Giuliani Identifies Six Lessons Of Leadership In ISC East Keynote
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Keynote speaker Rudy Giuliani delivered his address, “Effective Crisis Management: A Commitment to Preparation,” to kick off the 2008 ISC East conference Wednesday.
He notes that a leader is made, not born, and he learned to be an effective leader by watching and learning from influential people in his life.
Giuliani said he is frequently asked if he thinks there will be another terrorist attack on United States soil and his emphatic answer was yes. He said he doesn’t know where or what kind, but he knows that the next attack will be different.
“Now, odds are on our side to catch them if they repeat the same attack,” Giuliani said.
In order to be ready for the next security crisis, he identifies six points of leadership.
The Six Lessons Of Leadership
1. Know what you stand for; what your goals are.
Giuliani likens this lesson using a captain analogy: “The captain of a ship is a leader, and one of the most important thing a captain does is set a destination. You can’t sail the ship unless you know where you’re going. Without a destination, the ship goes anywhere the wind takes it. “
2. Be an optimist.
“An optimist doesn’t mean being foolish, it means being hopeful, being positive,” Giuliani said.
3. Courage/take a risk.
“Courage is not about being fearless; it’s about recognizing fear and overcoming it. The only way to change something is to take a risk,” Giuliani said.
4. Relentless preparation (train, practice and improve).
Giuliani identifies this point as the key to success.
“The Department of Homeland Security should be called the Department of Relentless Preparation, “ he said.
As mayor of New York, Giuliani said he had approximately 20 plans in place for disasters like a hurricane, building collapse or terrorist attack. But in the scenario of suicide bombers at airports, tunnels and bridges, there was no plan for hijacked planes used as missiles to attack buildings. However, he realized the courses of action needed were already planned for, except the cause of the disaster was different. The training and practice of such plans allowed him to effectively manage and lead the city on September 11th.
5. Teamwork.
6. Communication.
About the Author
Sherleen Mahoney is a Web managing editor at 1105 Media.