Tag Archives: Lou Holtz

Leading Against the Odds

By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Having a bad day? Here’s a quick peek into the history books to give you a lift. Reading time: 3:18

The Brooklyn Bridge Stands as a Testament to Perseverance

You’re in the middle of a big project and you suffer a terrible accident that paralyzes you for life. You can hardly speak. What do you do?

If you’re Washington Roebling you continue for 13 years to build the Brooklyn Bridge. Roebling was paralyzed when he suffered the bends while inspecting the footings of the bridge.

Instead of giving up, he supervised the bridge construction through binoculars from his window. He communicated construction orders to his staff through a finger-tapping code with his wife who relayed the message to his engineers.

Against the odds like that, leaders find a way to get it done. Consider the following odds and the leaders who faced them. Continue reading