The Commander in Chief: The Qualities Needed of Leaders of Freedom-Loving Nations in the 21st Century

What qualities should the President of the United States have? What leadership traits should the head of a democracy possess to succeed in times of war, peace, and national emergencies? In The Commander in Chief, Emilio Iodice describes, through the lens of American Presidential history, what it takes to be a successful world leader in the 21 st century. He examines the character, actions, strengths, and weaknesses of US Presidents and identifies values essential for effective leadership, and the maintenance of a strong democracy. Along with well-known traits like sound decision making, courage, the ability to communicate and character, special emphasis is on humanistic values like empathy, humility, and respect for diversity. These traits are put to the test by a critical, bi-partisan examination of scenarios where Presidents used these attributes to lead, like Lincoln’s determination to emancipate the slaves, or Truman’s controversial decision to use the atomic bomb. The result is a holistic examination of presidential character. It helps us in the critical task of choosing the next President, Prime Minister, Governor or Mayor or leader of any institution in a nation that loves freedom and human rights.