Teddy Roosevelt

When it comes to leadership I can't think of a better person who has it than Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt was the 29th president and has had several accomplishments in his life. He was a great leader because he had courage, conviction, and creativity.

The first characteristic is President Roosevelt showed courage, especially during the Spanish American War. In the major battle at San Juan Hill, Theodore helped fight the Spanish and liberate Cuba. During the battle, Teddy's battalion was stopped by the Spanish because the enemy was positioned on the hill and ready for the Americans. Teddy's men were stuck in the trenches and couldn't advance up the hill until Teddy attempted to lead a charge against the enemy, but only five men followed him and three of them were wounded during the charge. After the two advanced they stood their ground. Theodore looked back and was angry because his troops did not follow him. He ran back to the trenches while being fired upon at the main line, he confronted his men. It turned out in the heat of the battle the men didn't hear the order to charge but when Teddy returned the order was official, so they charged up the hill and won the battle. It takes a great deal of courage to charge into danger even though Teddy could have easily been killed, but he took the risk and because of this act it showed that he is courageous.

Teddy also had conviction and was not afraid to show it. In Lee Iacocca’s book “Where the Leaders has Gone?” he explains that Conviction is the anger inside of you, something you that gives you the passion to do it. Theodore had his share of it. For example, when he was the president of the U.S. a journalist named Upton Sinclair wrote a book called “The Jungle”. It talks about how the meat industry worked; it also talked about disgusting ways they produced the meat and how unsanitary it was. Because of this book Theodore wanted to start an administration on fixing the problem in meat packing industries. After Teddy had read the book he was furious, he had the fire in his belly. In 1906 Theodore had passed a bill called “Food and Drug Act” (FDA). The act enforced cleaner food, safer drugs, cleaner environment and proper use of waste. Teddy wasn’t done with the corruption of the food and drug industries, he later created the FDA to keep all of the industries in check so they can't sell hazardous products that can affect the public. Without his conviction to fix the food and drug industries we wouldn't have created the FDA and cleaner foods and drugs for the people to use.

Teddy was creative as a leader and showed his creativity when he created the Panama Canal. While he was president, he thought of a new way to open trade internationally. That Idea was the Panama Canal, because it was small enough to build a canal. At first it was a crazy idea; because the man made canal had to go through a Central American country, but Theodore made it possible. In 1903 construction started; no one knew of the dangers that awaited the workers and Teddy. At the first couple of months it was a lost cause because of the environment, specially during summer time because of the mosquitoes that carried deadly diseases. While creating the canal, he almost lost his life. When the raging diseases were under control construction continued and elevated. In 1914 the construction was finished two years earlier than was planned. Thanks to the creativity of Teddy, he proved the impassable became possible.

All of these characteristics - courage, conviction, and creativity - had helped Teddy become a great leader that he is known for. Because of his courage he was able to beat the Spanish, with his conviction he was able to create the FDA and help regulate the big companies’ food and drug industries. His creativity had helped him open up more trade to the U.S., when he helped create the Panama Canal. All of these characteristics of leadership had helped him become a successful president that people look up to even today.