Leadership Lessons from 3 Great Men
"Leaders are born, they have that natural ability to wade through the challenges and come out on the top, even in the most difficult situations” — you might have heard these lines a number of times and wondered do I have it in me to become a good leader.
Well, one look at the lives of some of world’s greatest leaders, and you will notice they were all flawed men with more than their share of weaknesses.So, how did these leaders become great? How could they motivate thousands of people into following their beliefs and vision? Well, they all had the right attitude to look at their weaknesses. In fact, they never thought of their weaknesses as weaknesses, they saw them as strengths.
If self-doubt and ‘imposter syndrome’ plagues you, or if you think that only a flawless person can become a great leader, you need to read up about these 3 leaders who became great not in spite of their weaknesses, but because they used their weaknesses as strengths.
Winston Churchill | Strength: Mental Illness
Winston Churchill is hailed as one of the greatest war time leaders ever. He is credited with stopping Hitler in his tracks. The speech he delivered on June 4, 1940, is counted among the most inspiring speeches of all time.
Winston Churchill united a nation with his leadership qualities and ‘never say die’ attitude, but his close friends and acquaintances were aware of his personal battle with depression.Winston Churchill’s attitude to ‘never give up’ against depression allowed him to make crucial wartime decisions. When all the leaders of Europe were cowering, Winston Churchill had the courage and statesmanship to stand up to Hitler.Churchill refused to view his mental illness as a weakness; instead, he used it to realistically assess Hitler’s true intentions. Summing up Churchill’s personal battles and their impact on his political strategy, psychiatrist Anthony Storr said,
“Only a man who knew what it was to discern a gleam of hope in a hopeless situation . . . could have given emotional reality to the words of defiance which rallied and sustained us in the menacing summer of 1940.”
Richard Branson | Strength: Dyslexia
British billionaire Richard Branson is viewed by many as an epitome of ‘making it big on your own’. Founder of Virgin Group comprising 400 companies, Richard Branson is revered around the world for his leadership qualities. However, according to Branson, his dyslexia has played a major role in making him what he is today.Dyslexia challenged Branson and he had to always jot down even the minutest details on a notebook to remember it. Although this has turned into a lifelong habit, it has helped him submit his notebooks as evidence in lawsuits! By turning dyslexia into an opportunity, Branson has been able to achieve what many of us even dare to dream about.
David Neeleman | Strength: ADHD
Founder of JetBlue Airways famously told ADDitude magazine that he "If someone told me you could be normal or you could continue to have your ADD, I would take ADD.” (ADHD was earlier known as ADD). David Neeleman credits his ADHD for helping him think out of the box and come up with simple solutions to complex business problems.Although ADHD is tagged as a disorder, David Neeleman views it as his strength. He has relentlessly worked towards pursuing his dreams, without fretting too much about his shortcomings.
“Life is full of trade-offs and living with my untreated ADD is one of them,” is how David Neeleman looks at the whole thing.
So, whether you are managing a small team or heading an entire company, don’t let your ‘perceived’ weaknesses hold you back. Instead of working against them, turn them into your biggest strengths, and create value for yourself and others who look up to you.