There’s no question that this year’s list of World’s Most Inspiring Leaders will include the name of US Airways pilot, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. After Sully and his crew had to ditch the US Airways flight 1549 into the Hudson due to a bird strike, they’ve been making the rounds of news and late night talk shows. The crews’ appearance on Letterman was especially humorous.
Sully teaches us that in the most terrifying of circumstances, inspiring leaders have the following four qualities:
- Inspiring leaders are calm.
- Inspiring leaders are confident in their ability.
- Inspiring leaders are humble and share the credit.
- Inspiring leaders are prepared (“We were simply doing what we were trained to do”).
And more thing…inspiring leaders always look more put together than everyone else. One passenger on the flight recalls seeing Sully speaking to rescue personnel on the dock. Sully’s jacket and tie were perfectly in place. Sully always had the look of a leader.
60 Minutes carried one of the most in-depth interviews of the event.
Let us know who you would nominate as the inspiring leader of the month. If we use your suggestion, we will send you a free copy of Carmine Gallo’s book, Fire Them Up, where he reveals the language of motivation as practiced by the world’s most inspiring men and women.