Light From Many Lamps, Part 3
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself” (Roosevelt) was part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural speech. These few simple, but powerful words, spoken at a time when the majority of Americans were frozen in fear and overwhelmed with uncertainty, had a significant impact on the citizens of the United States. During the Great Depression, people were suffering from poverty, unemployment, and a sense disparity. Banks failed, factories were idle and many people lost their lifelong savings. People were overwhelmed with the state of the economy. They had lost their sense of optimism. It was not only what President Roosevelt said, but how he said it, “His voice rang out, firm and clear” (Watson, 2017, P129). “There was an electric quality to his words (Watson, 2017, P129). At a time when most people had lost hope and were struggling, President Roosevelt was a powerful, positive, confident leader. (Watson, 2017, P129). “He gave the people ….words of heartening faith and courage…”(Watson, 2017, P130).
In my experience, leadership is about exuding confidence, optimism, and reassurance. A leader does not give up, he does not give in and he does not quit. A leader takes charge, he evaluates and assesses the situation and strives to face obstacles and issues head on. A strong leader is a fighter, not someone who hides from challenges and obstacles. There is always something positive to take away from anything negative. The leader sets the example and the standard, and is the inspiration for others to aspire to. It is the verbal and the non-verbal behaviour of a leader that influences. In Light From Many Lamps, there is a story about a man named Harold Russell. In the story, he loses both hands. Russell continues to live his life accomplishing goals, and not giving in. He does not dwell on his physical handicaps and achieves many other successes in his life. This is an example of a leader who did not quit, is a fighter and who is optimistic in challenging circumstances. (Watson, 2017, P88-94).
Northouse 2017 discusses the leadership qualities of Nelson Mandela. “In essence, the charisma factor describes people who are special and who make others want to follow the vision they put forward. A person whose leadership exemplifies the charisma factor is Nelson Mandela…” (Northouse, 2017). I believe that Franklin. D. Roosevelt also exemplifies these charismatic leadership qualities. “These leaders are deeply respected by followers, who usually place a great deal of trust in them. They provide followers with a vision and a sense of mission.” Roosevelt’s charismatic words provided his followers with comfort, courage and determination to overcome difficult obstacles. (Northouse, 2017).
As a teacher, it is my responsibility to set the best possible example for my students. As an educator, I must create an atmosphere that instills confidence and a desire to learn and overcome any obstacles that a student might be struggling with, whether it is at school or at home.
Watson, L.E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster. Northouse, P. (2017). Leadership: Theory and Practice.
Sadie,
It’s interesting that several learners have posted discussions this week that focus on overcoming fear as a leader — and leading others to overcome fear as well.
You write: “In my experience, leadership is about exuding confidence, optimism, and reassurance. A leader does not give up, he does not give in and he does not quit.” While I might argue that leaders don’t always have to demonstrate (blind) confidence, I do agree that optimism and reassurance — and a strong sense of vision — are essential traits of a leader.
This morning I read a challenge by career coach Kathy Caprino to take a few minutes to consider what is holding you back from achieving your dreams. Read her challenge here:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6329335671500664832
— Leadership Prof
Thank you for the article. As I reflect on things that are holding me back, the words fear, and self-doubt come to mind. We can be our own worse critics. It is a natural feeling to question yourself as you go through the process of achieving goals. In my own experience, I try to focus on positive thoughts to try and over-come the negative thoughts. In one reading, I read that people often strive for perfection. If you are achieving perfection, you are doing the same things over and over. People should strive for progress so that we learn to accept that it is okay to make mistakes because that is how we learn and grow.