Visionary Leadership: John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy Born into a family of politics, becoming the 35th President of the United States probably came as no surprise to John F. Kennedy. During his presidency, he made decisions that guided the direction for generations to come. President Kennedy was faced with what many consider the most stressful and complex matters any leader could have ever experienced. The decisions he made proved he was indeed a Visionary and Ethical Leader. To back my claim of Visionary Leadership, I will explain how he used Change Management from the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (BCEE) lesson to start the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I will then tell you how his ability as a Creator within the BCEE Team Dynamics lesson sparked the first

The BCEE Critical Thinking sub-topic of Free Thinking states, “To think freely, you must restrain your desire to believe because of social pressures to conform.” (BCEE, 2017b, p. 5) His unique ability to use Free Thinking while negotiating with the Russians during the Cuban Missile Crisis, possibly saved the world from a nuclear holocaust. He didn’t let the opinion of others dictate his decision to resolve matters in a diplomatic manner. President Kennedy (1962) during his address to the nation stated, “Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right; not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved. This tells me that Kennedy was able to hold steadfast while facing one the worst predicament's ever, but logically thought of the consequences had he made the wrong decision. Kennedy also excelled as an Ethical Leader when he created the Peace

For example, I routed up an EPR on one of my NCOs. The Ops Flt Superintendent was not on board with the rating and requested a meeting with all of the Sections Chiefs. During the meeting the superintendent explained we all need to do a better job in making sure we are giving our folks the appropriate ratings, he was tired of individuals who do not deserve an overall 5 rating on their EPR hitting his desk. After he left I scanned the room digesting what was just said and couldn’t help but notice how many SNCOs where on board. The superintendent’s comments made me feel my job as a SNCOs meant nothing. I didn’t get promoted to just go through the motions. President Kenndey faced the same type of issues during the Civil Rights movement. Many thought he was simply going through the motions as a politician who was not going to make any changes. I was not going to be influenced by the superintendent’s positional power. I went to his office and explained he had too much of his personal bias involved due to events that happen during the last reporting period. I demonstrated Emotional Flexibility and told him I could not let his feelings or mine determine what rating someone should or should not receive on their EPR. Despite following the status quo, and just going with his recommendation, I changed my approach and provided alternatives to him and