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Lessons in Leadership from Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill is a leader who is considered one of the most influential men of the
20th century. The former Prime Minister of Great Britain had a storied career that ended with his
greatest achievement of helping lead the Allies triumph over the Axis powers. In Paul Johnsons
biography, Churchill, we learn about Churchills most famous hours as well as the events that
led him to becoming the leader of Britain in a tense era. This biography did an outstanding job in
outlining the successes and failures of Churchills career. Most of these lessons can be tied to the
Iowa Standards for School Leaders in some way. I will share a lesson from Churchills career to
each of the six standards that will be intertwined with key indicators of why his leadership style
was successful.
Creating a shared vision that unites constituents or a staff is crucial to being a successful
leader. The example of Churchill uniting Great Britain during his early days of being Prime
Minister best exemplifies this leadership standard. In a speech that Churchill gave to the House
of Commons in 1940, he stated, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. This
quote came from a speech that focused on the preparation Britain needed to make for the
demands of war. Churchill knew that this would be a difficult time in the countrys history and
needed to rally its citizens. Leaders will also have to motivate their people at points during their
career. It may not be an easy task, but if a leader shows that they are in the same battle as their
staff they will earn respect and ideally buy-in amongst the staff. Churchill was able to leverage
buy-in from his early days as Prime Minister as he led Britain through difficult times that were
ahead such as the London Blitz and D-Day. Creating a shared vision that unites people is
something that successful leaders must do in order to give their team a direction and goal.

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Nurturing a culture of learning in a school and prosperity in a society is important to keep

inhabitants happy and motivated. Churchill had to do this in his career numerous times but most
notably during the London Blitz. Churchill was always willing to be at the front of the lines as he
felt it was his duty since they were his decisions. This belief led him to take a large amount of
blame for a failed operation in the Dardanelles during World War I. However, his visibility and
energy as a Prime Minister led to Churchill receiving a lot of credit during the Battle of Britain.
Churchill was always desired to be on the front lines and only King George IV stopped him from
being on the beaches of Normandy on June 6th, 1944. This desire to be accessible and
approachable is important for a leader. If a leader is willing to put their neck on the line for the
group they lead, it is more likely that the group will repay the favor. Building the type of culture
to put the group in a position to succeed and leading by example is a habit of successful leaders.
Management of a team is the most visible responsibility of a leader. The lesson that best
represents this trait from Churchills career was his tireless work ethic. Churchill was notorious
to put in sixteen hour work days during his time as Prime Minister. This was a major difference
compared to some of the other powerful leaders in Britain before and during the War. This work
ethic gained Churchill respect but did force him to replace people who could not keep up with
him. In addition, a valuable lesson of always having orders written was something that Churchill
was a believer in. When orders are written they cant be lost in translation and was a big
difference in leadership between Churchill and Hitler. Churchill attributed this habit as part of
the reason for Hitlers downfall as a leader. The lesson of work ethic is an important reminder for
any leader. Leaders need to be the first to arrive and the last to leave. Secondly, the decision to
write down all orders is a good reminder that leaders need to make sure they are making wise
decisions. Part of leadership is covering up the loopholes that may be created by any situation.

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Successful leaders limit loopholes by following the rules and documenting their work and lead
by example at all times.
Collaboration is something that is needed in order for there to be a successful harmony in
a workplace. Churchills finest example of collaboration in his career was his ability to create
alliances between countries and other politicians. The ability to find commonalities with other
people allowed Churchill to reinvent himself after mishaps in his political and professional
career. It is vital for any administrator to show off the same skill if they want to have a long
career. Churchill represented numerous political parties throughout his career based off evolving
beliefs. This ability allowed his career to last for many decades, which gave him the opportunity
to become the Prime Minister. When Churchill became the Prime Minister, it was due to the fact
that Parliament believed he was the only man who could unite Britain. Churchill met that
challenge and succeeded. The importance of adaptability and collaboration in leadership is vital
to having a long and successful career.
Acting with integrity and ethics is something that separates respected leaders and divisive
leaders. This standard would have been one of Churchills weak points due to his constantly
evolving career. A lot of his detractors point this out to be a lack of integrity on Churchills part.
However, one can make the argument that his evolving beliefs showed that he was ethical and
did what was best for the time and circumstance. In addition, his ability to show forgiveness to
both political and personal doubters shows his strong sense of fairness and humility. This was
most notably seen when Churchill defended Neville Chamberlain numerous times after he took
over for Chamberlain as Prime Minister. As leaders, we will need to make decisions that will go
against previously held beliefs or statements. This is not an indication of lack of integrity or
ethics. Rather it shows the ability to make a decision that is best for each unique circumstance. It

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is important to remember this lesson from Churchills life, as tough decisions will be an
expectation of running a school or district. The trait of forgiveness and the display of integrity is
imperative for leaders to be successful.
Understanding the issues that surround the people that are led is vital so leaders can make
decisions that are informed and respond to the needs of that group. Churchills leadership in the
decade of the 1930s is a shining example of understanding context and the possible effect his
decisions could have on the future. Churchill was seen as a political joke due to the beliefs he
had about the possibility of war with Nazi Germany. Despite the majority of politicians treating
him more as a conspiracy theorist rather than a fellow politician, Churchill built up the Royal Air
Force. While Churchill was building up the RAF, he was warning all who would listen about the
threat that Nazi Germany and Fascism would become. These decisions Churchill made pushed
him to Prime Minister when the time came and arguably saved Great Britain from being
conquered by Nazi German forces. It was in large part to Churchills supervision of advancement
for the RAF that allowed Great Britain to adequately withstand German offensives. Despite all
the ridicule that Churchill took, he was proven correct. Due to his strong belief and ability to stay
the course he is now lauded as a hero in Great Britain and throughout most of the world. It is
essential for leaders to stick to their beliefs despite the doubt that may creep in. Understanding
the world that affects the people you lead is crucial if a leader makes decisions that best fit for
that group. Successful leaders will trust their instinct and ideally through time be proven to be
correct.
Winston Churchills life and career is a great reminder of what a strong leader can bring
to the group they lead. As a future administrator, I will remember the lessons of Churchills
leadership and look to them for guidance if the situation calls for it. Leading a school will be

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difficult. However, as long as I can remember Churchills quote, I have nothing to offer but
blood, toil, tears, and sweat, I know that I will have a worthy direction and healthy mindset.