Hillary Clinton: How Does She Exemplify Leadership Capacities?
Moral Purpose, the Change Process, Building Relationships, Knowledge Building and Sharing and Coherence Making
Building relationships may be Hillary Clinton’s strongest leadership skill. How often has the President of the U.S. appointed his staunchest opponent in the primary to serve as his Secretary of State? She has forged relationships with many diverse groups in order to further her political and personal goals and career; including women, people of color, democrats form New York (when she was seeking the senatorial seat) and world leaders. Mrs. Clinton possesses a keen capacity for building bonds with people who see themselves as wives, mothers, politicians and world leaders.
Hillary Clinton promoted herself as a change agent who would accomplish three endeavors as President when she initiated her campaign in 2007 (Horowitz). Her promises for change encompassed three areas, ending the war in Iraq, passing universal health coverage and making America less energy-dependent (Horowitz). She also promoted herself as the candidate with experience but she is a change agent and a person who can emphasize her diverse experience as an articulate public communicator. Mrs. Clinton is also the author of “It Takes A Village” (Hillary Rodham Clinton, 1996) and other publications so she has widely promoted herself in print to the reading public. Also on her resume can be included attorney, Senator of NY, Secretary of State and political activist for women’s rights and children. She certainly has a broad base of knowledge and a great capacity to share with constituencies.
When people consider moral purpose and Hillary Clinton they immediately think of her commitment to her husband following his public infidelities (Graham, 2007). As a political activist she has also never waivered in her commitment to the causes she supports. She articulates a consistent and coherent message in support of women, children and families at home and abroad (“Hillary Rodham Clinton”).
References
Graham, T. (2007). Newsweek Finds Hillary's Pinnacle of Moral Purpose: Tolerating Bill's Intern Adultery? (May 9, 2007 ed.). Retrieved from http://newsbusters.org/node/12640
Hillary Rodham Clinton. SourceWatch. Retrieved from http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Hillary_Rodham_Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton. (1996). It Takes A Village. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Horowitz, J. (2007). Hillary Clinton, Candidate of Change (September 5, 2007 ed.). The New York Observer. Retrieved from http://www.observer.com/2007hillary-rolls-out-new-ad
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Do you think her commitment to stay with her husband was based on her morals or more on her political agenda or better yet her commitment to the country? I do like Hillary Clinton, and I believe she is a great leader, but that was the only part of her that I questioned.
ReplyDeleteBrian,
ReplyDeleteI would guess that she probably decided to concentrate on her own career goals after she was betrayed. She is an intelligent and highly educated, accomplished woman. She put all of her own personal goals and law profession on hold to support her husband as governor and then as President. You can't have two chiefs competing for leadership roles in a family like that! A presidential candidate needs his or her spouse to stump for him/her and work on the campaign trail. I think she said....now it is my turn...you can help me as I did you or do your own thing but I need all of my time and energy to gain a powerful senatorial seat in NY and then the presidency. I think that Bill Clinton has used all of his powerful tools of leadership to help his wife achieve her goals. Who knows what their personal life might be like! I do think they both respect each other. The Clinton Foundation has given him an outlet which funnels his stregths into a positive resource, and keeps him out of her limelight so she can promote herself as a separate person.
Diane
Dianne,
ReplyDeleteAs you probably already noticed, I chose Bill Clinton as my leader. Between the two Clintons, they certainly do exemplify all the leadership qualities described by Fullan.
I think Hillary's strongest capacity is that of coherence. Despite her difficult fight in a very close race to become the Democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States, she managed to concede with pride and dignity. Hillary's focus then was redirected to unite the party, which resulted in her supporting Barack Obama. Her reward is, of course, being named Secretary of State in the Obama administration.
Hillary stood by her husband at a time when others would have walk away. This is a true sign of her character. Together, the Clintons complement one another, creating a powerful political alliance that seems to work for them and for the betterment of the American people.
Connie
The Clinton’s compliment each other in their leadership qualities. When you have two strong intelligent people, each with their own unique style they support one another. Great leadership teams network their characteristics, learning and sharing from each other. Reading the comments above, the Clinton’s together can teach us a lot about leadership qualities.
ReplyDeleteHilary as “First Lady” was a promoter, analyzer and supporter. She may have become a controller when adversity hit their family. However, Hilary used this characteristic to shine as the compassionate wife. She probably was also analytic using the data and polls to her advantage.
Hilary is advocate for so many causes, just like Bill. Bill is more charismatic when he speaks; I think this is an innate quality. I listened to Hilary speak on several occasions, she is passionate, intelligent and an excellent promoter for the causes she supports. Is charisma sexual?
Today I read an article that said, “All leadership comes down to this: changing people's behavior. Why is that so damn hard? Science offers some surprising new answers -- and ways to do better.”
Deutscman, A. (2005, May 1). Change or die. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/94/open_change-or-die.html
I am adding to my original post from last week because I have had many hours during my husband's hospitalization this week to review the book, "On Becoming a Leader", by Warren Bennis. He notes that all leaders have four standard capacities which are, vision,voice, adaptive capacity and integrity. I think that Hillary has all of the necessary capacities to be considered a leader. He adds three other basic ingredients later in the book. They are all of the capacities already listed with trust,daring and curiosity added. When I think of the causes that Hillary has supported since her earliest years in law school she has not waivered in her vision and passion for the same issues that I already listed in post # 3. This resource just give even more credence to what I have already said about hr!
ReplyDeleteBennis,W.(2009).On becoming a leader:The leadership classic.New York:Perseus.