In the reproof of chance / Lies the true proof of men.

On March 8, 2022, 13 days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to the UK Parliament.  At the time of his speech, Russian military forces had taken much of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and had pushed toward the capital of Kyiv. 

Many military analysts believed the war would be over in the matter of hours.  Yet by March 8, the Russian invasion had already begun to bog down, and, as we now know, Russian forces were forced to pull back from Western Ukraine into the Donbas and Russia itself.

When he appeared virtually from Kyiv before Parliament, Zelenskyy was accompanied by the most unlikely of supporters:  William Shakespeare. 

Zelenskyy told the MPs:

“To be or not to be?” – You know this Shakespearean question well.  13 days ago, this question could still be raised about Ukraine.  But not now.  Obviously to be.  Obviously to be free.

Shakespeare has surprisingly deep roots in Ukraine.  During Russian domination of Ukraine, both the Tsars and the Soviets suppressed Shakespeare in Ukrainian theaters.  Shakespeare flowered upon Ukrainian independence; Ukraine has staged over 100 different performances of Shakespeare since 2014. 

It’s not surprising that Zelenskyy evoked Shakespeare in his speech before Parliament.  Before he became president, he was an actor and comedian and surely had been exposed to Shakespeare.  As a performer, Zelenskyy also knew his Parliamentary audience:  he not only quoted Shakespeare, he also quoted Winston Churchill’s great wartime speeches, pushing the most important British cultural buttons to build international support for his wartime leadership.

 As I have shopped my book A Memorable Honor, I’ve had people ask me what leader today most closely embodies Shakespearean leadership.  It must be Volodymir Zelenskyy:

·      He has articulated his vision and called his people to a higher honor in defense of their homeland.

·      He uses poetry, language and performance (such as his speech to Parliament) to connect to people in Ukraine and throughout the world.

·      He uses wit as an ally.  For example, as he prosecuted his drone warfare against Russia, he said it would be “difficult” to travel to Moscow for peace talks because, “There are a lot of Ukrainian drones there.  It’s dangerous.”

·      He has shown extraordinary courage.  In the early days of the war, the U.S. offered to evacuate Zelenskyy.  He refused, saying, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”

·      He understands and even draws strength from precarious position, leading an underdog nation against the enormous Russian Federation.

·      He touches the collective memory of his people, invoking the Ukrainian flag to declare that 70 years of Soviet occupation did not erase the memory of the Ukrainian people.

Perhaps because of their mutual connection to Shakespeare, there is a lot of Abraham Lincoln in Zelenskyy’s leadership.  Like Lincoln, he uses language, theater, humor, and wisdom to redeem his people.  Like Lincoln, he has a core of iron:  It would have been easy for Lincoln to let the South depart the Union with its slaves and avoid the fountains of blood that poured from the Civil War, but he refused to do so.  His higher purpose was to vindicate the noble principles of the American creed.  In the same way, it would have been easy for Zelenskyy to abandon his country to a dark fate, but he also refused to do so.  Despite the terrible and continuing cost to the Ukrainian people, Zelenskyy is committed to his higher purpose of vindicating his nation’s freedom and independence.

Of course, the end of Zelenskyy’s story is not written.  He is not perfect, and his tenure is not without controversy.  He faces challenges at home and uncertain support abroad.  But in this, he is also a bit like Lincoln, who in early 1864 was perceived as a failure who would lose reelection and the war.  Zelenskyy’s character and circumstances are different, but Lincoln’s example would surely give him hope in his darker hours.

Zelenskyy’s historic reputation will ultimately depend on the competence of his leadership and especially his battlefield success.  Thus far, his military has accomplished extraordinary and unexpected things, but hard days lie ahead.  He may lose his way and betray the very things that have made him a great world leader.  But as of today, it is difficult to think of a leader who better embodies Shakespearean leadership.

I thought this was a good week to provide a modern example of the leadership qualities found in my book because, at long last, the book’s publication date is almost upon us.  A Memorable Honor:  Shakespeare, Lincoln, and the Art of Leadership will be published a bit more than a week from today on September 15.  The book is an Amazon best seller and hot new release.  You can preorder today at either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

Until next time.

Frank

P. S. If you haven’t done so, please add your name to the “Who Art Thou” link below to receive updates as we get closer to the September 15 publication ofA Memorable Honor: Shakespeare, Lincoln and the Art of Leadership.