| This groundbreaking leadership research by has | | | | accept "no" as an answer. |
| received extensive endorsements and enthusiastic | | | | He requested information from the draft board |
| reviews from well-known prominent business, | | | | concerning his rejection. The clerk found that |
| political, and academic leaders who either | | | | Daniel was "working 72 hours a week at the aid |
| participated in the study or reviewed the research | | | | station" of the local chapter of the American Red |
| findings. | | | | Cross. Dan was told, "You're already making an |
| You will discover the proven success habits and | | | | essential defense contribution, and you're enrolled |
| secrets of people who, in spite of difficult or life | | | | in a pre-med course at the University, and Lord |
| threatening challenges shaped their own destiny to | | | | knows we'll be needing doctors." So he dropped |
| become successful, effective leaders. The full | | | | out of the University of Hawaii and quit his job |
| results of this research will be presented in the | | | | with the Red Cross. |
| upcoming book by Dr. Howard Edward Haller titled | | | | Then he re-applied. This time his application was |
| "Leadership: View from the Shoulders of Giants." | | | | accepted. Inouye was bright and eager to serve. |
| The nine initial prominent successful leaders who | | | | "In the military, there was another challenge, or |
| overcame adversity that were interviewed | | | | obstacle." Dan said, "I was the assistant squad |
| included: Dr. Tony Bonanzino, U.S. Senator Orrin | | | | leader. Then, the youngest person was about two |
| Hatch, Monzer Hourani, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, | | | | years my senior, and the oldest was about 15 |
| Dr. John Malone, Larry Pino, U.S. Army Major | | | | years my senior." Because these were |
| General Sid Shachnow, Dr. Blenda Wilson, and Zig | | | | Japanese-American soldiers who all came from "a |
| Ziglar. | | | | society where age makes a difference . . . where |
| The data from the above nine research | | | | elders are looked upon with a bit more respect |
| participants was materially augmented by seven | | | | than the younger ones, it was a challenge. So, I |
| other successful leaders who overcame adversity | | | | had to work overtime at that, to justify that |
| including: Jack Canfield, William Draper III, Mark | | | | position." |
| Victor Hansen, J. Terrence Lanni, Angelo Mozilo, | | | | He was promoted rapidly, first to corporal and |
| Dr. Nido Qubein, and Dr. John Sperling. | | | | then to sergeant. Daniel and his unit were sent to |
| Additionally, five internationally known and | | | | Italy to fight. He earned a battlefield commission |
| respected leadership scholars offered their | | | | to second lieutenant while fighting in Europe. |
| reviews of the leadership research findings | | | | In one battle in Italy, near the end of World War |
| including: Dr. Ken Blanchard, Jim Kouzes, Dr. John | | | | II in Europe, young Lieutenant Inouye had his right |
| Kotter, Dr. Paul Stoltz, and Dr. Meg Wheatley. | | | | arm essentially shot off. In spite of the intense |
| This is a short biography of one of the principal | | | | pain, he insisted on remaining at the battle scene, |
| participants who generously contributed their time | | | | directing and protecting his troops, though he had |
| and insight for this important research into the | | | | tourniquets on his right shoulder and the stub of |
| phenomenon of how prominent successful leaders | | | | that arm. He was decorated for his heroism, |
| overcome adversity and obstacles. | | | | receiving a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the |
| This is Senator Daniel Inouye's story. | | | | Distinguished Service Cross. He was also |
| Daniel Inouye is the eldest son of Japanese | | | | recommended for, and later received, the |
| immigrants who worked on the Hawaiian sugar | | | | Congressional Medal of Honor. Lieutenant Inouye |
| plantations where Daniel was born and raised. He | | | | was transferred back to the United States to |
| lived in what he described as a | | | | receive treatment and rehabilitation for his |
| "Japanese-American ghetto." He went to the local | | | | wounds. |
| Hawaiian school, at which "the student body was | | | | Senator Inouye told me, "I specifically chose to do |
| 90% ethnic Japanese." | | | | my rehabilitation as far away from Hawaii as |
| As a young boy, Daniel accidentally fell and broke | | | | possible," because he had always been sheltered. |
| his left arm in a terrible compound fracture. The | | | | He explained, "I had experienced only limited |
| local doctor, an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, | | | | contact with anything outside my |
| set the arm. It mended, but not well. In his | | | | Japanese-American neighborhood." |
| autobiography, Inouye wrote, "My arm hung limp | | | | He wanted to see how other people lived, and |
| and crooked and I could barely move it" (1968, p. | | | | became cultured in the ways of the "hoale" |
| 49). | | | | [white] world in the process. "I underwent a |
| After two years of searching his parents, | | | | 'Pygmalion transformation,' learning how to |
| "contacted the best orthopedic surgeon in Hawaii," | | | | formally dine with silver and china, attending |
| who reconstructed Dan's "left arm and made it | | | | cultural events and meetings with as many |
| good as new." That incident formed the basis of | | | | different types of people as I possibly could." |
| Daniel's career goal: to become an orthopedic | | | | Inouye shared that his generation, "in Hawaii, |
| surgeon. He told the orthopedic surgeon who | | | | [came] from [Japanese-American] ethnic enclaves |
| repaired his arm and restored it to full use, "I'm | | | | [who] spoke a strange brand of pidgin-English. So I |
| going to be a doctor, like you." | | | | felt that if I lived in a community where you were |
| He faced racial discrimination when he was | | | | literally forced to change your way of |
| nominated to the local honor society in high school | | | | communicating, it would help. And it did." |
| and was made to feel most unwelcome there. | | | | Daniel specifically noted, "In fact, the highest |
| While still in high school, Dan became a volunteer | | | | compliment paid was when I returned home to |
| with the local chapter of the American Red Cross. | | | | Hawaii, and I opened my mouth to see how [my |
| Then the "entire world turned upside down" on | | | | mother] was, she said, 'You speak like a 'hoale'!" |
| December 7, 1942. After the bombing, the | | | | During his lengthy rehabilitation, Daniel decided to |
| secretary of the local American Red Cross | | | | finish college, get a law degree, and then enter |
| chapter called young Daniel into action | | | | into public service. |
| immediately, having him "help with injured people | | | | He left the U.S. Army as a captain, returned to |
| who had been rescued from fallen debris, as well | | | | the University of Hawaii, and married a |
| as the other wounded that needed treatment." | | | | Japanese-American girl, Margaret Awamura. He |
| Daniel shared that his life had been changed by | | | | completed "law school with a Juris Doctorate at |
| the bombing of Pearl Harbor: "The war came | | | | George Washington University in Washington, D.C. |
| along, and the challenge was immense, not just | | | | in just two years," and then returned to Hawaii, |
| physical, but emotional. My loyalty, together with | | | | where he "took and passed the Territorial Bar |
| those of my generation, was questioned. We | | | | exam." |
| were looked upon as enemy agents, and our | | | | In 1959 he was elected to the U.S. House of |
| friends of Japanese ancestry were placed in | | | | Representatives for the new State of Hawaii, |
| camps, without any trial. And that was something | | | | becoming the first Japanese-American ever to be |
| that, though I was fairly young, I felt had to be | | | | elected to the U.S. Congress. Inouye was elected |
| overcome." | | | | to the U.S. Senate in 1962, and has been |
| Though Daniel was of Japanese descent, he was | | | | re-elected every six years since then. Senator |
| "100% American." The following year, when | | | | Inouye is the third highest-ranking member of the |
| President Franklin Roosevelt finally allowed the | | | | United States Senate. |
| Nisei (second-generation Japanese-Americans) to | | | | Copyright 2006 © Howard Edward Haller, |
| join the United States military, Daniel attempted | | | | Ph.D. |
| to enlist, but he was turned down. Unwilling to | | | | |