Last month the media was full of stories marking the anniversary of one of the greatest speeches of all time, Dr Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ address in Washington. What makes a speech resonate to such a degree that it is still celebrated 50 years later? The ‘I… Read More »Nine keys to an extraordinary speech: Amistad
Change is at the heart of leadership. And making a compelling case for change is essential. But what if people are happy with how things are, and don’t see the need for change? That’s the situation faced by British politician William Wilberforce and his abolitionist colleagues in the late 1700s,… Read More »Leading change: lessons from the abolition of slavery
The issue of gay marriage has once again brought gay rights back to the top of the political agenda. But Gus Van Sant’s brilliant Milk reminds us just how far society has come on gay rights in the last 30 years – and the struggle and sacrifice of some of those… Read More »Five ways how Harvey Milk can improve your leadership
With the release of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, interest in the famous American President has never been higher. In Lead like Lincoln, I highlighted five key leadership lessons I personally took from the movie. Many other writers have identified additional lessons, both from the movie and the man himself. Mark Crowley’s… Read More »More leadership lessons from Lincoln
Watching Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, it’s striking how little America seems to have changed politically in 150 years. Two diametrically opposed ideologies still lie separated by a narrow middle ground. Similarly, it’s distinctive how relevant Abraham Lincoln’s leadership is for our contemporary world. Here are five lessons from Lincoln’s struggle to… Read More »Lead like Lincoln: leadership lessons from honest Abe
Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this, ever in flesh and blood, walked upon this Earth. Albert Einstein Of all great leaders through history, there can be few to match the aura that surrounds Mohandas K Gandhi, the Indian spiritual leader and subject of Richard… Read More »Lead like Gandhi: one trait every leader should learn
Our values govern the way we behave. And as a leader, you can gain respect quickly by consistently acting in line with your personal and organisational values. George Clooney’s Good Night and Good Luck is in many ways a film about values. It dramatises the CBS broadcaster Edward R Murrow’s… Read More »Values-based leadership: Good Night and Good Luck
Many organisations have a vision and values, but only in the best does that vision truly galvanise its people and result in better performance. Why? Because often that vision either isn’t compelling enough, or leaders fail to act consistently with the goal they have set out. In Mel Gibson’s stirring though… Read More »Why Braveheart’s clarity of vision can help every leader