The Commander in Chief
The Qualities Needed of Leaders of Freedom-Loving Nations in the 21st Century: Lessons from American Presidential History
A Classic Guide for Global Leadership
Leaders determine our future and that of our children and grandchildren. Leadership has never been more important than in the age of the internet, that effects facts, ideas, feelings, and choices. The United States’ experience in selecting a President is a guide for modern democracies and people who want freedom. We use the term, Commander in Chief, to connote the broad powers of a nation’s leader. We examine the qualities the head of state must have to succeed, not just as leader of the military but of a wide-ranging role that represents the country’s spirit, traditions, ideals, and its inhabitants. The history of the American Presidency reveals traits and concepts relevant to any Prime Minister, head of a region or Governor of a state in any country that loves liberty and democracy. The Office of the President of the United States is more than an American institution. It embodies the feelings of the nation. It may be more important than the Congress or the Supreme Court because it is the principle office the public identifies with.
The President is the only official elected by all the people and is a symbolic leader who holds the hopes and dreams of the nation in his or her hands. It is the closest we come to an American monarch. In most democracies, the chief leader represents the aspirations of the nation. The Prime Minister expresses the desires of the people and symbolizes the country’s ambitions and future. Selecting the Commander in Chief is a matter of life or death, success or failure, peace or war, poverty, or prosperity. For this reason, those who seek this office must be held to a higher standard. They must have qualities we, as a people, insist upon. If not, we risk suffering, chaos, and turmoil. History shows the significance of leadership for the destiny of a nation. The decision of whom we put at the helm of our country must be made intelligently and carefully and must be made by us, the voters. Often, the electorate express frustration for the choices presented. A lack of participation in the political process creates this problem. Leaders must be groomed, developed, and selected from the populace with primaries, local elections, and fair means of selection to prepare the best and the brightest for higher office.
Without grass roots involvement in the searching for political talent, a nation risks leaders who are not fit for office and only reflect specific interests and lobbies that are by no means for the public good. Indifference is the enemy of self-determination. Freedom is a right fought for with blood against tyranny. Leaders must be defenders of liberty and be prepared to die on the altar of the republic to preserve it. Partaking in the process of self-rule must begin at home and in school. Children must be taught democracy seeks the greatest common benefit. Government by the people and for the people works to fulfill and protect human rights. It is the best method to resolve conflicts peacefully, avoid war and allow individuals to use their talents for self-actualization in an atmosphere of autonomy without fear of repression. Leaders must be held accountable for their words, actions, and examples. The responsibility is ours. Blaming the media, which is supported by advertising to sell services and products to us, or powerful interests who depend on the public for their livelihood, shifts the burden to defend democracy to others.
Once we take on the onus to preserve our rights, everything changes. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius, said to his friend and co-conspirator in the murder of the dictator, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” This work is a timeless look at American Commanders in Chief of the past. They show what leadership attributes we need today and tomorrow to govern. It is an ageless tool to help us choose intelligently and rationally based on historic facts. Our work is about the characteristics we should demand of leaders of freedom-loving nations that endeavor to provide opportunities for all in an atmosphere of justice and liberty.
She/He should:
Have good character, first and foremost. It consists of honesty, ethics, courage, fortitude, loyalty, respect for others, a sense of responsibility, caring and clear expressions of good citizenship.
Strive for personal and professional growth through humility, empathy, and adversity.
Exhibit self-confidence and surround themselves with talented, dedicated people.
Work to motivate and inspire followers.
Create a culture of respect for others and their opinions, ideas, and ideals.
Take responsibility when things go wrong and give others credit when all goes well.
Avoid revenge and concentrating on past slights or wrongs.
Develop direct connections with people and is approachable and open to talk and listen.
Use stories to communicate and convey messages with the means of the times.
Have strong emotional intelligence and controls emotions and avoids negative feelings.
Have an innate curiosity and love of learning.
Know how to relax and replenish their energy.
Transform personal ambition into what is best for the greater good.
No leader may have all the qualities we describe.
Regardless, we have a duty to select someone who comes as close to the ideal without the illusion that saints sit in the Oval Office.
They do not.
At the same time, we cannot tolerate habitual sinners controlling the apparatus of the most powerful country on the planet.