Donald Trump
Leadership Case Study

Donald Trump
Who was He?

Donald Trump is an American business magnate and television personality. He is the Chairman of the Trump Organization, a US-based real-estate developer. To date, Donald Trump has accumulated wealth of up to US$2.7 billion, primarily through his real estate investments.

A Quick History

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Donald Trump was born to a successful business man Fred Trump. Fred was a self-made millionaire in real estate, based in New York City.

After his graduation from a Military Academy, Donald Trump had thought about going into film school, but he ended up deciding to follow in his father’s footsteps in the real estate business.

He had many successes in his early years as a real estate investor, having made several successful investments like the Grand Hyatt and the Wollman Rink.

However, a recession would hit in 1989 and cause Donald Trump to be bankrupt. Some of the casino investments he made were financed using junk bonds and he was landed himself in millions of dollars in debt.

He ended up making agreements with his creditors and worked out a plan to repay them. By 1994, he would have repaid a significant portion of his debt.

From 1997 onwards was a time when Donald Trump began to make his comeback. He would continue to build more real estate throughout cities in the US and Canada, with varying success.

In March 2011, Forbes estimated Donald Trump’s networth to be at about US$2.7 billion.

Donald Trump Leadership Lessons

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1. Think Big
Donald Trump was always a big thinker. He believed in making big deals and huge investments in real estate because he saw potential. Although, Trump would land himself in debt, he would later on make even a stronger comeback. As a result, he became known throughout in the business world and became a TV personality as well.

A good leader should always think big as well. As Goethe once said, Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men. If you’re a leader and you wish to speak to people’s hearts, remember that you have to think big!

2. Energy
Donald Trump is a man of energy. He believes it is energy that drives passion, and passion is what will make the impossible happen.

Passion should be your driving force as a leader. You must be passionate about what you are doing and where you are heading. A passionate leader translates energy down to his followers as well, giving them motivation to run an extra mile, stay an hour longer, fight a little harder for the cause.

3. Bouncing Back
Although he went into bankruptcy, Donald Trump has enough self-belief that he could stand back up again, and where he is today is a testament to his tenacity to bounce back from a failure.

Failure is very normal to people, especially to leaders. If you’re a leader and you’re constantly breaking new ground, the chance of failing is far higher than if you were staying in your comfort zone.

The important question for you is to not about how you can avoid failure, but how you can bounce back after experiencing one. This alone defines you as a leader and sets you apart from the rest who would choose to stay in their defeat.

Related Books and Literature
on Donald Trump Leadership

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Best Quotes from Donald Trump Leadership

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I mean, there's no arguing. There is no anything. There is no beating around the bush. "You're fired" is a very strong term.

It's tangible, it's solid, it's beautiful. It's artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate.

Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.

When somebody challenges you, fight back. Be brutal, be tough.

I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's were the fun is.

In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.

Without passion you dont have energy, without energy you have nothing.

I wasn't satisfied just to earn a good living. I was looking to make a statement.

Sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.

The point is that you can't be too greedy.

Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.

I could never have imagined that firing 67 people on national television would actually make me more popular, especially with the younger generation.

Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken.

Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.

I don't make deals for the money. I've got enough, much more than I'll ever need. I do it to do it.

I have made the tough decisions, always with an eye toward the bottom line. Perhaps it's time America was run like a business.

A little more moderation would be good. Of course, my life hasn't exactly been one of moderation.

Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away, and move on to something that's more productive.

Well, yes, I've fired a lot of people. Generally I like other people to fire, because it's always a lousy task. But I have fired many people.

What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.

I'm a bit of a P. T. Barnum. I make stars out of everyone.

If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable.

You have to think anyway, so why not think big?

Video On Donald Trump Leadership

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Other Links

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Wikipedia: A short account of Donald Trump’s life
Wikipedia: Official Site of the Trump Organization

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