MESSAGE FROM TMA CEO CELIA BESORE office at a time when the Nation was in great travail, and you left it with the respect and, in many instances, the affection of your supporters and many of your opposition as well.” And that is a legacy worth having! Do you agree that many of Ford’s characteristics could be ideal for effective business leadership? Let’s discuss which of these characteristics are the most meaningful to you by logging in TMA’s new forum found our InfoHub! Celia T. Besore, MBA, FASAE, CAE CEO, TMA
No Ordinary Man Lately, Gerald Ford seems to be in people’s minds. I recently came across a review1 of a book by Richard Norton Smith titled, An Ordinary Man: Gerald R. Ford. The book and review emphasize the qualities that made President Ford an effective leader in turbulent and difficult times. Many of his attributes and skills can also be applied towards effective and successful company leadership.
South Korea, Ford was able to navigate minefields of controversy with a common touch and uncommon sensitivity to the feelings of his hosts.”
President Ford had moral authority because he lived his beliefs and values. He focused on what was the best outcome, not the easy outcome, regardless of how it would impact him directly. He was not afraid of speaking the truth even when it was unpopular or difficult. He attributed his political successes to making everyone else’s problems his problems.
He was described by Newsweek as a kind of an antihero who had virtues of thrift, honesty, modesty, and hard work. He was clever, articulate, a man of vision who possessed sound judgment. He believed more in what was accomplished rather than in what was said. He wasn’t someone who was interested in positioning issues for media consumption.
He was willing to listen to those who he disagreed with and strived to find a middle ground, making everyone feel part of the solution. As the book review says, “when visiting Japan and
Clarence Mitchell, who at the time was the chief Washington lobbyist and spokesman for the NAACP, and with whom Ford had had political differences, said of Ford that, “nothing will ever change the fact that you entered the
Michael McKinney, “An Ordinary Man: Gerald R. Ford,” Leading Blog, 05.09.23.
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TMA Dispatch | Summer 2023
Having been active in college sports, he believed in the value of teamwork and preparation; of being able to accept defeat without feeling defeated; and to distinguish constructive criticism from the noise.
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