The Hero Interviews – Michael Wade

Michael Wade is another prolific blog author. I am amazed every day how much he gets posted on his Execupundit blog. He writes on leadership, management, ethics, and much more. Somehow he fits in time to serve as a partner in Sanders & Wade Consulting Inc. I’m pleased to present his answers to the hero questions here.

Who was your hero as a child and why?

There were two: Charles de Gaulle and Ted Williams. De Gaulle was a hero because I admired his independence, bravery, and patriotism. Other notable heroes in history have saved their countries once but de Gaulle saved France twice. Ted Williams was my other hero because of his extraordinary hitting skills as well as his willingness to take time out from his career to serve in the Second World War and in the Korean War. Although I didn’t fully realize it at the time, both men were loners who were willing to sacrifice easy popularity in order to maintain their principles. They had sizable flaws that were far outweighed by their virtues.

Who is your hero now and why?

Although Charles de Gaulle and Ted Williams will always have a place in my heart, over the years I’ve come to have a renewed appreciation for George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan. Unlike many figures from history that shrink as you approach them, those four actually rise in stature as you learn more of their challenges and achievements. Each was underestimated by observers at various points and yet they had the capacity to focus on what was truly important.