Lessons from a leader
Harvard President Drew Faust offered her perspective on effective leadership during an informal discussion with about 30 Harvard undergraduates on Friday at the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). Addressing the IOP’s Women’s Initiative in Leadership program, Faust offered three principles of great leadership, using examples gleaned from her work as a historian. Connectedness, communication, and the ability to accept responsibility are all vital qualities for effective leaders, said Faust. She said that Bill Clinton, with his powerful ability to connect with people, developed a following of supporters who felt truly engaged. Abraham Lincoln, an exceptional communicator, was a leader whose gift for language enabled him to connect people with “something bigger than themselves.” The best leaders also can shoulder the greatest responsibility. They are willing to say, “I will own this, and I will give of myself for it.” She illustrated her point with a telling anecdote. As the Allied...