Speaker 1: Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of
Speaker 1: performance through strong human relations, team building, and goal achieving.
Speaker 1: This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host
Speaker 1: Paul fella Aledo.
Speaker 2: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Seven Minute Leadership Podcast.
Speaker 2: It's episode two fifty five, and today we're going to
Speaker 2: do something a little different due to all the news
Speaker 2: stories here in the United States. I want to take
Speaker 2: a few minutes to break down the United States Constitution
Speaker 2: as simply as possible and then explain the leadership lessons
Speaker 2: that apply to all of us in that historic document.
Speaker 2: The Constitution is the foundation of American law and government.
Speaker 2: It was written in seventeen eighty seven and has been
Speaker 2: the backbone of the country ever since. It's not just
Speaker 2: in old document, it's a living set of rules that
Speaker 2: still guide how we operate today. So let's go step
Speaker 2: by step through each part of it, making it easy
Speaker 2: to understand. First, we'll start with the preamble, which is
Speaker 2: the why of the Constitution. The preamble is just one sentence,
Speaker 2: but it explains why the Constitution exists. It starts with
Speaker 2: we the People, which means the government is created by
Speaker 2: and for the citizens. It then lists six main goals.
Speaker 2: To form a more perfect union, which means make the
Speaker 2: country stronger and more unified. To establish justice, create fair
Speaker 2: laws and courts. To ensure domestic tranquility, keep peace within
Speaker 2: the country. To provide for the common defense, protect against
Speaker 2: foreign threats. To promote the general welfare, help citizens live
Speaker 2: better lives. To secure the blessings of liberty. Protect freedom
Speaker 2: for all future generations. So think of the Preamble as
Speaker 2: the mission statement of the US government. Next is Article one,
Speaker 2: the legislative branch, Congress. This part sets up Congress, which
Speaker 2: is made up of two groups, the House of Representatives
Speaker 2: in the Senate. The House of Representatives are representatives from
Speaker 2: each state that are elected based on population. Larger states
Speaker 2: have more representatives, and then the Senate. Each state gets
Speaker 2: two senators no matter the size. Congress makes the laws
Speaker 2: and has the power to collect taxes, borrow money, regulate trade,
Speaker 2: declare war, and raise and support the military. Next is
Speaker 2: Article two, the executive branch, the President. This article explains
Speaker 2: the role of the president. The president's job is to
Speaker 2: enforce the laws passed by Congress. In Some of those
Speaker 2: key powers include acting as Commander in chief of the military,
Speaker 2: making treaties with Senate approval, appointing judges and officials, giving
Speaker 2: a State of the Union address, granting pardons. This article
Speaker 2: also explains how the president is elected through the Electoral College.
Speaker 2: Next is Article three the Judicial branch, the Supreme Court
Speaker 2: and Federal Courts. This part creates the Supreme Court and
Speaker 2: other federal courts. Their job is to interpret the laws
Speaker 2: and make sure they follow the Constitution. The Supreme Court
Speaker 2: has the final say in legal disputes and can rule
Speaker 2: laws unconstitutional if they go against the Constitution. Next is
Speaker 2: Article four that states rights and responsibilities in This article
Speaker 2: explains how states work together in their relationship with the
Speaker 2: federal government. It includes something called the full Faith and
Speaker 2: Credit Clause, which means states must recognize other states laws
Speaker 2: like drivers' licenses and marriage certificates. In government, every state
Speaker 2: must have a government chosen by the people. Article five
Speaker 2: how to amend or change the Constitution. Because the founders
Speaker 2: knew the country would change, so they included a way
Speaker 2: to add amendments. To amend the Constitution, two thirds of
Speaker 2: Congress must propose a change, and then three fourths of
Speaker 2: the states must approve it. So that's thirty eight states
Speaker 2: out of fifty. This process makes sure changes are not
Speaker 2: made too easily. Article six the Supremacy Clause. This article
Speaker 2: says that the Constitution is the highest law of the land.
Speaker 2: If there's ever a conflict between federal and state law,
Speaker 2: federal law wins. It also states that government officials must
Speaker 2: swear an oath to support the Constitution, and then Article
Speaker 2: seven ratification, which means making the Constitution official. This article
Speaker 2: explains how the Constitution was officially approved. It needed nine
Speaker 2: out of thirteen states to agree to it before it
Speaker 2: became law in seventeen eighty eight. So next is the
Speaker 2: Bill of Rights. After the Constitution was approved, people wanted
Speaker 2: more protections for individual freedoms. That led to the first
Speaker 2: ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. First Amendment,
Speaker 2: which is freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
Speaker 2: The Second Amendment the right to bear arms. The Third
Speaker 2: Amendment no forced housing of soldiers. The Fourth Amendment no
Speaker 2: unreasonable searches or seizures. The fifth Amendment the right to
Speaker 2: remain silent, no double jeopardy in due process. The sixth
Speaker 2: Amendment the right to a speedy and fair trial. The
Speaker 2: seventh Amendment the right to a jury trial, in civil cases.
Speaker 2: The eighth Amendment no cruel or unusual punishment, the ninth Amendment.
Speaker 2: People have other rights that are protected that are not
Speaker 2: listed in the Constitution. In the tenth Amendment, states have
Speaker 2: powers not given to the federal government. And there are
Speaker 2: other important amendments. There have been twenty seven total amendments.
Speaker 2: Some of the most important ones the thirteenth Amendment, which
Speaker 2: abolished slavery. The fourteenth Amendment gave citizenship and equal protection
Speaker 2: under the law. The fifteenth Amendment the right to vote
Speaker 2: can't be denied based on race, color, or enslavement. The
Speaker 2: nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote. In the
Speaker 2: twenty twenty second Amendment limited the president to two terms.
Speaker 2: So now let's apply the Constitution to everyday leadership. Because
Speaker 2: as leaders, whether in business, public service, or everyday life,
Speaker 2: we can take valuable lessons from the US Constitution and
Speaker 2: apply them to how we lead. The Constitution is more
Speaker 2: than just a set of rules for government. It's a
Speaker 2: framework for fairness, accountability, and the protection of individual rights.
Speaker 2: And here's how we can incorporate it into the principles
Speaker 2: of our own leadership. So, first, uphold fairness and justice.
Speaker 2: So that's Article three. The judicial branch and the Bill
Speaker 2: of Rights. The Constitution ensures that laws are applied fairly
Speaker 2: and that people have rights such as due process and
Speaker 2: equal protection. And as leaders, we must make sure that
Speaker 2: we treat people fairly, make impartial decisions and avoid favoritism.
Speaker 2: If someone brings a concern to you, listen, objectively, consider
Speaker 2: the facts, and make a just decision, just like a
Speaker 2: court would. Next is protect freedom of speech and open communication.
Speaker 2: So that's First Amendment. The First Amendment guarantees the right
Speaker 2: to speak freely. As leaders, we should encourage open and
Speaker 2: honest communication within our teams. Employees, team members, or colleagues
Speaker 2: should feel comfortable voice and concerns, presenting new ideas, or
Speaker 2: offering feedback without fear of retaliation. A culture of free
Speaker 2: speech leads to innovation in stronger teams. Next is respect
Speaker 2: the balance of power. So that's Articles one, two, and three.
Speaker 2: The Constitution divides power between different branches of government to
Speaker 2: prevent tyranny. As leaders, we should do the same. Micromanaging
Speaker 2: or hoarding all decision making weakens trust and morale. Instead,
Speaker 2: delegate responsibilities, empower others to lead, and insure a system
Speaker 2: of checks and balances exists in your organization or team. Next,
Speaker 2: be transparent and accountable. This is Article six. Every government
Speaker 2: official swears an oath to uphold the Constitution. This symbolizes
Speaker 2: accountability in leadership. We must also lead with integrity, own
Speaker 2: our mistakes, and be transparent about our decisions. If you
Speaker 2: make a wrong call, admit it, fix it, and move forward,
Speaker 2: and then adapt and in over time. That's Article five,
Speaker 2: amending the Constitution. The Constitution was designed to be updated
Speaker 2: as times change, and the same applies to leadership. Leaders
Speaker 2: must continuously learn, grow and adapt to new challenges. Just
Speaker 2: because something worked in the past doesn't mean it's the
Speaker 2: best approach today. Be open to change, listen to new perspectives,
Speaker 2: and be willing to revise your leadership style when necessary.
Speaker 2: And then protect individual rights and well being. So that's
Speaker 2: the Bill of Rights and all the Civil rights amendments.
Speaker 2: Great leadership means ensuring that people under your leadership feel valued, protected,
Speaker 2: and respected. Just as the Bill of Rights guarantees personal freedoms.
Speaker 2: Leaders should create an environment where employees are team members
Speaker 2: feel safe, respected and supported. Whether it's fostering an inclusive
Speaker 2: workplace or standing up against injustice, leaders should champion the
Speaker 2: rights of others, and then last is making decisions for
Speaker 2: the greater good. This goes back to the preamble promoting
Speaker 2: the general welfare. The Constitution was created to serve the
Speaker 2: people and ensure the well being of all. As leaders,
Speaker 2: our goal should be the same. Good leaders don't just
Speaker 2: focus on personal gain or short short term success. They
Speaker 2: make decisions that benefit their teams, customers, and communities in
Speaker 2: the long run. So the US Constitution is a blueprint
Speaker 2: for leadership, emphasizing fairness, accountability, balance, adaptability in the protection
Speaker 2: of individual rights. If we apply these principles in our
Speaker 2: daily lives as leaders, we will create stronger teams, build trust,
Speaker 2: and leave a positive legacy. If you take anything away
Speaker 2: from this, remember the Constitution is about protecting freedoms, creating fairness,
Speaker 2: and making sure the government works for the people, not
Speaker 2: the other way around. This has been the seven minute
Speaker 2: leadership pot and I thank you for listening.
Speaker 1: For more Paul Fell of Alito Podcasts, visit paulfellowalito dot com.