I recently read Eleanor Roosevelt’s autobiography and was inspired by her great leadership and humanity. Let me tell you why.
Eleanor grew up in a very influential family. Her uncle was the president of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt. Her family was wealthy and Eleanor had the best of schooling. Eleanor went on to marry the president of the United States (one of the greatest I may add), Franklin D Roosevelt. With all of this power, wealth, prestige, and connection, Eleanor did not allow herself to be consumed by the powerful human beings that surrounded her. She remained her own person while following her truth to discover life for herself. An awe-inspiring woman in a time, society and culture when women were not to be recognized as powerful beings.
Here’s what I liked about Eleanor:
1. In her book Eleanor lets the reader in to see her as she truly is. She presents herself as human, authentic and vulnerable; characteristics of powerful human beings and leaders.
2. Eleanor does not allow herself to be placed on a pedestal. She desires equality and connectedness with other human beings. Being placed on a pedestal would have been counterproductive to this desire.
3. Eleanor always felt that she needed to find her own way in life while supporting Franklin and the people of the United States. Eleanor did not rest in her position of being the first lady. She had goals for herself and fought to achieve them.
4. Eleanor was clear about her values and would live life within them. Integrity was important to her.
5. Eleanor did not concern herself with what others thought about her. As a leader, Eleanor realized that with leadership comes opposition. When we concern ourselves with what others think of us we generally give our power away. Eleanor would not sacrifice herself for the opinions of others.
6. Knowing that her life purpose was on the world stage, Eleanor got the lessons she needed to be a world-class speaker. Eleanor did what was necessary to serve her purpose powerfully.
7. Eleanor realized that her life experience and her life story was the way to teach the world. She lived what she taught and she said what she felt. This is a requirement to live in our power.
8. When Eleanor’s husband, Franklin died, Eleanor was poised to step into the world a fully powerful woman. She did not have to prepare herself. Eleanor had been living powerfully all along.
9. Eleanor’s relationship with her husband was one based on inter-dependence. This means that both Eleanor and Franklin were powerful beings on their own. Their choice to be life partners meant both were coming from a position of each being whole without the other yet the combination made them each more powerful.
Eleanor inspires me because she understood that her life was a journey of discovery. Eleanor wished to continue to grow and heal as a human being while serving the world in the way her purpose and her integrity dictated. Most of us would have been consumed by the influence of the presidency of the United States and the powerful family Eleanor was born into yet Eleanor managed to live the life of her dreams and on her own terms. Eleanor was what I refer to as an authentic leader; one who leads from the heart, being in her authentic power and inspiring others to their greatness.
For more on authentic leadership see Dov Baron’s authentic leadership programs at http://www.fullmontyleadership.com.
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