We Need Life Stories

Our lives form a story of who we are, the road we traveled, the experiences that shaped us and our dreams and aspirations. The richness of our country is in its diversity of ideas, experiences and origins.

Successful leaders draw upon these aspects of their lives to help others understand their thinking and to offer a glimpse of their humanity. There are obvious limits, but for leaders like Barack Obama and Sonia Sotomayor, their stories are a compelling part of the people the public strives to understand as they offer our country direction.

A "public persona" that is manufactured or hides a leader's true identity may be safer politically, but it reflects poor leadership.

By Andy Stern

 |  June 8, 2009; 10:23 AM ET
Category:  Leadership
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