Today is the 4th of July.
On this day in 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence, so it’s the day we, as Americans, celebrate our freedom. There are few things I love more than cookouts, fireworks, and celebrating the freedom we have in the USA.
Typically, this blog is dedicated to leadership lessons, life principles, and best practices for business. So today we are going to celebrate Independence Day by reflecting on a few foundational principles we can learn from the leaders who have shaped America.
1. Clear Vision
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18a).
Everyone needs vision—a goal, a destination, and an end they are working toward. We are motivated and moved by vision to act, but if our vision isn’t concrete, we’ll struggle to know the way to get there. Former presidential speechwriter James Humes said,
“To be concrete, use sensory language.”
President Kennedy famously projected this kind of vision for our country. He didn’t say, “We want to advance space exploration for scientific progress.” Instead, he said, “Our goal is to put a man on the moon.” This concrete image of a man on the moon is easier to get excited about than simply the concept of space exploration.
Kennedy led our country through the space race by giving the scientists, engineers, astronauts, and every day citizens a goal to rally behind, work toward, and celebrate!
A few years back we chronicled stories of remarkable people for our leadership program with Chick-fil-A. One video was based around President Kennedy’s ability to clearly articulate vision. Check it out here:
2. Core Values
Strong leaders have strong core values.
Martin Luther King Jr. believed that all men are created equal, so he dedicated his life to fighting the horrors of racism and segregation. He led out of a desire to meet the needs of others, and all of his words, decisions, and actions as a Civil Rights leader were for the good of others. We call this servant leadership.
Servant leaders focus on leading by acting in the best interest of others.
King embodied the values of a servant leader by using his unique gifts and passion to serve his own generation and all of us who would come after him.
3. Compelling Communication
Compelling communication moves people to action.
President Reagan defined success clearly, and he communicated in a way that people understood exactly what he wanted.
On June 12, 1987, he gave a speech at the Brandenburg Gate and boldly declared, “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” He knew that the only way to reestablish peace and prosperity in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe was for the Berlin Wall to fall. In today’s environment, many would feel outraged by this kind of declaration and even consider it disrespectful. However, Reagan’s clarity and courage were refreshing. There was no mistaking President Reagan’s goal, and both Americans and the world responded to his leadership.
Like the JFK story, as a part of Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, I had the privilege to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. We captured this story of the power of Reagan’s communication.
Today, I hope you have the opportunity to rest, to spend time with family, and to celebrate our freedom. Let’s take these lessons from the past and apply them to the present to help create an even brighter future for America.
