A few words from Lee Iacocca on Leadership
I read Lee Iacocca’s book Where Have all of the Leaders Gone? I read it last year. It was a very good read. He was thoughtful and funny. He dished up some of the wisdom that you would think that a man of his experience would have.
Well, like everyone else, Lee has started a blog. (I got an e-mail from his secretary about his blog. I think that she is probably still laughing from reading my invitation to have him on my radio show.) I don’t think that he has gotten the hang of blogs yet but in he asks some insightful questions that he would like for our candidates to answer -
1. Leaders are not born; they’re made in times of crisis. Name a crisis that you have faced, and talk about how you demonstrated leadership.
2. Name your two primary models for leadership from the past 50 years. These are the individuals you call to mind when you’re faced with a tough decision.
3. The ability to collaborate with those who have different ideas and approaches is a key factor in leadership. Give an example of a time (professionally or politically) when you have successfully collaborated with people who have different views.
4. As a businessman I learned that the best way to fully understand what it means to be responsible is to meet a payroll every week. In your life, when have you had tangible responsibility for the livelihoods of others – and what did the experience teach you about leadership?
5. Being President is not a one person job. The team is just as important. Are you prepared to tell voters who will be on your team so they can make an educated choice? In particular, who are your candidates for Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and Attorney General? (If you’re not prepared to name them, can you name individuals from recent history who have excelled in those positions?)
6. The United State has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among democratic nations – especially for young single adults. What will you do to encourage young people to vote and participate in government?
7. A leader inspires others to participate fully in the life of democracy. The words of JFK – “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” – still resonate. Give a specific example of what you will ask citizens to do, and what sacrifices you will ask them to make.
