Contributors
J.F. Kelly, Jr. - Contributor

J.F. Kelly, Jr. is a retired Navy Captain and bank executive who writes on current events and military subjects. He is a resident of Coronado, California. [go to Kelly index]

Lament for a Leader
Growing conflicts between Church and State..
[J. F. Kelly, Jr.] 6/10/04

If Ronald Reagan could communicate with us today, he’d probably thank us for the eulogies and expressions of grief and urge us to move on and get back to work. He would probably remind us, in his humble and self-effacing way, that for all practical purposes, he left us years ago when the ravages of his awful disease robbed him of his memory and us of his humor, wit and wisdom. As his devoted and beloved wife, Nancy, so touchingly put it, his journey had taken him to a place where even she could no longer reach him.

The national and international outpouring of sorrow and affection is not surprising. This was a man who was much loved and admired. According to a Gallop poll, only Billy Graham, among his contemporaries, was more admired by Americans. So to those who have complained that the response to his passing is excessive, my suggestion is to get used to it. Americans love and honor their heroes and he is one of them. Americans also respect honesty and openness; they dislike phonies. Even though his acting career involved the world of make believe, Ronald Reagan was as genuine and unique as they came. There won’t be another like him soon, so we need time to mourn his passing.

Columnists, editorial writers, politicians, university professors and other learned folks have filled the airways and the newspaper columns with their own reasons for his remarkable success as an actor turned politician. He was, as previously noted, amiable, likeable, witty, honest and unaffected but these qualities alone do not a successful president make. He was not known for his intellect or scholarship. He brought no experience in foreign affairs to the White House, nor could he boast of any legislative experience. His acting career provided little in the way of training to prepare him for the world’s most powerful political office other than, perhaps, to help him develop his remarkable communications skills and ability to be at ease around people. Notwithstanding two successful terms as governor of the nation’s largest state, his critics, mostly liberals of course, said his inexperience in federal government and lack of intellectual depth made him a poor choice to be president. As usual, his critics got it wrong.

Many are attributing his greatness to his economic policies, initially referred to with heavy sarcasm as “Reaganomics” or even “voodoo economics” but lately referred to with much more respect. He inherited an economy from the administration of his well-meaning but ineffective predecessor that was as moribund as its directionless foreign policy. Mr. Reagan turned the economy around by the most effective method for restoring life to it, namely by reducing the tax burden on businesses and individuals. He believed in reducing the size and cost of government and he stood by his guns. Unfortunately, Congress stood by its guns as well, refusing to curtail its profligate spending habits. The results were record deficits but also a surging economy that got America moving again.

His foreign policy reflected a new American pride and a resolve to stand up for its interest and principles. He rebuilt America’s armed forces to back up this foreign policy with real teeth. He had the courage and the honesty to call the Communist Soviet Union what it was: an evil empire. He announced his support for a missile defense system designed to defend American cities and eventually render offensive missile systems obsolete. Many of his countrymen doubted America’s ability to develop such a system but America’s potential enemies never doubted it and opposed it bitterly. His efforts directly led to the destruction of the Berlin wall, the reunification of Germany and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union, whose rulers realized that it could not prevail against a renewed America with a robust economy, superior military forces and determined leadership.

Those of different political persuasion may disagree regarding his methods or his economic policies or how much of the credit he deserves for the many good outcomes for America that occurred during his two terms. Few, however, who understand what leadership is will deny his qualities as a leader. Having devoted much of my adult life to the study, observation and, I hope, practice of leadership, I recognize its elements. Space does not permit a recitation of all of them here, but a few observations are pertinent. Leadership doesn’t automatically convey with an office, position or job title. Leadership traits can be studied and imitated but real leadership consists of many components and skills, some of which aren’t easily learned, if in fact they can be learned at all. Most managers and executives may achieve various degrees of effectiveness, but will never be transformational leaders.

Leadership requires what the senior President Bush (the same one who coined voodoo economics) once famously dismissed as “that vision thing” plus a plan for achieving it and a determination to prevail in spite of adversity. Leaders energize and inspire their followers. They surround themselves with the best and brightest and share power with them but never the ultimate responsibility for the consequences of failure. They do not become bogged down needlessly in the details. They set the policy and the moral tone and lead by example. They insist on everyone’s best effort. Although they care deeply upon their people, they are far more focused on achieving organization success than career or personal success.

We have had an abundance of successful managers and executives in business, government and the military. We have had far fewer transformation leaders. Ronald Reagan was one of them. He restored faith and confidence to Americans at a time when both were in short supply. He is an American hero, possessed of the stuff of legends and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. CRO

copyright 2004 J. F. Kelly, Jr.

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