[December 17, 2017] Several years ago I profiled U.S. General Douglas MacArthur and was criticized for writing about a “dead white guy.” My goal here at theLeaderMaker.com will never be politically correct or conform to any recent social fads. So, in this series I’ve profiled some of the most evil people and some of the best humankind has produced. Today, as part of senior executive leadership, I will profile U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (Republican).
Tom Cotton might not be an obvious choice since he is only a U.S. Senator; there are many famous as well as infamous leaders that if profiled could provide more useful information on senior leadership. Senator Cotton is a relatively young guy (40 years old) but lacks substantial political experience, especially when compared to someone like Lady Margaret Thatcher or Abraham Lincoln.
Senior leaders, however, don’t have to be old to be good; obviously. What matters most are a good ethical grounding, an inspiring vision, relevant experiences, and personal resilience. Senator Cotton’s background demonstrates this in spades. For example, he grew up on an Arkansas cattle farm, attended Harvard College, served in Iraq as a U.S. Infantry officer, and showed more resilience and vision by dissenting from many liberals at his college.
Here are some of Tom Cotton’s leadership characteristics that make him stand out:
- Smart, articulate, and ambitious
- Physically and morally courageous
- Disciplined and ethically strong
- Understands and practices the values of hard work, dedication, honorable service, and respect
- Fiercely dedicated to his state of Arkansas and country the United States
- Develops useful political and social networks
- Political conservative who desires limited government, lower taxes, a strong military, and observance of the laws of the U.S.
“My thesis was a defense of our Constitution on the terms that the founding fathers wrote specifically in the Federalist Papers. They hoped that our form of government would draw forward men and women who are the wisest, most prudent, and most experienced.” – Tom Cotton
It is always clear where Tom Cotton stands on the issues; just ask him. He is neither politically correct in his positions nor is he squeamish about speaking about it.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker on our Facebook Page.]
———————-