Model Leadership

One of the most striking things about The Band of Brothers was how soft-spoken Major Dick Winters was.  The actor, Damian Lewis, was relatively true to life in how he portrayed the man.  How do we know this?  We were lucky enough that Dick Winters was around in the Aughts to appear in the BoB series in the parts before each episode where a few vets would talk about the experience.  Only at the end of the series did you learn that the guy who talked the softest commanded the most respect from the rest of the guys.  This weekend, Dick Winters passed, but through the series and how he carried himself with the new fame after the series, he demonstrated a level of class, of humility, and of respect that we could all emulate.  I know that I will fail to live up to the model that Dick Winters established, but perhaps I will remember to aspire to reach his level of character from time to time. 

For various obits, see here.  For some clips from the series that illustrate the man, go here.

PS  usually when I label a post "accountability" it is about the absence.  Winters was all about being accountable.