Joe Biden Provides a Lesson in Honor

With his decision to withdraw his nomination for a second term as president, Joe Biden did the honorable thing. In doing so he provides an example for us all. He deserves respect for putting country and party first.

From presidents to CEOs to account executives at communications firms, we will face the tough choice in our careers and lives of putting ourselves first or putting a greater good ahead of our personal interests.  

As I wrote last week in CommPRO, there are powerful lessons to be drawn from President Biden’s response to events. One of these was that we are all defined by the last thing we do in our careers, not the first thing. 

By reaching the no doubt gut-wrenching decision to step back from the race, Biden has provided a study in contrasts. He stepped aside reluctantly, but he stepped aside in a dignified way. In doing so he has enhanced his legacy, rather than damaged or destroyed it irrespective of what happens in the November election. 

What Biden says when he speaks to the American people on Wednesday, July 24th, will be the words that are likely to be remembered for years to come. They are unlikely to be a litany of grievances or conspiracies.  

The grace with which we end a career is remembered long after we are gone, along with our accomplishments. When we end careers with ugliness and rancor, lash out and blame others (even when perhaps justified), our response defines our legacy. Hard though it may be to deal with the emotions that follow job loss or career change, what we do in the moment will define us. 

The reality for all of us is that careers will end and we will go through many chapters and transitions in our lives. The ability to recognize when it is time to move on will make all the difference in how we’re remembered.

When emotions are involved it inevitably takes time to work through them and come out the other side; we are not machines. Biden’s responses to the calls for him to step down reflect his humanity. As counselors to others, the lesson is that it may take time for a leader to process events. And that’s OK. What is important is that we know how to both step up and step down.         

Actions speak louder than words. President Biden has acted with honor that is a credit to him and the country. Irrespective of which side of the political aisle we sit, we should all respect someone who has given the best part of his life to serving the country and, when it mattered most, did the right thing.