Many people consider Barack Obama to be a great leader; he was the President of the United States before Donald Trump. It takes a lot of things to be a great leader, and it certainly doesn’t just happen over night, it takes a lot of continual work. If you are looking to become a leader, in any sort of capacity, then there are a lot of examples you can take from Barack Obama.
Barack Obama was the 44th US President and he sat in for two full terms. He was a great politician and had a lot of unique qualities that made him loved and respected by many not only in America, but also right across the world. This is why it is a good idea to have a look at Barack Obama’s leadership skills, if you are looking to become a leader yourself.
Even after serving 8 years as President of the United States, Barack Obama has many followers and they look to him as a role model of how to be a great and effective leader. Have a read on below at more information about Barack Obama’s leadership skills and some examples throughout his presidency:
Embrace Change
It was the major talking point and theme in Barack Obama’s successful presidency campaign; change. Being the first African American to run and win, change was certainly the order of the day. He certainly delivered on that change promise when he was elected into office. He tried to change America for the better throughout his 8 years in office, even though he wasn’t able to deliver on all his promises.
Communication
To be a good leader you have to know how to communicate properly. This also means knowing your audience and how they communicate and speak at their level, for example you would not talk to a bunch of primary school children in the same way you would talk to the leader of another country. This is something that Barack Obama was very good at. He knew how to talk to anyone and make them feel included, it didn’t matter who they were.
Determination
When attempting to be the first African American President, you are probably going to get knocked down a few times. But it was Barack Obama’s determination and perseverance that kept him on the road to leadership. No matter who your are there are always going to be challenges on your path to success, it’s how you deal with and overcome those challenges that will determine your ability to be a leader.
Inclusive
A leader has a lot of people behind the scene working for them to make them the amazing person and leader they are. A true leader understands this and they know they did not get to where they are without the help of many other people along the way. This is another example of true leadership within Barack Obama’s presidency, as you would always hear inclusive language in his speeches, i.e. he always said “we” or “us” instead of “me” or “I”.
Risk Taking
To be a leader you need to know when and how to take risks. Risk taking really isn’t for everyone but most leaders have had to take pretty substantial risks to get where they are today. Being the President of the United States comes with huge risks, as you are said to be one of the most (if not the most) powerful people in the world. Barack Obama took a huge risk running for President again when he lost by a landslide during the 2004 primaries.
