I can think of no better way to honor Winston Churchill than to encourage a new generation of leaders to build upon his vision. Accordingly, I offer below the 25 principles of Churchillian leadership that I first presented in my book, Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill.
Make them your own.
-
Leadership is the power to shape the future.
-
Bitterness erodes strong leadership: it anchors a leader to the past, distracting him from the promise of the future.
-
Biology need not be destiny.
-
A leader is often his own best teacher.
-
Overwhelming moral and physical courage is at the foundation of all great leadership.
-
Exceptional courage is born of a profound sense of destiny.
-
To offer a people hope is to acquire a position of leadership in their lives
-
Religious faith elevates leaders by freeing them from the cult of the contemporary.
-
The quality of a leader is often reflected in the quality of his marriage.
-
Leadership is not a popularity contest; criticism is part of the job.
-
Leaders are forged as much by time in the wilderness as by times of popularity.
-
True leadership requires hard work—there is no substitute.
-
The courage to look hard realities in the face is essential to effective leadership.
-
A leader must see himself as the guardian of a heritage for future generations
-
A man cannot lead his generation if he cannot lead his children.
-
Great leadership is held aloft by the winds of compassion.
-
When a leader needs a break, a change is often as good as a rest.
-
Men who believe in eternal life seldom fear death in this life.
-
A sense of humor reflects a healthy grasp of the difference between what is and what ought to be
-
A leader will only command the level of loyalty he is willing to give to others.
-
Great leaders apply the past to the present so as to shape the future.
-
Words are the arsenal of leadership.
-
Leaders can never afford to lose the beauty of life in the corrosive tedium of work.
-
A firm grasp on eternal realities enables a leader to stand apart from his age and show it the way.
-
The leader’s task is to recognize the currents of change and harness their power for good.
