President Obama's Commencement Speech at Notre Dame

Is there anything to learn about leadership from the events that surrounded President Obama's invitation to Notre Dame, his acceptance of the invitation and how he spoke about the controversy?

Obviously I think so.

Without taking sides on the issue of abortion, the appropriateness of Notre Dame extending an invitation to the President to give the commencement address, and their decision to confer an honorary degree on him and any of the other issues of contention there are some aspects of leadership that should not get lost.

1. The decision of Notre Dame's President the Rev. John Jenkins to invite President Obama in the first place. In his own words he expresses the areas where he is aligned with, supportive of and even an admirer of President Obama while at the same time distinguishing where they have different position in important areas.

Leaders can and do speak for their commitments and values without vilifying or alienating those who hold different, even opposing commitments. They recognize that differences can only be reconciled in respectful relationship and open dialogue.

Leaders are informed by opposition and resistance, but in matters of principle, commitment, and values they are not shaped by it. The Rev Jenkins was at the receiving end of a lot of opposition, often expressed with emotion, and with the conviction of righteousness. Through all of it, he presenced himself with grace, tolerance and compassion for the views of those who wanted him to make different decisions yet remained steadfast in following through with what was, for him, the right course of action given his principles, commitments and values.

2. The decision of President Obama to accept the invitation, in the face of what was clearly going to be a heated debate on a very polarizing topic, with a lot of organized and vocal resistance is another expression of leadership. Leaders do not shy away from controversy. They do not minimize, or attempt to neutralize resistance. They do not demean, or attempt to marginalize the resistors, or the validity of their perspective, or in any way invalidate them. Leaders meet the opposition to their principles, commitments and values head on, and look for aspects of agreement, areas of common cause, and ways in which affinity, respect and dialogue can be pursued and honest disagreement respected as the context for further discussion not as and excuse for alienation and conflict.

3. Leaders do not shy away from facing the facts, especially those that conflict with "our better angels". In his commencement address President Obama said clearly that, "...part of the problem, of course, lies in the imperfections of man..." and that, "...bringing together men and women of principle and purpose -- even accomplishing that can be difficult." Leaders are both grounded in the facts of their condition and rooted in their principles, commitments and values.

4. Leaders are in action making decisions and plans and rally their followers and opponents alike, "So let us work together to..."

Regardless of our views about individual leaders there is always something to learn from them.