Leadership: Doing What's Right, Not What Is Popular

Leadership involves doing what is right, not what is popular, and we can learn much from the leadership of Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill. 

Ronald Reagan referred to the Soviets and Communism as the Evil Empire, a term for which he was very much criticized. But he did not care that the media did not share his belief in calling the Soviet Union for what he saw they were. Even Reagan’s own advisers cautioned him to dial down the tone of his speeches, but Reagan stood firm. 

Perhaps the greatest example of right vs. popular can be seen in reverse when it comes to Churchill;  in 1950, Churchill was selected as Time magazine’s “Man of the Half- Century.” In 1999, Churchill did not make the list for Time’s “Person of the Century”. It was determined that Churchill was not really that great and he was actually more of an idealist who really did not have very admirable views of individual rights or civil liberties and who just happened to live on the wrong side of history.  What was considered courageous back in the early 1900’s is apparently no longer so because these same convictions are not popular. 

Reagan and Churchill faced personal danger in the form of physical attacks while they were in public office. There was no amount of danger that would prevent either of them from continuing to lead their people. In fact, I happen to think they both would laugh at that entire notion. They were not afraid to make the ultimate sacrifice, if necessary, in order to see their vision and mission to the end. It seems to be a message that we lose in today’s society, where being popular, safe, and keeping one’s self from harm win out over standing up for what we believe in.

We should learn from the past and the lessons of other nations who have fallen due to lack of courage and conviction, all for the sake of not rocking the boat or "offending" others.

Appeasement and appealing to the masses is not leadership; it's cowardly and lazy. We need real leaders.