Ronald
Wilson Reagan, 1911-2004
How do you say something original and interesting about Ronald Reagan these days?
It’s hard, but the man and his legacy are compelling enough to encourage me
to try. As with all people or topics I cover in this section, this is not a
political commentary. Rather, this is merely an observation on how people communicate.
President Reagan left us for good in 2004, but in reality he left us 10 years earlier
with the onset of Alzheimer’s. I miss him. But what I miss has absolutely nothing
to do with politics. He was indeed a polarizing political figure, as most Presidents
are. But love him or hate him, regardless of which side of the aisle you sit on,
there are some things worth remembering and appreciating about President Reagan.
You knew exactly where he stood. We now live in an age of shifting politics, spin,
and media double talk. Our leaders fight over the political center. They take polls,
decide what is important to the electorate on that day or week, and then craft a
message that hits the electorate’s hot buttons.
President Reagan had convictions. Fifteen years after he left office, and 10 years
after we heard from him for the last time, we still know exactly what mattered
to him and what he believed in. As a point of comparison, try and list the four or
five most important issues for our current President, or the current Democratic nominee,
or our previous President. You might get one or two. But President Reagan’s
convictions were crystal clear. Remember Dr. King’s famous quotation on leadership: A
genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
Second, not only did he have convictions, but he communicated them to us brilliantly.
His style had all the attributes of good communication - it was crisp, clear, and
consistent. And for those who agreed with his politics, his communication was convincing
and compelling.
President Reagan’s communication skills helped him instill a sense of confidence
and international pride for Americans. When Reagan took office in January 1981, national
confidence was near an all-time low. The Russians were on the advance; we had been
powerless to free our hostages in Iran; gas prices, interest rates, inflation and
unemployment were frighteningly high; and Watergate was still fresh in our national
consciousness. President Carter had it right when he called it a “crisis of
confidence.” Yet, eight years later, the entire national mood had shifted,
and there is no denying that President Reagan had a great deal to do with that confidence
boost.
Third, even his most heated political opponents liked him personally. By all accounts,
this was a decent and kind man. They may have hated his politics, but they never
hated the man. How many other Presidents can we say that about? How about the current
one? How about the last one?
Finally, I miss the dignity he brought to the office. His political legacy can be
debated, depending on your persuasion. But his personal legacy is beyond reproach…
no personal scandals.
Conviction. Clarity. Decency. Dignity. Yep... I miss President Reagan. He provided
timely and timeless lessons, for my clients and for my profession, in communication,
leadership, and most importantly, character. The legacy of Reagan the politician
is still being debated and written. But the legacy of Reagan the man is already etched
in stone.
 Beacon Issue -
Month 2007
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