15 Astonishing Leadership Stories that Ended up Successfully
 Becoming a leader is a science and an art which consists of continuous
evolving. An effective luminary has the ability to express creativity with an
awareness of the need to change shape based on current circumstances. An
effective leader often originates from having to take a position of strength by
freeing up creative genius and magnifying personal capabilities. A community
with a great leader becomes powerful as a whole by envisioning, motivating and
transforming an organization. As technology and universal business is modifying,
the best leaders are the ones who can change along with the given innovations.
They have the foresight required in customizing a culture and a mission. It
isn't a surprise some of the most iconic leaders in history were the ones that
overcame the most adversity.
15) Napoleon
Hill Possessed Strong Desire
 Those who have read "The Laws of Success " may be aware of Napoleon Hill's
experience in hitting rock bottom in his mid-40s. Hill's hardship was a self
inflicted endeavor which consisted of jumping from one venture to another with
little to no forethought. Many of his ventures had potential in producing
results but were often abandoned to pursue others quickly. Traveling from city
to city in search of a break, Napoleon chased his dreams of personal success and
dug deep into his introvert self, to make sense of what being a leader required
within a given society.
The irony in his hardship was what came out of it. Realizing that he had
spent the better portion of his life searching higher and yon for the causes of
success, he found himself more helpless than thousands of others who didn't have
the knowledge that he did in how to obtain it. Through visualization and
resources it wasn't long before hill grew in popularity after having written
"Think and Grow Rich. " A major part of his advice as a writer was that you must
have a strong desire to attain a better life. If you desire something enough,
the unconscious mind will make a choice in order for it to happen. Leaders must
possess a strong desire to succeed, to the extent that there are no
distractions. By staying on track a leader maintains momentum.
14) Ralph Waldo
Emerson Practiced Creative Thinking
 Ralph Waldo Emerson was a preeminent philosopher and thinker of his day
recognized for articulating creative intuition, self reliability, individual
potential and creative intuition. In contrast to the optimism that is
characterized by his philosophy, he was a man who was affected by tragedy living
through the deaths of his wife, two brothers and eldest son. Emerson was unhappy
with his career as a school teacher, leading him to study theology. He ended up
working as a minister which soon became a source of anxiety to him as he began
to question the doctrine of the church.
Emerson ended up writing his first book which reached a relatively small
audience. The philosophy in his book articulated unity of nature, divinity and
transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was known for his contribution toward
personal development. He provided people with ideas about living, valuing the
individual over society. He was a leader for valuing courage, individuality and
peace. As a man who used his fame and influence to promote his own work and
abolitionism, he left a legacy of innovative thoughts. As a leader he embraced
learning new skills, always acquiring them and constantly seeking new ones.
Creative thinking isn't something that can be taught. As adults grow older,
creative impulses are stifled and we become more aware of what people think
about us. By learning to be more analytical, we favor critical thinking instead
of creative expression. As contributors to a corporate culture we are
continually rewarded for our abilities toward cautious thinking. Leaders have
the gift of using creativity in supporting new ideas.
13) Theodor
Seuss Geisel Found Righteousness
 Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had an inept desire to create
pieces of writing, comics and rhymes in which he built financial success. WWI
and Prohibition took a toll on Geisel socially and financially before his work.
He struggled to make a living early in his life because of the difficulty in
selling his writing and art. His early work revolved around drawing Prohibition
cartoons and commenting on topics such as fascism. He is known for his
contributions and having turned his talents against fascism and American
isolationism, he became more popular. The negative experience that he'd
experienced with his family during WWI, helped fuel his work in art and writing.
Theodor Seuss Geisel was a leader because he used his beliefs and
righteousness to make a change in not only his personal life, but for the
greater good. By using creative expression through art and personal interest, he
succeeded in contributing toward a social condition marked by misfortune and
calamity. Being that he was politically active in his writing, he was able to
connect unrelated parts of his career into one cohesive goal. He chose to settle
on children's literature, after he realized that political education may be
better illustrated at a young age. By supplying political messages in his
stories he was advocating minority rights, social discrimination, and
environmentalism.
12) Winston
Churchill Exercised Courage
 Winston Churchill was the victim of humiliation in his early political life.
Stuttering as a child and then suffering from isolation as a cabinet member due
to opposition toward Hitler, it's a miracle that Winston had any passion for
politics. Churchill wound up filling the shoes of Britain's WWII leader,
commanding the British Empire into one of their greatest victories. Here was a
man who dared to defy one of the most powerful and destructive leaders in
history.
Churchill became a dynamic politician and eventually adopted an articulate
command of the English language. He had the ability to relate to people of every
station of life which made him favorable among diverse audiences. Churchill was
an accomplished writer, statesman, political man and soldier. Many of his
leadership traits had developed when he worked in the field. As a social
reforming man he had a strong sense of his own destiny. Courage is the first
virtue in addition to being the most important one in business. Without it
innovation and salesmanship fails. Leadership consists of making bold decisions
which requires courage and tradition defying ideas.
11) Howard
Schultz and Compassion
 Howard Schultz grew up in the Bay view projects in Brooklyn. Schultz was a man
who had always wanted to reach beyond the lifestyle provided by his father, who
worked as a truck driver. After earning a football scholarship to Northern
Michigan and graduating with a degree in communications, he went on to work for
Xerox before coming across the coffee shop, Starbucks, which was small at the
time. In the year 1987 he left the company to become the chief executive.
Starting with as little as 60 coffee shops, Schultz expanded the company into
16,000 outlets worldwide.
Howard Schultz was not only a leader because he went from rags to riches; it
was the leadership traits that he possessed during his presidency. At one time
he had received a call telling him that three Starbucks employees in Washington,
D.C. had been shot and killed after having recently been employed. What he chose
not to do said something about character. He didn't immediately call up a public
relations department or lawyer. Schultz ended up going to Washing, D.C. to speak
with the victims' families to apologize and shed tears alongside them. Howard
Schultz was a leader that people wanted to work for due to his compassionate
heart and level of respect.
Leaders who graduate from business schools or major in politics are taught to
lead with their heads and not their conscience. They are expected to be
strategic instead of kind and compassionate. Empathy is social glue that holds a
community together. It's time for leaders to value and embrace compassion in
order to grow and expand toward something greater than what was.
10) Jim Carrey
and Spirituality
Box office hit Jim Carrey had initially lived in poverty as a child. Carrey
suffered from chronic depression throughout his youth and adult which consisted
of extreme highs and lows. He underwent a constant state of despair and took
prescription medication some which helped him in dealing with depression. Carrey
also went through psychotherapy in order to cope with his problems.
Studying iconic figures and recognizing that they experience some of the same
detrimental feelings of that despair brings us is a walking example that even
the most difficult hardships in life can be overcome and channeled into
something much greater. Carrey now copes with his depression through
spirituality. Spiritual leadership is extremely important and should be to all
of us. Leaders understand the importance of meaning and feeling as if they have
a purpose in both their work and lifestyle. Spirituality is an elusive term with
no operational definition. If we were to analyze its experience and
manifestations, we will see how important it is to leadership. By learning what
truly drives individuals, leading them successfully is much easier.
9) Andrew
Carnegie and Empathy
 Carnegie is acknowledged as a man who stood up for the working class. His career
started out with knowing what it was like to have a father work hard and reap
less than what he deserved. He witnessed his mother borrow money for the family
before they began their lives anew in America. He loathed that his parents fell
victim to financial restraint. Historians look at Andrew Carnegie as a man who
had fought battles within himself due to childhood poverty. He was a man of
humble beginnings who became well known for his worldly contributions. Carnegie
became an icon who fought diligently for the working class people.
The empathy that Carnegie possessed toward the community was a valued
currency. Possessing empathy as a leader creates a bond of trust. This provides
leaders with an insight as to what others are thinking and feeling within a
community. Empathy is having the capacity to put one's self into the shoes of
another and recognizing their concern in your own decision making.
8) Ursula Burns
and Authenticity
 Ursula Burns is currently the CEO of Xerox, a Fortune 500 company. Here is a
woman who spoke to her graduating class at Rochester institute of Technology and
explained to them that at her own commencement, there wasn't anyone who had
predicted she would become CEO of a $17 billion dollar industry. Burns was
raised by a single mother and grew up in the projects, a primary example of
overcoming adversity and authentic corporate leadership. Burns is a CEO strives
to work in coordination with her company. Co-workers are quick to speak out in
commenting on her ability to make time for everyone even with a busy schedule.
The strongest leaders possess authenticity and a significant amount of
community awareness. Leadership has changed throughout the years and possessing
realness makes Burns one of the most admired CEOs and leaders. Having overcome a
difficult childhood she possesses a deep understanding and connection with
others which is essential in leading a product name.
7) Liz Burns
Fights Calamity
 Liz Burns spent her childhood watching her parents struggle with a longstanding
drug addiction. She recalls loving them dearly as a child should and admiring
their intelligence, yet, constantly witnessed their inability to guide her due to
their drug dependency. Burns is now a well known inspirational speaker having
graduated from Harvard University, now the founder and director of 'Manifest
Living' which provides workshops to adults. This workshop which is for the
purpose of empowering individuals in creating extraordinary lives for
themselves, regardless of their given circumstances.
Every leader often goes through passages and transformative personal
experiences. Some of these passages can be upsetting and downright damaging. As
an organization leader, negotiating these passages and channeling them toward
success delivers impact. This can help an organization in recruiting and
developing new leaders. Burns did exactly that by using her own adversity to
build a stronger life for others.
6) Sarah
Jessica Parker Practices Equality
 Sarah Jessica Parker, known for her star role on "Sex and the City," spent her
childhood dependent on welfare in order to survive. As an actress who is honest
about her personal struggle, she's taken the time to speak up for the victims of
social prejudices. This is a common aversion that tends to affect families who
rely on welfare. Parker has made public statements directing her attention
toward those make assumptions about people who depend on the state to live
comfortably. The actress points out that welfare is for all varieties of
people, even those who work hard and have an education. Her words boil down to
the actuality that life can be unmanageable toward any caliber.
Sarah Jessica Parker possesses a leadership equality essential in dividing
amongst the community evenly. Practicing an open mind is a trait every great
leader carries. Equality is the act of collaborating with the community without
making passing judgments or acting on preconceived notions. Our greatest
societal mentors are not easily influenced by premonition; they are leaders who
give all sources of information a chance to speak out.
5) Ralph
Lauren Defies the Odds
 Ralph Lauren wasn't always one of the most prominent in fashion, but a college
dropout who ended up working at a clothing store before his major break. Over
time Lauren worked as a salesman before investing and building Polo Company.
Even in the fiscal year Ralph Lauren brought in approximately $5 billion in
revenue. As a Jewish child born in the Bronx he was often teased at school which
pushed him to change his name by the age of 16.
It is unfortunate that we live in a culture that places a huge premium on a
college degree. Teachers and parents cannot imagine any other possibility for
their children. Employers use degrees as a mean to screen job candidates without
screening morals or character traits. As a leader, it's important to recognize
the significance in universal potential and not only structured curriculum.
Leaders are always aware of the possibilities that exist outside of society's
rules.
4) Diligence
in Li Ka-Shing
 Li Ka-Shing created and led his own company into a leading real estate investment
company found on the exchange list in the year 1972. Due to his father's death
at a young age, Li was forced to leave school before the age of 15. He found a
job in a plastics trading company in which he would labor for a total of 16
hours every day. With the knowledge and the work ethic that Li Ka-Shing obtained
in the factory he molded himself into one of the wealthiest self-made
billionaires throughout all of Asia. He is now worth a total of $30 billion and
famous for donating billions of dollars toward his charity organization.
Today's business environment is highly competitive. In order to keep up and
stay ahead candidates must possess a strong work ethic. It is accurate to say
that success cannot be cheated and working diligently is the only way to obtain
results. Li posses self discipline and did so at an early age in order to make a
living for his family. The desire to thrive led to a work ritual in large
undertakings. Character traits such as perseverance prevail in spite of all
obstacles.
3) Optimism in
John Rockefeller
 Rockefeller was one of six siblings living in a poor family with a job working
as an assistant bookkeeper at a small produce firm. He worked day in and day out
for a low wage of 50 cents a day until he had founded Standard Oil Company,
making him one of history's greatest philanthropists and one of the world's
wealthiest people. John Rockefeller was the first man in history and
third-richest person in human history with a net worth of billions. There are
various characteristics that propelled Rockefeller toward his legend based on
his influence.
The people that worked and surrounded John Rockefeller had an innate desire
to follow John because of his inspiration toward their happiness. He made his
peers believe they were capable of doing whatever they set their mind to, as
long as they persevered. Through optimism and great energy Rockefeller created a
sense of teamwork, all deriving from a passion that drove the workers behind his
own success.
2) Oprah
Winfrey and the Gift of Communication
 Oprah Winfrey's early life was filled with emotional turmoil. Oprah Winfrey
reported that she was sexually molested at an early age and held the job as a
housemaid. At the age of 17 she got her first break when she won Miss Black
Tennessee beauty pageant before she began working as a journalist. Oprah vowed
to herself at a young age that her life would turn around by the time she was an
adult, and she did exactly so by becoming a leader and one of the most
revolutionary icons and philanthropists.
The leadership qualities in Oprah are apparent in the way that she
communicates and empathizes with all walks of life. She has the inept ability to
look at an issue from different angles and hold varying perspectives in order to
better understand and sympathize. Oprah has a gift when it comes to
communicating and a relaxed persona which makes her audience feel as if they are
part of an intimate and personal conversation. Self-reflective and openly
admitting to many of her shortcomings, she finds the best in others and leads by
example.
1) Chris
Gardener Took Risks
 Chris Gardener was raised by a loving mother and dealt with an abusive father
who loomed throughout his childhood. Chris's mother instilled in him that self
belief was the motivating factor behind every achievement. By the age of 8, his
mother was convicted of attempting to kill his stepfather by burning their house
down. She spent the next four years in prison and at once her disappearance was
unexplained toward Gardener and his siblings until they discovered the reason
behind her imprisonment a year later. He bounced around from home to home
although he still managed to graduate from high school in 1972.
After the birth of his son he abandoned the security of having a sales job to
work in a broker trainee program. Chris took the risk of leaving without a
salary or prospects. During the process of knocking on doors and seeking trainee
jobs without a college degree, his wife abandoned him and his son. With the
refusal to veer his dream he continued to interview at various firms until he
was accepted into a training program at Dean Wittier. Chris caught the attention
of a visitor who claimed that he had hired Gardener due to his desire to be
wealthy, not based on his credentials. Gardener ended up founding Gardner Rich &
Co. with the help of backing from his peers. This soon prospered into a wealthy
niche servicing public pension funds.
Conclusion
 Some of the most innovative organizations are the ones that attract the most
creative people, the organizations that encourage the community to take their
own creative risk. Using this method of innovation allows people to use
resources playfully and integrate them with new ideas. It doesn't only give
leaders the time to pursue given projects; it provides them with the opportunity
to celebrate them. There are risks to these given methods and successful
companies are willing to take them. By practicing enthusiasm at all times
persistence can be developed. There are many who refer to themselves as leaders
but great leaders are in a category of their own. There is a common thread that
can be distinguished in great leaders. Traits can be measured but their own
success comes down to one idea, the impact of their accomplishments. It isn't
their characteristic which makes them noteworthy it is the way that their lead
has impacted the feeling in others.
Anyone can become a great leader although most people choose not to. The
majority of humanity accepts defeat because it is easy. Success requires will
and quitting is a temptation too many are confronted with. Successful leaders
such as these do not quit until the job is done. Time isn't spent complaining
about obstacles that stem from the challenge because creative solutions are
comprised. It isn't how they climb the wall to reach the other side, it only
matters that they get to the other side. Time is often spent evaluating creative
solutions by determining what the most efficient strategy is. Ultimately, it
comes down to resolving and conquering the challenge in order to obtain success.
All great accomplishments that have been achieved were brought on by an
indomitable persistence. Inspirational ideas lead to advancements because self
limitations and humanistic reasoning is abandoned. By discovering passion,
exploring desire and overcoming obstacles the rewards are immeasurable.
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" may be aware of Napoleon Hill's
experience in hitting rock bottom in his mid-40s. Hill's hardship was a self
inflicted endeavor which consisted of jumping from one venture to another with
little to no forethought. Many of his ventures had potential in producing
results but were often abandoned to pursue others quickly. Traveling from city
to city in search of a break, Napoleon chased his dreams of personal success and
dug deep into his introvert self, to make sense of what being a leader required
within a given society.
" A major part of his advice as a writer was that you must
have a strong desire to attain a better life. If you desire something enough,
the unconscious mind will make a choice in order for it to happen. Leaders must
possess a strong desire to succeed, to the extent that there are no
distractions. By staying on track a leader maintains momentum.
