This week’s focus: President Obama is unwittingly giving us some great lessons in leadership. The one truly significant achievement of his first term in office was the reform of healthcare. But this achievement is now being seriously, if not fatally, undermined by the embarrassingly ineffective implementation of the programme. He now looks like the lamest of lame ducks.

So, what are the leadership lessons? First, that the communication of a vision is not enough to deliver success. Second, that leadership does not mean that you must always stand above the crowd but can mean, when the time is right, getting into the trenches, resolving issues and leading from the front. Third, that leadership is as much about pragmatics and achieving workable solutions as it is about principles and perfection.

Above all, leadership is about making things happen. And – even accepting that this is one of the toughest jobs in the world – that’s where President Obama has failed.

What opportunities do you have to raise your leadership performance and make things happen?

Off the record: President Gas by The Psychedelic Furs

Don’t cry, don’t do anything

No lies, back in the government

No tears, party time is here again

President Gas is up for president

© Stuart Cross 2011. All rights reserved.