Lessons written by the US president, Barrack Obama after breaking 48 laws of power

For the past eight years, Americans gave the world someone whom we could all be proud of. Though he had his own flaws, as a person and also as a leader, we were at peace with the fact that we had a grown up as the leader of the most powerful nation on the earth.Through the years, President Obama, his family, and his entire administration treated the whole world to episodes of class and gracefulness that will be missed in the years to come. To the keen eyes and curious minds, he has taught us profound lessons on leadership and public service.The lessons on leadership that he taught us are:Promise less but Deliver muchDuring his first campaign for the presidency, President Obama summed up his promise with one simple creed. A creed that carried with it the hopes and aspirations of not only the Americans but also the entire world. It was a creed hinged on hope—Yes We Can!Over his eight years in office, he has delivered and surpassed what he promised. Though the his rivals are bent on repealing ObamaCare before he even leaves office, I am sure that there is much more to his legacy which they will never ever repeal.Leaders and aspiring leaders should be wary of what they promise those who they lead and intend to lead. A promise carries with it, your reputation.Don’t be ashamed of your storyWhen he was delivering his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, President Obama moved the audience with his passionate narration of his story. It was as he said ‘…the American story. To the world, Obama passionately revealed his past. It was not the ideal past as people would expect of a man running for the highest office in the land but with it, his story carried the hope that the nation needed and the indomitable spirit of humanity. Never give up. That summed up his story which will live to inspire generations to come.Appreciate those you leadOne of the most profound lessons Obama has taught us is appreciation. He broke all the 48 Laws of Power propagated by Robert Greene and rewrote his own. Over the years, President Obama has served us with his graceful presence and his heartfelt sense of appreciation. Behind the scenes and all the fanfare rightfully accorded to him, he visited wounded soldiers in hospitals, consoled with grieving families and even phoned soldiers in the battlefield just to tell them how thankful he was for their service not only to his administration but also to the Americans and the entire world. He had even offered to pay the medical bills of Vice President Biden’s son—Boe Biden—when he was terminally ill with cancer. As Vice President Biden admitted, Obama stopped him from selling their cherished home offering instead to help with the bills.After his last Presidential campaigns, Obama broke into tears as he thanked his campaign staff. It was they who helped him win a second term. Their selflessness and unbridled passion contributed much to his success.It’s Never that SeriousIt could be rightfully argued that President Obama demystified the American presidency. From taking unplanned walks along Washington DC to buy ice cream to performing the unexpected ‘mic drop’ he wowed the world with his humility while performing the most serious job in the world. Despite being the most powerful man on earth he mingled with the ‘commoners’ with such profound humility like never seen before. His sense of humor also never evaded him.Family Comes FirstThe bar has been set. It was clear for the whole world to see that President Obama loved not only his job but his family more than anything. This you know by looking at how he spoke of them whenever the opportunity presented itself. From telling graduands how gutted he was and would be when his daughters left for college and singing Malia a happy birthday even though he was out of tune to showering his wife with praise and adoration for the role she played in his success. This should be the standard Public Display of Affection.ReadOne of the things I loved most about President Obama was his love for the written word. Reading as he rightfully said is the best combatant to ignorance. From quoting Dr. Seus while speaking to young White House interns to quoting Seamus Heany and also going book shopping with his daughters Obama proved that the reading of good books is as important as any other pursuit in life.One of the things he said he missed most in his presidency was the time he could just sit down and read—and also sleep.As you aspire to lead also aspire to read. The world is hidden between the pages of a book and for you to discover and uncover its truths you have to flip them as you read.As he leaves office, I am proud and fortunate enough to be part of a generation that lived to see him rise to the office he occupied in the past eight years. He has indeed taught us more than we could ever put into words or even speak about through his actions and his words. The world misses his decency—also his oratory prowess.