David Gergen concluded his series of lectures about leadership Wednesday, Jan. 14, telling an audience of 600 in McCrary Theatre that leaders must accept adversity and learn how to respond to it. Details...
In his final Winter Term lecture, Gergen said the response to adversity is often the single most important factor in leadership. “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get up,” Gergen said. Assuming a leadership position invites personal struggle. “If you wish to pursue a life of leadership, you won’t be walking on rose petals,” Gergen said. “As they say in politics, leadership is a contact sport.”
By its nature, leadership means asking more of people and asking them to think about new ways of doing things. “The very essence of leadership is bringing about change,” Gergen said while defining management as simply maintaining the status quo. “If you take your responsibilities seriously, you will soon find opposition. New leaders face opposition from those who thrived under the old conditions.”
Political leadership now brings with it accountability to the American public through the press, and although he believes a democracy needs a vigilant press corps to serve as a watchdog, Gergen said, “the problem in recent years is that the watchdog has become vicious.” He said many people are scared away from political service because of the toll attacks in the media take on their families. “Public service has become especially painful for newcomers, for young people who are being torn apart and don’t understand what’s happening to them.”
Gergen, who is serving as Elon’s first Isabella Cannon Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership, told students to prepare themselves for adversity and to be ready to deal with it. “I don’t care who you are or how good you think you are, somewhere along the line you’re going to fail and you’ve got to get ready for it.” Developing a thick skin and understanding how adversity can shape people are important characteristics for leaders to develop. “My experience is (that) crises usually make or break people,” Gergen said. “Sometimes, the people you might least expect show calm and courage. They are natural leaders.”
He encouraged students to develop their leadership skills and pursue positions that require them. “Leadership holds many pitfalls, and you might be asking why get involved at all,” Gergen said. “We need you young people to stay off the sidelines and be out on the field, advancing the cause of leadership.”