President Obama's Inauguration

by Gilda Bonanno http://www.gildabonanno.com/

Whether or not you voted for Barack Obama, his inauguration is something that should make every American proud. And the peaceful transfer of power is one of the hallmarks of a democracy that we should not take for granted.

President Obama has demonstrated that good communication skills are an important component of leadership. As a presentation skills coach and a former historian, one of my favorite parts of his speech was where he used his excellent communication abilities to highlight the strength of our diversity:

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

In case you missed the speech, check it out at http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/20/obama.politics/index.html