Over the past few days, we have seen a good example of real leadership exposed.  A sea captain offers himself as a hostage in return for the release to safety of his crew.  Make no mistake about it.  This is what real leaders do, and take note that the captain could only assume at the time that he was giving his life for his crew.  He was willing to die to save his crew.

Let’s compare this to Wall Street managers who pocketed millions in bonuses, hundred of millions in bonuses, while letting their companies die and rank and file people who worked for them lose their jobs.  Now when the going remains tough, they jump ship and go to foreign companies like rats leaving a sinking boat.  I believe that this makes them technically rats.

In business real leaders rarely if ever must risk their lives for the people under them, but they should risk their wealth and their reputations for them.  A REAL LEADER TAKES ALL THE HEAT AND RESPONSIBILITY WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, AND GIVES ALL OF THE CREDIT TO OTHERS WHEN THINGS GO RIGHT.

That is what we are seeing of Captain Richard Philips.  He offered himself as a hostage for his crew’s release when things went wrong.  Today, he is calling himself no hero, but giving all credit to the Navy seals who saved him.  THIS IS A LESSON FOR ALL OF US.