leadership strategy. It was at a time early in World War II, when
the likelihood of victory was slim, that he embraced it. If he had
not conceptualized the principle at that time and then internalized
it, his leading the Allies during the crucial years of the war in
Europe may have floundered.
Eisenhower was in the dank tunnels under Gibraltar when he
came to view communicating optimism as a requirement of lead-
ership. Deeply discouraged by military reversals, his depressing
quarters, and the power of the enemy, he realized he couldn’t
allow the troops to be further demoralized by his mood. The Rock
was a personal crucible, but his men needed a powerful antidote
to their own discouragements. As a student of leadership, he
believed it could be developed by “studious reflection and prac-
tices.” As he thought through his situation, he concluded he had
to share enthusiasm—first, so he himself would not be demoral-
ized; second, to inspire others.
“With this clear realization,” he wrote in his diary, “I firmly
determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would
always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory—that any pessimism
and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pil-
low. I adopted a policy of circulating through the whole force.... I
did my best to meet everyone from general to private with a smile,
a pat on the back, and a definite interest in his problems.”
Eisenhower saw it not as hypocrisy but as calling forth his
own best impulses and vision, then personifying them for his
troops. His famous grin from the European war theater was a
trademark throughout the conflict and his presidency. He never
let exhaustion or discouragement extinguish it.
Stephen Ambrose writes in his book, Eisenhower:
In public, Eisenhower had a remarkable ability to shed his weari-
ness, self-pity, and pessimism. He held weekly press conferences
and was consistently cheerful in his assessment of the situation.
As he explained to Mamie, when “pressure mounts and strain
increases, everyone begins to show the weaknesses in his
makeup. It is up to the Commander to conceal his; above all to
conceal doubt, fear and distrust.” How well he was able to do so
Communicating Optimism and Hope