Last evening I was reminiscing about the views of an Inspirational Leader like Barack Obama, the former President of USA, whom I had an opportunity to listen to in person in Amsterdam in 2018.
Apart from his sheer presence which filled the room, Obama’s take on many a subjects resonated with me and was good food for thought 😊
As a leader set the direction and choose the right team. Then spend time helping them succeed. Always cultivate young talent.
We live in this remarkable time of globalization and technology which is creating accelerated inequality and disrupting many jobs hence making people unsettled and fearful ! And sometimes when people are frustrated they try and start organizing around tribe, religion, ethnicity, race etc. and returning to the old order. All the progress can hence wither away. Therefore we need to keep investing in educating young people so that they do not fear globalization or feel left behind.
Part of a being a good leader is how to tell a story. Bad stories are about hate, lies, dislikes, resentment etc. and good ones are about truth, honesty, peace, hope and progress. Every organization has to have its own stories.
People are not moved by facts and data. Governing requires some facts and sense of objective truth. But the thing that is most important is values and sense of what gives your life meaning.
Each culture values different things. Believe in what you say and take the time to think through as faithfully and truly as you can. Obama said he wrote his own speeches because he believed people can sense conviction in this age of immediate sound bytes.
Obama felt being a President of color his policies on inclusiveness (immigration policies, LGBT in military, same sex marriage, etc) were perhaps 20 years ahead of time - it alienated a good 35% of the white population instigating the ‘tribe effect’ with it’s attendant mess in US as well as rise of far right across Europe.
As the US President how did he avoid staying in the bubble / in the Ivory Tower :- Obama believes having some one close to you who is not over awed by you / your position and can show you the mirror works - in his case he invited his mother in law to stay with them in the White House and she kept them all grounded.
Work life balance :- When asked about how he managed work life balance he said - First and foremost marry a spectacular woman and rest is all easy! He described himself as a “work from home dad” when he was in the White House who managed to share a meal with his family every night and tuck his children to bed. Suggested not wasting time commuting. Said stay in a small apartment but stay close to where you work !
His comment “when I am on my death bed I am sure I will think back and remember precious moments with my family and friends” and not any legislations I passed or how powerful was my presidency… seemed to come straight from the heart.
(This article first appeared on the WiP page on 5th Feb 2024. I am the founder of WiP which is a cohort of like minded talented women who help each other grow in a fun filled, judgement free manner!)