Michelle Obama is like a breath of fresh air. She swept into the White House firmly at her husband’s side, showing her support and that the Obamas are a team. American First Ladies are everyday people...they have all been different. I have already mentioned Jackie Kennedy. Many of you won’t remember her. I only remember her because of the murder of her husband JFK. I was 10 and the event was world changing. I think the similarities between Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama are exaggerated. They are/were two beautiful and well dressed women but Jackie Kennedy concentrated on her family as does Michelle Obama but Michelle manages to be an involved support to her husband as well as being a family person.

There have also been some First Ladies who have tried to be an extension to their husband’s Presidency but Michelle Obama hasn’t done this. She is being extremely careful to find her own way. Commentators, predicting Michelle’s future role, are saying that she will model herself somewhere between Jackie Kennedy, who put family first, and the politically active Eleanor Roosevelt. [See Great Leader article on this website]

When asked what her main role in life is, her reply was breathtakingly simple and I am sure hit a spot in every mother’s heart. ‘I am a Mom to my two girls’.

But before that, and before she was a wife, she was a daughter to Fraser and Marian Robinson, from Chicago. Michelle is, first and foremost, a family person. The warmth and love for her fellow man stems from that.

 

She is also an intelligent, well educated woman.  It sounds like she has everything but it seems to me that her family has striven long and hard, through the generations to live the ‘American Dream’. She can trace her family, directly through her father, back five generations to her great great grandfather, an American slave in South Carolina. I feel this must engender an ethos of getting what you work hard for.

Michelle’s educational history is well documented. Talented, gifted and hard working are the words that come to mind.

 

 

When Barack was considering throwing his hat in the Presidential electoral circus, Michelle must have searched her soul. To be a good Mom, daughter and sister whilst being a loving and supporting wife was a huge ask.  There were many arguments about addressing the work life balance. When Barack first decided to stand for Senate, the family continued to live in Chicago rather than move to Washington DC and during the 2008 campaign for President, Michelle made a commitment to be away from home overnight only once a week, to campaign only two days a week and be home at the end of the second day for their two children. This commitment and single mindedness show the qualities of a great manager and leader. She is able to commit herself and multi task.

The Obamas’ recent visit to Europe and, particularly to the UK, revealed a natural warmth in Michelle which will allow her to be a good leader which ever direction she wishes to go in. She has empathy with people. Her work background reveals a tough lady who is hard working and expects everyone else to be the same. But some people are saying she will be the soft power behind the Presidential throne. Her visit with Queen Elizabeth when Her Majesty initiated a hug by placing her hand lightly in the small of the First Lady’s back. This is unprecedented.

Michelle became a hit wherever she visited. Her visit to the Elizabeth Garret School in Islington came as a complete surprise to girls who attend the school and their teachers. The pupils come from a variety of backgrounds. 20% of them are asylum seekers or refugees. 92% of the school population is from a black or minority background and between them they speak a total of fifty five different languages.

Michelle’s speech drew parallels between her life and those of the girls. She stated that nothing in her background would have led anyone to think that one day she would one day become the First Lady. The reason she had become First Lady or been in a position to become First Lady was down to one thing....Education. She had never skipped a lesson.

With gentle delivery and powerful statements she inspired the girls, giving them the eternal educational message, and giving hope for the future, for being hard working is an attribute in itself.

To quote one girl, “you can relate to her story.......... I am a working class girl. And more or less all of us are working class. She made it. And it made me think: if she can do it, so can I.”

Inspiring people to do their best and achieve is a sign of an excellent leader. Creating those feelings and atmosphere is the best way to get more out of people.

So why is Michelle Obama  a good leader. First she plays her part in the life of one of the most important people in the world but she has her own plans too. While still supporting Barack, she has her own agenda. Although she is tough she acts using “soft power”. She wants make America united, America as one, rather than a country split by colour. She is serious about women’s rights and opportunities and intends to campaign for volunteers.

Will her softly softly style of leadership work? Will her inspirational motivation achieve her aims? I think so and she will still remain a Mom, a supportive wife and a loving daughter and sister.