http://execunet.blogspot.com/2006/10/
executive-leadership-whatever-that-may_31.html
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Inspiring (Washington, Lincoln, Truman, Kennedy) and some of them despising (Hitler, Stalin, Ebbers, Lay)
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Well, I’ll quibble about the exemplars, both positive and negative.
Let’s start with the areas of agreement:
Clearly Washington is great positive. Even though he wasn’t the greatest general, suffered from depression, lied to Congress (setting a precedent!), but was happy to be President but not King.
On the negative side, Stalin killed enough people to make Hitler look inept. Stalin had the new American Socialists to cheer lead for him hence he’s not viewed as the ogre he was. History has a way of eventually getting to the truth.
I’ll quibble with rest as “Leaders”.
To me, to earn the appellation “Leader”, one not only has to “lead”, but one has to be “authentic”. Note, I’m not saying they have to be “right”, but they can’t deliberately do “wrong”.
Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, like the current President. Truman dropped the bomb. Kennedy pretended to be a Catholic. Hitler was inefficient when compared to Stalin. Ebbers and Lay just were just common thieves.
Some “leaders” that I would revere are (in a rough order of magnitude) Gandhi, MLK, Pope John 23, Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul 2, Margaret Thatcher and Elinore Roosevelt.
I think that Leadership is inspirational. It gets you going. It’s motivational. It’s smart in being able to divine the correct path that takes the civilization to a better place. We have to be very careful who we designate as a Leader because it gives them tremendous power for good or for evil. I think that “leadership” is as rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth. Managers, pretending to be leaders, are a common as rodents.
No wonder everyone’s looking for it in so many venues.
Reinke Faces Life 
It must be syncronicity because a few hours later I found this.
http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2006/10/30/book-review-martin-luther-king-jr-on-leadership/
Book Review: Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership
:-)
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