Bill Clinton: The Perceptions Of True Leadership

If I have learned anything from this class, it is that leadership is an allusive beast. It can be lectured about, taught, and explained away, but the best leaders are neither taught nor molded. They just happen. True leadership comes from opportunity. Opportunity does not necessarily mean privilege, but rather being the right person for the job at the right time. With this, defining leadership becomes all the more challenging. Leadership is a state of being. It requires a multitude of characteristics, such as: emotional intelligence, grit, and flexibility. Leadership requires the ability to discern the needs of your followers and immediately transform into whatever that definition of a leader is.

Leaders have to be able to make unpopular decisions

Not only do people select taller people for leadership positions, people in powerful positions as well as their followers tend to overestimate their heights. People in leadership positions ‘feel’ or ‘act’ taller. This also accounts for the prevalence of high heels and top floor offices, (Nauert). The idea of perception is important in terms of success within the presidency. Clinton had a final approval rating of 66%, despite almost being impeached after the country’s largest sex scandal in history (CITATION). Clinton was pardoned due to his devoted constituents and ability to sway the perceptions of Congress. Clinton’s authority, made affordable to him by his height, single handedly shaped America’s views on extramarital affairs and the definition of, ‘sexual relations’. Bill Clinton’s physical appearance captured the hearts of American women and his daunting physical stature earned the respect of American men. His confidence and charisma when working a room are characteristic of someone with his stature. Clinton’s two-term presidency was successful largely because of his ability to look the

Taller individuals are at first thought to be early bloomers and then fast tracked through leadership paths in life and in the corporate world. It may very well be an implicit bias, but the lack of vertically challenged individuals leading the way in corporate America and the political circuit prove just how much of a difference height makes in terms of number opportunities to lead. So, while Dr. Al Gini may jokingly spout off the importance of height in leadership, he is absolutely correct. Being tall is one of the most important attributes a leader can have. Height determines much of an individual’s personality, social status, and self confidence. A person is more than their physical characteristics, but these characteristics shape the way we interact with the people around us. Early social interactions help to formulate our sense of identity, our likes and dislikes. Someone who develops height early on is socialized to look at themselves in the light of a leader. Even if at first it is only at the race to puberty, these individuals see themselves as leaders, so the world comes to agree. Leadership, while complex, is simple in one regard, you can’t lead followers who don’t want to be lead. But alas, the world has spoken, and to my own dismay, it really does want tall