Leadership @ Work

On her 21st birthday in 1947, then Princess Elizabeth gave a speech in which she said, “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong”. As King Charles said in his tribute speech to the Queen, “That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty. Her dedication and devotion as sovereign never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.”

As I witnessed her funeral in Hyde Park this morning with thousands of others (and millions across the planet), I wondered if we have ever had a better model of exemplary leadership than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.?For over 70 years she demonstrated an incredible balance of strength and humility, consistency and adaptability, humor and seriousness, sovereign and human.?As the longest reigning British monarch she worked with 15 prime ministers, witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and showed stability during the Covid pandemic.?

She devoted her entire life to her duty; well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65.?During World War II, she joined Auxiliary Territorial Service and became an expert mechanic and driver.?And over the years she worked directly and indirectly with over 600 charities, public service organizations and military associations.?She led by example while treating people around her with dignity and respect.?Most impressively, she somehow embraced progress while remaining committed to tradition.?

Her strong faith, sense of purpose and willingness to serve for more than 70 years are an example for today’s leaders to emulate.??