Leadership Lessons from History

History can be a very good teacher, especially when we pay attention to historical figures who did a lot of good for the world. While there are many to choose from, several come to mind immediately, such as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. What made these leaders so great and effective? Let’s take a look at what they can teach us about leadership.

What It Takes to be a Great Leader

Tenacious

Historical leaders from here in the United States and around the world share several undeniable qualities. Most of them are known to be tenacious, meaning that they never gave up, no matter how bad the odds seemed to be. Winston Churchill is one leader that knew giving up would lead to defeat, and that wasn’t in his vocabulary. One of my favorite Churchill quotes is “The price of greatness is responsibility”. To be a great leader today, one needs both tenacity and a strong sense of responsibility.

Relational

Great leaders know how to connect with people of all kinds. They are relational by nature. Theodore Roosevelt was known for his ability to develop long-lasting and genuine relationships. He stated “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people”. Regardless of the historical context, building and maintaining relationships are always critical to successful leadership.

Self-Improving

Becoming stale is no good leader’s goal in life. Instead, they strive to learn as much as they can and accept the fact that the more they do learn, the more they realize how much they do not know. John F. Kennedy was a learner and one of my favorite quotes from him is “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”. To be a good leader, be a great learner.

Disciplined

Most great leaders are highly disciplined people. They maintain healthy routines and act with purpose and drive. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one such leader. He said that “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy”. It is far easier to be disciplined when the going is smooth, but what about the rough times? A strong leader is consistently disciplined regardless of what is going on.

Enthusiastic

Most leaders are positive people who create an energy that many will want to follow. They see the good in people. Their glass is half-full. The great, historical educator, Booker T. Washington was a man of great enthusiasm. My favorite quote from him is “There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up”. Great leaders lift people to higher places than they thought they could achieve.

Intentional

Although there may be some wiggle room every now and then, effective leaders act with great intentionality. They think before they speak. They are emotionally intelligent and read the emotions and feelings of the people they are addressing. Rosalyn Carter once said “A leader takes people where they want to go, but a great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be”.

Prepared

Most great leaders throughout history didn’t sit around waiting for someone to tell them what to do. They were intuitive and well-prepared to do what needed to be done. Mother Theresa once said “Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person”. She, of course, lived by those words and has become an iconic figure in leadership, religion, and spirituality.

Final Thoughts on Leadership Lessons from History

We can all learn from history and its many great leaders, who shared so many valuable qualities. What does it take to be a great leader today? I would argue the very same stuff that history’s leaders are known for. What kind of leader are you and how many of these qualities do you possess?

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