Synthesis Essay: Franklin D. Roosevelt As An Ethical Leader
Synthesis Essay – Franklin D. Roosevelt
SMSgt Melinda A. Fletcher
Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
February 11, 2015
Instructor: MSgt Madau
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Picture the stock market crashing, sending Wall Street into a panic and wiping out millions of investors. The American people are frantic and do not spend their money. Millions of Americans are unemployed. Would you have had the vision or ethics to help the American people pull through such a devastating time? One person did and his name is Franklin D. Roosevelt or as some may call him, FDR. The country’s economic status was in such disarray. This essay discusses how FDR had the vision to lead the American people through …show more content…
the economic crisis of the Great Depression. In addition, he displayed ethics by leading the country through a major war. He did all of this while fighting polio. His leadership qualities, sense of duty and honor, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to America and the common man were extraordinary. Even though it is hard to believe that such a visionary and ethical leader ever existed, I am able to relate to his behaviors and traits through individual consideration and resiliency.
Visionary Leader
FDR displayed the characteristics of a visionary leader by pulling the American people through The Great Depression. This was a time when the American people were frantic and did not spend their money or invest. All of this ended up causing a sharp decrease in manufacturing output and therefore increasing levels of unemployment. Over 15 million Americans are unemployed and half of the country’s banks fail (Hamilton, 2006). These are just some of the facts regarding the Great Depression. FDR was the person that had the vision to help the American people pull through such a devastating time. It is important to realize that FDR was the 32nd President of the United States and he was the only president to be elected four times (Hauenstein Center, n.d.). FDR had a lot to deal with during his tenure as President. However, he was able to preserve because he displayed characteristics of the 4 I’s as discussed by Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education [BCEE] (2014a) in the Full Range Leadership Development lesson. Because of his visionary leadership, he helped define a new era for the American economy since he had “Inspirational Motivation” (Hamilton, 2006; BCEE, 2014a, p. 14). FDR was a confident and strong leader. He faced polio with courage and tenacity while displaying “Idealized Influence” while sitting in office as the President (BCEE, 2014a, p. 14). These same character traits were also shown when he was the Commander and Chief. He sought to encourage a nation struggling against the Great Depression, which is the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War. He also displayed “Individualized Consideration”, when he created jobs, improved the economic growth, and reform the financial system in the United States (BCEE, 2014a, p. 13). All of these improvements happened because of FDR’s vision.
In addition, due to his high values and military ethics as discussed in the Ethical Leadership lesson, FDR led the country through a successful involvement in World War II (BCEE, 2014b; Hamilton, 2006). He was able to display another vision when he was being the “lead to the boldness” in the conduct of foreign affairs (Hauenstein Center, n.d.). FDR was committed to transform the American people from isolationists to global citizens. According to the Hauenstein Center (n.d.), FDR showed his dominant side by persisting in the wanting to help the British resist the Nazis, over the opposition of a majority of the American people as well as senior advisors like his Army Chief of Staff.
Ethical Leader
FDR revealed his ethics by managing to unite the whole country going into the war.
Roosevelt was a great leader. During World War II he was the real commander in chief of the American armed forces (Sanghoee, 2012). He took charge of the industrial of the country. As an ethical leader, he didn 't lie about threats to the US, like some other presidents have done (Sanghoee, 2012). An ethical leader is someone that conducts themselves in accordance with the rules or values for the right conduct (BCEE, 2014b). They also have good morals and can get back up after being knocked down. He was also a good leader by always ethically taking care of the American people. FDR felt ethically bound to change this nation and he wasn’t “worried about his image” when doing so (BCEE, 2014b, p. 6; Sanghoee, …show more content…
2012).
How was FDR an ethical leader? I learned from The Attributes of a Leader on The Center for Congress website (Hamilton, 2006), that FDR was a strong, decisive, and a moral leader. He was able to think things through very carefully. We learned from The Profession of Arms module that values remind us what it takes to get the mission done and to inspire us to do our very best at all times (BCEE, 2014d). FDR knew his values and the values that our country should have. He was very loyal to our country and did what was necessary to get the mission done. FDR’s primary mission was helping the American people. FDR was able to transform the United States by creating jobs and revitalizing the banking institutions, which was necessary for the economy (Hamilton, 2006). Many people had their life savings in a bank. During that time, there was no such thing as deposit insurance. The banks were lacking in honesty and trust. People lost their life 's savings, their homes and farms. Some began to lose faith in the American system of democracy itself according to FDR’s First Inaugural Speech (Roosevelt, 1933). FDR took it upon himself to correct those issues.
As we discussed in the Emergent Leadership Issues module, “resiliency is to withstand, recover, and grow in the face of stressors” (BCEE, 2014c, p.
7). This is definitely a quality that FDR had not only as a person, but also as our President. Being a President four times, he faced a lot of stressors. Our grandparents and great grandparents might have starved in the Great Depression if it wasn’t for the “resiliency” of FDR (BCEE, 2014c, p. 7). In addition, FDR didn 't go to war with only 50-percent approval (Hamilton, 2006). He could have lied about the details of the war. FDR considered all of the consequences and made decisions that he could live with just as it is discussed in Toner’s six tests (BCEE, 2014; Hamilton, 2006). Most importantly, FDR got everyone working together so that all the resources of the country could be focused on winning
WW2. Personal Relevance
How can I relate to such a visionary leader and ethical leader? I can relate to FDR since he had individual consideration for the American people. Even though I don’t display this behavior as well as FDR, I have learned to do better job with it at my current job. I display individual consideration as the senior enlisted Air Force member in Pakistan. I conduct monthly luncheons so we can discuss any updates or changes occurring in our career fields or in the Air Force. Because of our location, not every member receives the most current information in a timely manner. With the monthly meetings, it allows the deployed members to share information to the group that they have received from their home station. After the topic is discussed, I then provide an opportunity for a question and answer session. I am able to relate to FDR as an ethical leader because he was always loyal by putting his country first. That is not an easy task to do. Even though I am a wife and mother, I am loyal to my country especially since I am an active duty member in the Air Force. In addition, I have learned to show resiliency at my current assignment. In Pakistan I am faced with many stressors. For example, there are many times that leadership knocks down my ideas on how to improve the international training program. However, I have learned to withstand and to recover just like FDR was able to do.
Conclusion
In closing, because of FDR’s vision and leadership traits, the United States was able to recover from a major crisis, called the Great Depression. During his presidency he had to deal with a lot of stressors. The country’s economic status was in such disarray. However, because FDR possessed a clear vision of the United States, he was able help the American people. In addition, FDR possessed the charisma to connect with large numbers of the American people, it allowed him to get elected as the president four times. FDR is a visionary leader that we will never forget. FDR was an ethical leader and he was the right man at the right time. Because of those ethics, he was able to help pull the American people through not only the Great Depression era, but WW2 as well. FDR was a visionary and ethical leader with a sense of duty and honor, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to America. Lastly, I showed how I am able to relate to such a visionary and ethical leader through individual consideration and resiliency. However, I don’t think I would have had the vision or ethics to help the American people pull through such a devastating time like FDR was able to do.
References
Hamilton, L. (March 27, 2006). The Attributes of Leadership. Retrieved January 31, 2015 from http://www.centeroncongress.org/attributes-leadership
Roosevelt, F. (1933). First Inaugural Speech. Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/fdr-first-inaug.htm
Sanghoee, S. (2012, August 8). Fear Itself: Why the Republicans Hate FDR and Why Obama Must Become Him - Part 1. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sanjay-sanghoee/new-deal-fdr_b_1658650.html
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014a). CF03SG, Full Range Leadership Development. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014b). LM01SG, Ethical leadership. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014c). LM09SG-1, Emergent Leadership Issues. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014d). MP03SG, Profession of Arms. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
SMSgt Melinda A. Fletcher
Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
February 11, 2015
Instructor: MSgt Madau
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Picture the stock market crashing, sending Wall Street into a panic and wiping out millions of investors. The American people are frantic and do not spend their money. Millions of Americans are unemployed. Would you have had the vision or ethics to help the American people pull through such a devastating time? One person did and his name is Franklin D. Roosevelt or as some may call him, FDR. The country’s economic status was in such disarray. This essay discusses how FDR had the vision to lead the American people through …show more content…
the economic crisis of the Great Depression. In addition, he displayed ethics by leading the country through a major war. He did all of this while fighting polio. His leadership qualities, sense of duty and honor, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to America and the common man were extraordinary. Even though it is hard to believe that such a visionary and ethical leader ever existed, I am able to relate to his behaviors and traits through individual consideration and resiliency.
Visionary Leader
FDR displayed the characteristics of a visionary leader by pulling the American people through The Great Depression. This was a time when the American people were frantic and did not spend their money or invest. All of this ended up causing a sharp decrease in manufacturing output and therefore increasing levels of unemployment. Over 15 million Americans are unemployed and half of the country’s banks fail (Hamilton, 2006). These are just some of the facts regarding the Great Depression. FDR was the person that had the vision to help the American people pull through such a devastating time. It is important to realize that FDR was the 32nd President of the United States and he was the only president to be elected four times (Hauenstein Center, n.d.). FDR had a lot to deal with during his tenure as President. However, he was able to preserve because he displayed characteristics of the 4 I’s as discussed by Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education [BCEE] (2014a) in the Full Range Leadership Development lesson. Because of his visionary leadership, he helped define a new era for the American economy since he had “Inspirational Motivation” (Hamilton, 2006; BCEE, 2014a, p. 14). FDR was a confident and strong leader. He faced polio with courage and tenacity while displaying “Idealized Influence” while sitting in office as the President (BCEE, 2014a, p. 14). These same character traits were also shown when he was the Commander and Chief. He sought to encourage a nation struggling against the Great Depression, which is the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War. He also displayed “Individualized Consideration”, when he created jobs, improved the economic growth, and reform the financial system in the United States (BCEE, 2014a, p. 13). All of these improvements happened because of FDR’s vision.
In addition, due to his high values and military ethics as discussed in the Ethical Leadership lesson, FDR led the country through a successful involvement in World War II (BCEE, 2014b; Hamilton, 2006). He was able to display another vision when he was being the “lead to the boldness” in the conduct of foreign affairs (Hauenstein Center, n.d.). FDR was committed to transform the American people from isolationists to global citizens. According to the Hauenstein Center (n.d.), FDR showed his dominant side by persisting in the wanting to help the British resist the Nazis, over the opposition of a majority of the American people as well as senior advisors like his Army Chief of Staff.
Ethical Leader
FDR revealed his ethics by managing to unite the whole country going into the war.
Roosevelt was a great leader. During World War II he was the real commander in chief of the American armed forces (Sanghoee, 2012). He took charge of the industrial of the country. As an ethical leader, he didn 't lie about threats to the US, like some other presidents have done (Sanghoee, 2012). An ethical leader is someone that conducts themselves in accordance with the rules or values for the right conduct (BCEE, 2014b). They also have good morals and can get back up after being knocked down. He was also a good leader by always ethically taking care of the American people. FDR felt ethically bound to change this nation and he wasn’t “worried about his image” when doing so (BCEE, 2014b, p. 6; Sanghoee, …show more content…
2012).
How was FDR an ethical leader? I learned from The Attributes of a Leader on The Center for Congress website (Hamilton, 2006), that FDR was a strong, decisive, and a moral leader. He was able to think things through very carefully. We learned from The Profession of Arms module that values remind us what it takes to get the mission done and to inspire us to do our very best at all times (BCEE, 2014d). FDR knew his values and the values that our country should have. He was very loyal to our country and did what was necessary to get the mission done. FDR’s primary mission was helping the American people. FDR was able to transform the United States by creating jobs and revitalizing the banking institutions, which was necessary for the economy (Hamilton, 2006). Many people had their life savings in a bank. During that time, there was no such thing as deposit insurance. The banks were lacking in honesty and trust. People lost their life 's savings, their homes and farms. Some began to lose faith in the American system of democracy itself according to FDR’s First Inaugural Speech (Roosevelt, 1933). FDR took it upon himself to correct those issues.
As we discussed in the Emergent Leadership Issues module, “resiliency is to withstand, recover, and grow in the face of stressors” (BCEE, 2014c, p.
7). This is definitely a quality that FDR had not only as a person, but also as our President. Being a President four times, he faced a lot of stressors. Our grandparents and great grandparents might have starved in the Great Depression if it wasn’t for the “resiliency” of FDR (BCEE, 2014c, p. 7). In addition, FDR didn 't go to war with only 50-percent approval (Hamilton, 2006). He could have lied about the details of the war. FDR considered all of the consequences and made decisions that he could live with just as it is discussed in Toner’s six tests (BCEE, 2014; Hamilton, 2006). Most importantly, FDR got everyone working together so that all the resources of the country could be focused on winning
WW2. Personal Relevance
How can I relate to such a visionary leader and ethical leader? I can relate to FDR since he had individual consideration for the American people. Even though I don’t display this behavior as well as FDR, I have learned to do better job with it at my current job. I display individual consideration as the senior enlisted Air Force member in Pakistan. I conduct monthly luncheons so we can discuss any updates or changes occurring in our career fields or in the Air Force. Because of our location, not every member receives the most current information in a timely manner. With the monthly meetings, it allows the deployed members to share information to the group that they have received from their home station. After the topic is discussed, I then provide an opportunity for a question and answer session. I am able to relate to FDR as an ethical leader because he was always loyal by putting his country first. That is not an easy task to do. Even though I am a wife and mother, I am loyal to my country especially since I am an active duty member in the Air Force. In addition, I have learned to show resiliency at my current assignment. In Pakistan I am faced with many stressors. For example, there are many times that leadership knocks down my ideas on how to improve the international training program. However, I have learned to withstand and to recover just like FDR was able to do.
Conclusion
In closing, because of FDR’s vision and leadership traits, the United States was able to recover from a major crisis, called the Great Depression. During his presidency he had to deal with a lot of stressors. The country’s economic status was in such disarray. However, because FDR possessed a clear vision of the United States, he was able help the American people. In addition, FDR possessed the charisma to connect with large numbers of the American people, it allowed him to get elected as the president four times. FDR is a visionary leader that we will never forget. FDR was an ethical leader and he was the right man at the right time. Because of those ethics, he was able to help pull the American people through not only the Great Depression era, but WW2 as well. FDR was a visionary and ethical leader with a sense of duty and honor, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to America. Lastly, I showed how I am able to relate to such a visionary and ethical leader through individual consideration and resiliency. However, I don’t think I would have had the vision or ethics to help the American people pull through such a devastating time like FDR was able to do.
References
Hamilton, L. (March 27, 2006). The Attributes of Leadership. Retrieved January 31, 2015 from http://www.centeroncongress.org/attributes-leadership
Roosevelt, F. (1933). First Inaugural Speech. Retrieved from http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/fdr-first-inaug.htm
Sanghoee, S. (2012, August 8). Fear Itself: Why the Republicans Hate FDR and Why Obama Must Become Him - Part 1. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sanjay-sanghoee/new-deal-fdr_b_1658650.html
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014a). CF03SG, Full Range Leadership Development. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014b). LM01SG, Ethical leadership. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014c). LM09SG-1, Emergent Leadership Issues. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. (2014d). MP03SG, Profession of Arms. Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Author.