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What Does Leadership Look Like?

Posted: 12/27/11 07:32 AM ET

What did leadership in America look like in 2011?

We know what it should be. Leadership in America should be about holding everyone accountable to the highest standard of community and commerce. It should represent a voice that is diverse in its spirit, attitude and ownership. A voice that inspires us all to take action for the betterment of a healthier whole; where we can all stand for something that makes us feel that we have each other's back and that we are pulling for one another's advancement.

As a young man, I remember how President Reagan inspired the country. Reagan was authentic and whether you believed in his policies or not, you believed in him as a person. He made you feel proud to be an American. Reagan delivered a message as if it were a two-way conversation. Many agreed with him, many did not; but all acknowledged his capacity for leadership.

So, what did leadership look like in 2011 in the US? It appeared to be a combination of sensationalism and entitlement. Think about the following: Joe, Herman, Newt, Arnold, Tiger, Donald, and Sarah -- just to name a few. The fact that we can refer to them by their first name says it all.
Today, the people are not paying attention. All the noise around us has made it difficult for people to understand the intentions of our leaders and of our own personal responsibility for leadership. We are losing our leadership identity. We need leaders who can cut through the noise and remind us of what we are about - and what our personal responsibility is.

As we head into 2012, and as more and more Gen Yer's get ready to take over the leadership of America, who are their role models and what will define their approach, style and attitude? Mark Zuckerberg and Lady Gaga? How can we help this new generation of leaders? It's time for us all to step back and ask ourselves the question: what is my leadership responsibility and how can I act in 2012 to make this country a better place to live in?

 

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09:55 PM on 01/02/2012
The bigger question is how us oldsters get the current elected officials and top dogs to lead for the benefit of the country and future generations.
Why are University Presidents awarding coaches hundreds of thousands of dollars as states fund their schools less? Why do PhD's still only teach 3 courses a year and tution continues to increase?
Why do university accounting Phd's sit on the side lines as states continue to make poor decisions on funding public employee pension plans?
Why do union leaders and state legislatures refuse to admit to the benefit they are to receive from the unfunded public pensions -and why do nothing.
Greed?!
Keeping up with your California peers? As the state goes belly up?
12:17 AM on 12/28/2011
Well, if you are a partisan of illegals, getting ones own and saying to hell with everything else is the perfect ideology for them. Too bad that it screws the rest of us and drives down our wages, but what the hell?

I have counted at least six topics on this page that have forbidden ANY further discussion of their views. I think that they are losing the battle of ideas, so I can understand why these well financed so called non-profits and corporate views cut us out of discussions. THEY are supposed to be the only ones who TELL US what to think. So one way to stop their slide is to prohibit others from making rational answers to them.

A friend of mine WAS pro-illlegal, but since I have been talking to him., he now is opposed to ANY help for illegals and agrees they all need to go now. This is happening on an increasing scale as people learn more about the problem. So simply locking out us will NOT change or stop the movement to deport and get rid of the illegals.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
frank day
Republican = FAIL
07:10 PM on 12/27/2011
" Reagan was authentic and whether you believed in his policies or not, you believed in him as a person"

Wrong. Many of us did NOT.. That's a myth.
06:49 PM on 12/27/2011
Reagan did not fire the juices of the next generations the way JFK did. You are asking a JFK question: what can WE do for our country! Somewhere between Gaga and Zuckerberg may well be the answer. We need leaders who can help people be exhilarated by the oppotunities of real change rather than fearful of them.
The economic climate is not about more and more people getting unemployment compensation for the longest period of time. It is about helping people find new ways to handle old problems, to inspire creativity (it's there in all of us) so we can ride the waves of change with skill and stay standing no matter what comes along.
Sylvia Lafair author, "Don't Bring It to Work'
04:24 PM on 12/27/2011
All good and successful movements start from the bottom up. Celebs and establishment figures (and talking heads and journalists) are not going to lead the way.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Tingalor
The Dude...takin 'er easy for all us sinners.
01:10 PM on 12/27/2011
Coming from a 40 year old man, i can't help but feel that the generation Y'ers (me included) need to do just about everything the opposite of what Mr. Llopis' generation is telling us to do. They got us into all this mess; let us figure it out, dad....
researcher
researcher
12:45 PM on 12/27/2011
"what is my leadership responsibility and how can I act in 2012 to make this country a better place to live in"?

using reagan as an example of leadership? that defines perfectly what is wrong in america. been down hill ever since reagan ideologies.

he was an actor that took his words from wall street. ie greed is good.