On January 18, 1993, Ronald Reagan's former Vice President and sitting President George H. W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that the United States can bestow, which recognizes individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural, or other significant public or private endeavors.” I was fortunate to be able to help on that day and was thrilled to have the chance to congratulate Ronald Reagan on that well deserved honor.

Source: The Office of Ronald Reagan photograph by Peggy Grande, Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Library.

President Ronald Reagan's world-changing power as a leader came not from flexing his political muscle but from an authentic consistency of both thought and action that personified humility, loyalty, and respect. Is this a surprising recipe for greatness? Those around Ronald Reagan felt appreciated by him and connected to him, so they sincerely reciprocated—not only with their loyalty, but with their best work and greatest effort.

This book uses Ronald Reagan, my former boss and lifelong role model, as its primary leadership example. By looking back in history we can see timeless principles in action, which provide a framework for future success and excellence in business and personal life. President Reagan often used stories to make a point or relate to his audience. This book incorporates his stories and speeches, as well as many taken from a wide representation of business leaders and CEOs, and from my own personal experiences. Stories have the power to impact and are used to exemplify what I learned and witnessed.

Imagine how fortunate I was to see at a young age what real leadership looks like. And it wasn't just from the president. It was from the entire team that surrounded him. I am extremely careful to never overstate my position in the office. I was still in college as all of this was occurring, which makes it even more incredible that the opportunity even happened. There I was on February 6, 1989—the president's birthday and my first full day in his office. I was in the conference room with a small group of people singing “Happy Birthday” to Ronald Reagan.

That marked the beginning of a surreal, incredible experience that changed the way I viewed leadership and confirmed all the good things I had thought about the president. Politics aside, Ronald Reagan is remembered as one of the most instinctive, intuitive, emotionally intelligent leaders in recent history. He lived a life of impact—not only on the world stage, but also by investing personally in individuals all around him. As a result, he forever changed my life, and the lives of countless others, for the better.

By looking at Ronald Reagan's leadership style and that of other successful leaders, as well as incorporating my own personal experiences, patterns emerge that make it easy to create a profile of specific traits and leadership maxims that you can implement immediately and that will guide you toward greater personal growth and professional success.

Loyalty and teamwork can accomplish absolutely extraordinary things. Ronald Reagan believed in building people up, not tearing them down. As a result of this dynamic synergy during the 1980s, individuals were inspired and energized, patriotism domestically was renewed, nations were freed, and the world was forever changed.

Whether leading a nonprofit organization, small business, Fortune 500 company, or a family, it's easy to assume that as leaders we should already have all the answers. In reality, our ability to learn, apply, and adapt is what differentiates mediocre leaders from exceptional ones. Exceptional leaders realize that there is always more to learn. The learning process never ends. Learning distinguishes between those who merely do a job and those who pursue excellence, raising up great leaders all around them in the process.

Framing your mind-set for maximizing leadership opportunities yields exponential dividends. Investing in your leadership is an investment in success. It is possible to study examples of effectiveness and learn how to become a great leader, even if it doesn't come naturally to you. You can learn how to motivate and inspire others, set realistic but ambitious goals, and learn to manage and lead your way to greater effectiveness, impact, and success.

There is no question that leaders will always eventually face challenging times. However, when the times get tough, rather than sticking to their vision—their offense—many leaders play it safe, forgoing risk and moving themselves and their businesses into a posture of defense, despite the fact that opportunities still may continue to exist. True leaders will seize and maximize opportunities while others sit on their hands as opportunities pass them by.

According to a study done by The Center for Creative Leadership, 75 percent of careers are derailed or fall short of their full potential due to lack of emotional competencies, not the lack of educational or professional abilities. This void of true, visionary, and authentic leadership has stifled personal success and crippled organizational growth. The inability of some leaders to adapt to change or elicit trust and loyalty from those around them has rendered them ineffective in challenging times.

When I address groups of top CEOs, they agree when I say we hire people for technical ability and fire people for social inability. This is precisely why this book was written. Rather than focusing on the technical necessities for business and personal success, this book illustrates the essential internal and interpersonal qualities that make the difference between simply creating a product and making an impact, between providing a service and providing an exceptional customer experience, between just living life and leaving a lasting legacy.

By applying Ronald Reagan's proven, effective principles and following the examples of successful leaders, you, too, can positively affect performance, as well as the interpersonal environment and overall culture within your sphere of influence. Whether building on what you have already established or confidently starting anew, all is completely possible.

In my own businesses over the past 20 years the same philosophies that President Reagan embraced have inspired me to try to lead like him—to create a vision, assemble a team, communicate a message, lead by example, take action, handle crisis, and ultimately leave the world a better place—all because of Ronald Reagan and his impact on my life.

My hope is that you will be encouraged to honestly evaluate these areas of your life as well, to improve upon your leadership, too—and in reading this book, you'll be inspired to pursue leadership excellence toward your own goals of personal fulfillment and professional success. You, too, can learn to Lead Like Reagan. The journey to greater impact begins here.