation of the American presidency. In 2005, she received the Pulitzer Prize for her Lincoln biography ‘Team of Rivals’. Incidentally, it was also the basis for the later Lincoln film by Steven Spielberg, for which the lead actor in turn received an Oscar.
Doris defines leadership as „the ability to use talent, skills, and emotional intelligence to mobilise people to a common purpose“. But where does this ability come from? As her research into the lives of some of the greatest presidents shows, the empathy, humility, resilience, and self-awareness that characterise successful leaders can come from many sources.
Abram Lincoln showed unique sensitivity, Theodore Roosevelt was born with ravenous curiosity. Lyndon Johnson seemed to have limitless reserves of energy. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was endlessly optimistic.
Though brilliance may be an asset to some leaders, perseverance and hard work are essential to set a tone that can inspire and mobilise others. Humility, knowing yourself, and learning from mistakes are all hallmarks of great leadership. In this sense the best leaders are the ones with a willingness to reflect upon and work to better their own temperament and character. Humility, often misunderstood as a weakness or insecurity, is in fact the opposite – it demonstrates a lack of personal pretension and a commitment to self-improvement that helps leaders transform personal ambition into a larger desire to promote the greater good.
America, you beautiful, make a good choice!
Bettina Pepek für kommunikationsraum GmbH | November 2024
Source: Doris Kearns Goodwin | Masterclass; Team of rivals; eigen
