John F. Kennedy's Leadership

I found a great write-up from The Presidental Expert on John F. Kennedy that I wanted to share with you.

Set high goals by sharing a vision: In his acceptance speech he said, "We stand on the edge of a New Frontier, the frontier of the 1960s....Beyond that Frontier are uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus." He pushed Americans to stand up and take charge. Another goal was to have a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

Set an example by becoming a role model: Kennedy broke barriers because he was a young President. He went hatless which was a new fashion statement. He smoked cigars but not in public to set a good example for children.

Be a lifelong learner: Kennedy spent a lot of time sick in bed as a kid. He read to pass the time. His favorite books were, The Arabian Nights, Pilgrim’s Progress, and King Arthur and His Knights. He took a speed reading course to increase his skills. As President, he could read large amounts of material instead of reading summaries.

Doing the little things that lead to big things: Kennedy and his brother were taught as kids to never whine or complain by their father. He was taught to do better in sports each time he played. The football coach at his prep school said, "The most burning thing I can remember about Jack was that he was a fighter. You take Joe, he was a real athlete. But Jack made up for what he lacked in athletic ability with his fight."

Be a great communicator: He wasn’t naturally a great speaker. He spoke in a high pitched tone when he ran for Congress. Once he decided he wanted to run for President, he delivered every speech with passion. His charisma showed through when he debated with Nixon.

Take responsibility: He took responsibility for wrong doing squarely on himself. He was quoted saying, “I know when things don't go well, they like to blame the President and that is one of things Presidents are paid for.”

Demand excellence from others: Kenney’s speech writer, Ted Sorenson wrote a speech for Kennedy one time. Kennedy asked him if it was the best speech he could write. Sorenson said no and re-wrote the speech. He had to re-write the speech three times to be up to Kennedy’s standards.

Kennedy’s leadership skills will never be forgotten. Behind his charisma was substance. Learn how to carry yourself from great leaders like him.