Leadership Lessons from President Dwight D. Eisenhower
November 16, 2010
By Dan Nielsen
dnielsen@nihcl.com

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he [or she] wants to do it.”

That definition of leadership came from the highly effective – yet often underrated – world-renowned leader named Dwight D. Eisenhower, the thirty-fourth president of the United States.

I recently enjoyed rereading the book entitled: Dwight Eisenhower’s Leadership Lessons published by the editors of New Word City.  In the introduction the editors write:

“Ike, as he was universally known, has been widely hailed as the military mastermind who triumphed on D-Day in June 1944 and presided over the final defeat of Nazi Germany.  But he was also a deft politician who understood the tangled currents below the surface.  He used his warm personality, broad grin, and political capital to change the world. 

His overtures to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev altered the tone of the Cold War.  His loathing for war and curbs on defense spending fended off a tide of militarism.  His interstate highway system transformed the economy and American life beyond recognition.  But Eisenhower worked most effectively behind the scenes. 

Lifting the maxim from his mentor, General George C. Marshal, Eisenhower knew that “There is no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”   

Shortly after Eisenhower’s eight years in the White House, historians ranked him as 21st out of all 34 U.S. presidents up to that time.  By 1990 however, as aides wrote memoirs, official papers were declassified, and journalists and historians uncovered details of Eisenhower’s record, his status rose to the top 10.

In the next 2 to 3 issues of Leadership Excellence: The Ultimate Strategy for Success, we will discuss several highly relevant Leadership Lessons from President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  You are invited to come along on the journey.  You may also learn some interesting facts about the very successful life and leadership of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

By the way, I recommend the book, Dwight Eisenhower’s Leadership Lessons published by the editors of New Word City.  You can obtain the digital copy free from Amazon.com.

Copyright © 2010 by Dan Nielsen