David Gergen is a Harvard professor, editor of U.S. News and World Report, a regular on CNN, and the author of the book, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton.  Gergen served as an adviser to four presidents: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton, and in the book, he shares leadership lessons he learned from each one.  Here are some of the lessons on leadership he learned while serving President Nixon.

1. He seized the opportunity for personal growth while in the wilderness.

In 1960, Nixon lost the presidential election by less than one percent to John F. Kennedy.  Two years later, he decided to build on that momentum by running for governor of California.  He was defeated by Pat Brown, and it appeared that his political career was over.  As it turned out, his banishment from politics was one of the best things that ever happened to him.  It prepared him to lead.  For the next six years, he wandered in the political wilderness and took that opportunity to deepen and broaden himself intellectually.  He visited four continents, investigating conditions, examining the interests and motivations of other nations, and expanding his storehouse of contacts.  He also read many influential books and spent a lot of time writing out his thoughts.  Gradually, he developed a more sophisticated, tempered, longer-range view of world affairs that became the foundation of his presidency.

2. Faced with bad news, he didn’t flinch but plunged ahead with even more grit.

Toughness in adversity became a hallmark of Nixon’s life.  From childhood, when two of his brothers died and his family faced incredible hardship, all the way through to the dark night of his presidency, toughness proved to be an indispensable element of his success in politics and in life.  In the summer of 1974, as his presidency was crumbling, Nixon was on a trip to the Middle East when the White House physician traveling with him discovered that Nixon had phlebitis – an inflammation that can be fatal.  The doctor advised Nixon to cut his Middle East schedule in half, but Nixon, knowing the political importance of the trip, ordered his agenda be doubled instead!  This scenario was indicative of the resolve and toughness of Nixon who lived through and excelled in times of hardship and crisis.

3. He understood that history was a handmaiden to leadership.

Nixon was a history buff.  He voraciously read books about famous past leaders in order to learn from their successes and failures.  While he spent much of his time reading about foreign leaders, he also took notes repeatedly on his predecessors, analyzing their greatest qualities and evaluating how he measured up.  He drew upon the past in three ways: to gain a broader perspective on his own times, to impress upon his listeners his place in the sun, and to find role models for action.  He believed that a leader must be able to “get on the balcony” in order to observe the patterns of action from afar so that he may participate in them more effectively.

4. He surrounded himself with a steady stream of talented and effective leaders.

Although some of these men – like Chuck Colson – ended up helping Nixon seal his demise, most of the leaders he surrounded himself with became his greatest strength and his greatest legacy.  The dedication in 1990 of his library drew together a wide array of former presidents, cabinet members, and other major figures – almost all of whom had roots in the Nixon era.  Among those who gathered were the Republican Big Four: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and the sitting President, George Bush.  They all knew that had it not been for Nixon, they might not have made it to the White House.  And by the way, the story didn’t end with Watergate for Colson.  He has gone on to become the leader of Prison Fellowship and one of the most influential voices of our time for justice, humanity, and redemption.  Nixon surrounded himself with a steady stream of leaders who continue to lead well even to this day.