How Did Barack Obama Impact The World

Former President Barack is one of the greatest leaders of our modern era. His leadership style brought a refreshing sense of change and progress to the American political system. At the beginning of his presidency Barack Obama’s leadership touched the globe so much so he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This paper examines the attributes and competencies that contributed to Barack Obama’s impact on the United States of America and the World. Through his embodiment of core values, President Obama’s legacy has inspired a new generation of future global leaders including myself. People matter at the lowest levels is a mantra of Barrack Obama. This is evident by his works as a community organizer. “… Barack finds himself in one of the most complex African-American communities in the United States and he discovers an energizing capacity to connect with the people in these neighborhoods,” (2008) Barrack Obama’s penchant for looking out for those who don’t have a voice due to low economic means speaks
directly to me as a leader. The world is filled with individuals who are suffering due to a lack of economic resources and Barack Obama began his career standing up for those individuals. As a leader my desire is to be the connection between my subordinates and higher. Everyone wants to feel valued, not just for the work they do but for their competence and what they bring to world. This leadership attribute contributed directly to Barack Obama winning two American elections in landslide victories. Intelligence and intellect are positive attributes of a leader. Barack Obama is a graduate of Columbia University, Harvard Law School, and was the President of the Harvard Law Review. Knowledge is power is not just a cliché, it is a fact in the information age we live in.
LEGACY LEADERS “LEADER OF INFLUENCE” 3
Having said that, “knowing is better than believing or thinking any day. As a leader in military intelligence it is a responsibility to be a subject matter expert (SME) in one’s field. Barack Obama was an expert in constitutional law resulting from his time as a professor of constitutional law at Harvard University. His desire to be an expert directly contributed to my desire as a leader to be not just a Human Intelligence Collector but an expert in my field. Which has resulted in my classification as an Adjunct Human Intelligence Facilitator. Respecting others and their differences is a leader attribute of Barrack Obama.
Despite all the nastiness and racism during the 2008 campaign Barack Obama took the high road in the face of disrespect from all sides. As president he respected both other world leaders and his political opponents here in the United States. This attribute directly speaks to me as a leader in military intelligence. The work we do tends to have a global impact, therefore, respecting different cultures, religions, and societal norms is an essential part of leadership in the field. Barack Obama’s high road approach taught me that one must always remain respectful even in the face of disrespect. Too often people are trying to bring you down to their level to give themselves something to talk about. As a leader I am the standard bearer, therefore, I must show respect both to my subordinates and leaders the same way Barack Obama demonstrated respect to his supporters and
opponents. Fairness and equality are attributes embodied by Barack Obama. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a huge example of fairness exhibited by Mr. Obama. As president, one of his main objectives was to pass into law a comprehensive healthcare bill that would help all Americans. The provision for pre-existing condition was a staple of that law. This provision allowed many Americans with pre-existing condition to gain healthcare at an affordable price. Previously,
LEGACY LEADERS “LEADER OF INFLUENCE” 4 citizens with pre-existing conditions were forced to pay extremely high prices for healthcare or go without it all together. This put a huge financial strain on American citizens with long term illnesses. Barack Obama’s dedication to fairness is evident in the law that requires insurance companies to offer insurance to all Americans. As a leader, Barack Obama has helped me develop into a leader who puts fairness and equality at the top of my priorities. Treating individuals fairly and equally benefits all leaders. This attribute prevents issues from arising out of the perception of favoritism or unequal treatment. “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” Dwight D. Eisenhower. Barack Obama is a leader of great integrity as evident by his scandal free presidency. As a person of color in the United States it is evident to me that the bar is set much higher for me when it comes to attaining certain offices in this country. Barack Obama teaches me that as a leader I must have unquestioned integrity in order to lead effectively. Both in your personal and professional life a high degree of integrity is paramount to one’s success. Needless to say, integrity is an absolute in positions of trust, particularly, in the military intelligence field. In conclusion, Barack Obama’s positive leader attributes directly contributed to his impact on the United States and the world. Winning the Nobel Peace Prize at the very beginning of his presidency spoke volumes about his leadership attributes displayed during his 2008 campaign. As a leader, I would like to leave a similar legacy as former president Barack Obama. A legacy that inspires others to be the best that they can be and shoot for the stars. Whether their dreams are to attain the highest office in the land or serve in the Military Intelligence Corps of
LEGACY LEADERS “LEADER OF INFLUENCE” 5 the U.S. Army. Whatever it may be having the same positive leader attributes as Barack Obama will surely help in the long run.