Ret. General Colin Powell
As a Non Commissioned Officer in the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard, I realize the importance and value of good leadership. A leader has to be able to understand and support their men, have initiative, be quick on their feet, and accept responsibility for their actions. The personal traits that I look for in a leader are courage, commitment, candor, competence, and integrity. Out of these the most important one to me, is integrity. A man’s word is his bond and the most important leadership trait there is. Looking back, the man I see as a great leader that possesses these traits is Ret. General Colin Powell. Colin Powell is one of the greatest military leaders in this country’s history. He served this country
Bush, the first and highest rank ever held by an African American. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, Colin Powell took the initiative of rallying allies for military action in Afghanistan (Achievement.org, 2010). Then, later on he was the one who presented the purported evidence to the Security Council of the United Nations that the Iraqi government had a weapons program that went against the UN resolutions. Later the evidence was discredited when American soldiers did not find any weapons of mass destruction (Kakutani, 2006). Colin Powell took responsibility for the mistake made and resigned as Secretary of State. Colin Powell is a leader I aim to be like. He has continued to better himself in the military and through education. He trust and supported his soldiers, displayed courage, commitment to his plans and to his country, candor, competence in himself and with his subordinates, and integrity. He took responsibility for his actions even when what he did was wrong. I hope throughout my career in the military and in my civilian life I can share the same attributes as Colin Powell. This man came from the South Bronx, pretty much nothing, to the Secretary of State.
Bibliography
Kakutani, M.(2006).Tracing colin powell’s journey, both in and out of step with those around him. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/books/10kaku.html
Biography.com.(2010). Retrieved