01-03-2012, 06:11 PM
"People in leadership positions are not necessarily leaders, a fact demonstrated by President Obama’s Christmas in Hawaii. Too often people in leadership positions are more concerned about the perquisites of their offices than the service aspect of leadership. One of the key characteristics of effective leaders is that they are willing to sacrifice in order to serve not just the mission but those who are responsible for carrying out the mission. They take care of those who take care of them.
I do not begrudge President Obama taking a vacation in Hawaii, but I do question his doing so at Christmas. Why? Because by celebrating Christmas in Hawaii, the President ensured that more than 100 members of his support staff would not be able to spend Christmas with their families. This fact is why Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush made a point of spending Christmas at Camp David. By doing so they minimized the number of people who would be missing in action when their families celebrated Christmas.
The service aspect of leadership is grounded in the concept of sacrifice. For example, when I served in the Marine Corps we learned that leadership meant making sure that our men ate before we ate—it meant taking care of the men who took care of the mission. Effective leadership is about service, not the perquisites of rank or position. In order to take care of those who carry out the mission, leaders must be willing to sacrifice some of their own wants and needs. What better time of year to set an example of sacrificial leadership than at Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate the birth of the Savior who gave His life so that we might live. What better time of year for President Obama to set an example of effective leadership?"
Reagan spent Christmases at the White House so his security detail could spend time with their own families. Because he was cool like that.
I do not begrudge President Obama taking a vacation in Hawaii, but I do question his doing so at Christmas. Why? Because by celebrating Christmas in Hawaii, the President ensured that more than 100 members of his support staff would not be able to spend Christmas with their families. This fact is why Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush made a point of spending Christmas at Camp David. By doing so they minimized the number of people who would be missing in action when their families celebrated Christmas.
The service aspect of leadership is grounded in the concept of sacrifice. For example, when I served in the Marine Corps we learned that leadership meant making sure that our men ate before we ate—it meant taking care of the men who took care of the mission. Effective leadership is about service, not the perquisites of rank or position. In order to take care of those who carry out the mission, leaders must be willing to sacrifice some of their own wants and needs. What better time of year to set an example of sacrificial leadership than at Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate the birth of the Savior who gave His life so that we might live. What better time of year for President Obama to set an example of effective leadership?"
Reagan spent Christmases at the White House so his security detail could spend time with their own families. Because he was cool like that.