Great leaders can be found anywhere, from the battlefield to the boardroom to a basketball court. The leaders in this book refused to bow to the tyranny of the status quo, and with tenacity, boldness, and an unshakeable sense of the rightness of their cause, challenged the inevitable.
Baxter Ennis, a former Army officer, discusses common character traits that are apparent in the lives of twelve well-known and lesser known historical role models.
Each vignette in When Leadership Mattered transports you to moments of destiny when each person was confronted with enormous challenge and persevered to make a difference in the world.
Ennis includes insightful essays on
- George Washington's bold gamble to cross the icy Delaware and attack Trenton,
- Theodore Roosevelt leading America out of isolationism to a place of world prominence,
- Winston Churchill defiantly standing alone against Hitler's aggression in Europe,
- Susan B. Anthony's lifelong fight for women's equality,
- Martin Luther King, Jr. inspiring a nation by sharing his dream, and
- Steve Jobs' vision for excellence in technology that changed our lives.
Ennis concludes that anyone challenging the status quo will face adversity and hopes these stories of perseverance and tenacity will convince you that one person can change the world!
About the Author: Baxter Ennis has worked in military, academic, political, defense, and publishing positions. His wide range of experiences led him to study leadership across a variety of fields and situations.
Ennis received his bachelor's degree in history from Campbell University and his master's degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. He served twenty-one years in the US Army and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel. While serving as the 82nd Airborne Division's Public Affairs Officer, he participated in a combat parachute jump during the Panama Invasion and also served with the division during the First Gulf War.
After the military, Ennis lead the public relations department for a major university and later started his own newspaper. He served as president of the Chesapeake Rotary Club, the Virginia Beach Forum, and chairman of the Hampton Roads Leadership Prayer Breakfast. He and his wife, Glenda, live in Chesapeake, VA. They have three wonderful adult children and 4 awesome grandchildren.
