Synthesis Essay Colin Powell - 1653 Words

Synthesis Essay – Colin Powell MSgt Cory L. Shipp Class 17A Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy 21 November 2016 Colin Powell Most people recognize Colin Powell as one of the most admired and popular leaders of our time. Often times in leadership you will not always be popular or admired, so what makes this leader different? It was those core values ingrained in him at early age by his parents that would shape him as a future leader (Koltz Powell, 2012). As with any great leader he’s had his fair share of trials and tribulations, but like an infantry officer he continued to press forward. Colin Powell has been a visionary and ethical leader since the early days of Persian Gulf to Washington’s corridors (Roth, 1993). Throughout my research he has become a personal inspiration for me due to his ability to inspire and motivate those around him. Let’s take a brief look into his background to provide a better understanding of his leadership style. According to Powell Koltz (2012) Powell was born in 1937 to Jamaican immigrants in Harlem, New York. He was educated in N ew York City public schools, and graduated from Morris High School in 1945. From there he would attend City College of New York to study geology. During his time at City College is where he would find his path into ROTC, followed by a commission in the United States Army. At an early age he served as an army infantry officer where he held command in various battles.