I was struck by a comment presidential historian Michael Beschloss made about General Colin Powell.
“He was a flawed, great man…”
What a wonderful commentary about a great leader!
As I reflected, it seems to me this is a characteristic of great leaders–the ability to recognize they are flawed, but the commitment to overcome or correct these flaws. General Powell made some tragic errors of judgement, but what made him a great man was the owned up to them and worked incessantly to overcome or correct them.
None of us is perfect, though too often too many believe we are. When these people fail, they fail to recognize it, make excuses, or blame others. These people are condemned to repeat the same mistakes over and over.
We have the opportunity to learn from a flawed, great man.
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