Do You have the Qualities It Takes to Get Elected President of the United States?

It didn’t matter which side of the political fence you cast your vote in last Tuesday’s emotional Presidential election. We all knew, no matter what the outcome, we were witnessing history in the making. Our tremendous privilege of voting in America for the candidate of choice made each of us a part of an historic election.

Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama! Whether you are leading a staff of five or an organization of five hundred thousand if you don’t think your ability to deliver a powerful speech combined with a likability advantage doesn’t affect your win or lose score, just ask Barack Obama.

Four short years ago most people outside of Illinois or Washington, D.C. couldn’t spell Barack Obama, let alone pronounce it. But that changed when the Senator from Illinois spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. His stellar speaking skills thrust him onto the national stage. He captured America’s attention and in 2008 we elected the man with a different name to become the 44th President of the United States of America.

Both his critics and the media acknowledge his exceptional oratory skills, while supporters tout his intelligence and smart campaign strategy. Foes, and some supporters, claim we don’t know much about Barack Obama, and it is true he is untested, but the majority of Americans who elected him express feelings of excitement and hope for change.

The political pundits and historians will analyze the reasons Obama beat the Clinton machinery and why Senator John McCain lost the election. (We’ll cover his moving concession speech in our next post). McCain’s critics cite his age, the zigzagging campaign strategy, his controversial VP choice, his connection to an unpopular president and the economic meltdown, from which he never seemed to gain momentum. All or some of these observations might have been contributing factors, but we’ll leave that to the experts. My expertise is helping people identify their strengths and develop the qualities that contributed to Obama’s win. His personality force, ability to deliver powerful speeches, likability, temperament and presence helped him connect to a wide audience of supporters.

Some people call Obama a “Rock Star.” And I agree, he does have “Star Quality.” The winning combination of presence, confidence, likability, optimism, great speaking skills and a powerful message are qualities that help give leaders star power. So how does all of this relate to you and your business? True, you might not ever run for President, but if you are running a business, or in a position that requires you to influence people or embrace change, you are in a position of leadership. You lead teams, staff, clients, customers, boards, associations and, who knows… someday, maybe even voters.

Think about Presidents Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton. All three former world leaders’ brilliant communication, charismatic leadership and persuasive personalities prove talent and skills alone are not enough to lead, influence and unite people. What would the results of a company look like with great communication and likable leaders combined with substance?

Judy’s Gold Star Action: Are these leadership qualities obtainable? The answer is “Yes!” We get to help leaders, sales teams, entrepreneurs and high achievers develop these personal star quality transformations. The outcome depends on what’s at stake and the desire to stand out and influence others to make a difference.

For more on influence, Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama go to www.JudyJernudd.com and click “About Judy” to see the interview on FOX News. What is the first step? Self-awareness:

Self-Assessment: How Powerful is My Personality Appeal?

From The Startegic Assessment Process

On a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) how would you rate yourself?

1. <!–[if !supportLists]–><!–[endif]–>My charisma rating is…
2. My likability rating is…
3. My presence rating is…
4. My speaking skills ratings are…
5. My ability to connect with people is…
6. My ability to influence people is…
7. My confidence level is…
8. My ability to communicate is…
9. My listening skills rating are…
10. My family, friends, colleagues, staff and clients would agree with my self-assessment ratings…

If you scored a 50, congratulations! You are a charismatic, likability personality with powerful people skills who could lead anyone to anywhere.

If you’re in the 25 mid-range, you might want to consider making some improvements to become a more influential leader.

In this assessment, if you’re a 10, well, don’t be discouraged. There is hope!

Stay tuned!

Judy

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