Who Are The Men and Women Who Will Rebuild America?

I had the opportunity to view several episodes of The History Channel's The Men Who Built America. I was fascinated by the stories of Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan -- and of course Henry Ford. Although fiercely competitive with each other, these men left an indelible mark on the country -- both then and now. Certainly these men, particularly those who came before Ford, had flaws. But, it is worth noting some of the common characteristics that made them great.

• Vision -- Each had the ability to look at the present and see something new and different. They looked beyond the practices of their present-day and saw opportunity to build something great. Who are the visionaries of today?
• Courage -- Success never gives its best fruit up easily. I was struck by the multiple points in which courage, in the face of both the odds and pure common sense, was required to move forward -- to just lay it all out on the line. Where are the men and women of courage today?
• Purpose -- These men thought and acted as if what they were doing was not only right, but that there was a destiny they were pursuing. Obviously not all of their decisions and motives were right. Greed and a competitive nature show up in fairly large doses. But the relentless pursuit of success is also clearly on display.
• Flexibility -- Although their goals were clear and solidly laid out, these men were not afraid to alter their plans when necessary. While many of today's business leaders have no trouble making plans or putting their plans in motion, very few really have the confidence and insight to check the results and then adjust their strategies accordingly. A fear of failure may also signify a fear of truly winning. Who are the leaders with enough confidence to take a good honest look at themselves and then make the changes that will propel them to the next level?

While there are many other characteristics that we can list, these few can help us understand where we are, who we need to be, and what we may possibly become. In these days of financial and political uncertainty -- Who are the men and women that will rebuild America?