Leadership is vital to success

Leadership is defined as a quality trait, inherent and nurtured, like class in a prize fighter. Leaders sometimes emerge, ephemerally, a saving grace at the last critical moment. It is also the salient feature for people who hold power, which they may use both for good and evil. The worst tyrants in history possessed leadership skills in abundance, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, Castro, and an endless list that includes our President Donald Trump. Leadership talents are a gift of providence; they enable nobility, but also ignoble demagogues. A true leader is a shining star amidst a dying cluster.

We had plenty of good leaders in American history, both in politics and the private sector, some of whom fought for the continuation and legitimacy of slavery — General Robert E. Lee — and others who stood steadfast and eventually abolished slavery — President Abraham Lincoln. Leadership, both good and bad, is sometimes misconstrued as blind ambition. Walt Disney and Steve Jobs both possessed leadership skills, par excellence, but were considered tyrants by their employees. Leadership is the vital and active influence in all successful companies and organizations, the fundamental impetus behind all outstanding products, the motivating force for all successful campaigns — political, business, and military.

The U.S. Navy is especially skilled at identifying leadership abilities, and has an excellent track record in nurturing them. If a sea captain lacks leadership qualities, the crew under his or her command will ultimately fail in its mission, mutiny or cause the ship to sink. Leadership skills are quite easy to identify — they exude brightness.

When we overlook the absence of leadership attributes in a political contender, we put our country at risk. Joe Biden, though a good team player, is devoid of leadership. If he is elected, which almost seems inevitable, the country will slide deeper into anarchy.

EMIL BRUCE LESTER, JR. Point Breeze