I'm re-reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Leadership in Turbulent Times," a book that studies the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson.

I realized that all 4 of these leaders had these 9 things in common.

1. Childlike wonder and curiosity about life, people, and their stories.

2. Connection with people they seek to serve.

3. Thirst for knowledge of the past - poems, literature, history, fables.

4. Doubt - crippling self-doubt and anxiety in their own ability and pursuits.

5. Courage to decide and act - even if it was not in accordance with the norm.

6. Entertainer - could regale audiences with stories.

7. Pride - often had too much of it and needed an event to back it down.

8. Vision - knew where they wanted to go.

9. Parents - their parents left a mark of what to do and what not to do.

Which ones most resonate with you?