Digging Deep: Leadership Lessons from Eleanor Roosevelt

Digging DeepLeadership Lessons

from Eleanor Roosevelt

Brenda HuettnerBig Design Conference

September 2015

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“There is no human being from whom we cannot

learn something if we are interested enough to dig

deep.”

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18841962

1945: Harry Truman appointed Eleanor Roosevelt to the US delegation to the United Nations

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She was assigned to work on “Committee Three” (humanitarian, educational, and cultural issues)

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Committee Three was charged with resolving the “displaced persons” crisis – 1,000,000 refugees

Photo credit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/refugees_01.shtml

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The USSR (headed by delegate Andrei Vishinsky) wanted the refugees returned to the Soviet Union,

by force if necessary.

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The United States disagreed.

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Have convictions.

Be friendly.

Work as hard as they do.

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Have convictions.

Be friendly.

Work as hard as

they do.

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“Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for

you’ll be criticized for it anyway.”

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Convictions

“I realize that many people will not agree with me, but feeling as I do this seems tome to be the only proper procedure to follow.”

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Have convictions.

Be friendly.

Work as hard as they do.

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“In all our contacts it is probably the sense of

being really needed and wanted which gives us

the greatest satisfaction and creates the most

lasting bond.”

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Have convictions.

Be friendly.

Work as hard as they do.

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“As life developed, I faced each problem as it came

along. As my activities and work broadened and

reached out, I never tried to shirk. I tried never to

evade an issue.”

Hard work

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1935 to 1962, six days a week

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Monthly column 1937 - 1962

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Ladies Home Journal, 1944

http://www.jenbutneverjenn.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

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1937

1940

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1953

1958

1954

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1953 1960

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1963 1963

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The Eleanor Papers Projecthttp://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/abouteleanor/erbooks.cfm

The FDR Presidential Library and Museumhttp://fdrlibrary.marist.edu/

Thank you!

Brenda Huettner@bphuettner