Washington's answer to a self-inflicted financial crisis reminded Americans why they so deeply distrust the political class. The 'fiscal cliff' process was secretive and sloppy and the nation's so-called leadership lacked the political courage to address our root problems: joblessness and debt.

I definitely wasn't cool in high school. I really wasn't. I did belong to many of the clubs and was in leadership on yearbook and did the musical theater route so I had friends in all areas. But I certainly did not know what to wear did not know how to do my hair all those things.

The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?

Hope and change? We're not doing that anymore. They're doing attack and blame. And so I just think people are going to see through this. They want real leadership. They want us to get this country on the right track.

So here's the question: Without a change in leadership why would the next four years be any different from the last four years?

Millions of young Americans have graduated from college during the Obama presidency ready to use their gifts and get moving in life. Half of them can't find the work they studied for or any work at all. So here's the question: Without a change in leadership why would the next four years be any different from the last four years?

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.

If anybody ran a business like that they would be out of business quickly and Barack Obama's leadership is driving this business the United States of America toward a fiscal cliff.

One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.

But the person who scored well on an SAT will not necessarily be the best doctor or the best lawyer or the best businessman. These tests do not measure character leadership creativity perseverance.

Enlightened leadership is spiritual if we understand spirituality not as some kind of religious dogma or ideology but as the domain of awareness where we experience values like truth goodness beauty love and compassion and also intuition creativity insight and focused attention.

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.

The art of communication is the language of leadership.

The art of leadership is saying no not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.

Half a century ago the amazing courage of Rosa Parks the visionary leadership of Martin Luther King and the inspirational actions of the civil rights movement led politicians to write equality into the law and make real the promise of America for all her citizens.

But no nation can base its survival and development on luck and prayers alone while its leadership fritters away every available opportunity for success and concrete achievement.

Leadership is the other side of the coin of loneliness and he who is a leader must always act alone. And acting alone accept everything alone.