He lay awake that night and thought about the irony of his situation. There were so many people who would give anything to be in his place, people who had carefully planned and diligently worked for years hoping to attain what he had just had handed to him.
Though he accepted his sudden ‘good fortune,’ he had not sought it. He had reached this point not by focused planning or strategy, but simply as a byproduct of his other goals. He had always pursued his goals while maintaining his personal values. By being himself, being genuine, connecting with others, valuing his friendships, and never making an enemy out of an opponent, he had always experienced a good measure of success and fulfillment.
Now those modest personal qualities that he had taken for granted had proven to be exactly the leadership strengths that had brought him to this life changing moment. It was because of his ability to connect with others and his commitment to honesty, decency, and candor, that he had been chosen above everyone else as the right man for the job eight months earlier.
And it was because of that job that he found himself here now, lying awake and marveling at how much his life was about to change again. Finally, Gerald Ford closed his eyes and resolved to get at least a few hours of sleep. He was going to need his energy and wits about him the next day, when he would be sworn in as the 38th President of the United States of America.
Engaging and amiable leaders are pleasant and good-natured, quickly putting people at ease with their warmth and friendliness. These leaders genuinely enjoy the company of others and easily connect with people. Working well in team settings, engaging and amiable leaders have a knack for building relationships, garnering support, and earning the respect of others.
How about you, are you an engaging and amiable leader? How can you improve and leverage your own strengths in order to become a leader whom others find engaging and amiable? By leveraging and applying your leadership strengths, you can become an even more effective leader who:
- Is pleasant and good-natured
- Genuinely enjoys the company of others
- Works and connects well with people
- Easily gains support and earns respect
This is the fourth in a series of eight articles highlighting important leadership strengths demonstrated by some of the world’s most powerful and influential leaders—former United States Presidents. I feature these same strengths in my inspirational presentation, Presidential Leadership, designed to encourage and equip participants to identify, leverage, and apply their own leadership strengths. Please stay tuned as we look at four more areas of leadership strengths in the weeks to come!
