Community & Government
Meet Your Instructor
Lesson time 06:52 min
President George W. Bush opens up about his leadership philosophy and introduces his class. Meet Mrs. Laura Bush and visit their family home in Maine to get a feel for life after the presidency.
Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars
Topics include: George W. Bush teases his leadership philosophy while laying out what to expect in his MasterClass. We meet the former first lady, Laura Bush and take a trip to his family home in Maine, where we get a taste of life after the Presidency.
Teaches Authentic Leadership
Learn to listen and inspire a culture of teamwork. The 43rd U.S. president teaches leadership skills from his career and opens up about painting.
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ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States. - There is nothing like standing in front of a boisterous crowd coming down the stretch of a presidential run. I mean, the noise is loud, the passions are great, the halls are hot. You come flying on that stage and people are cheering you. It's a rush. The state of our Union has never been stronger. I recognize very few people watching this will become president. Before I was president, I owned a small business. ANNOUNCER: There's a very proud son and a very proud mother. - I was part owner of the Texas Rangers. What Texans can dream. And I served as governor of Texas. All of these parts of my life taught me different lessons, and I will draw on all of them in this MasterClass. Agendas don't get set by consensus, oftentimes. If you're leading a corporation or leading an entity, it's up to you as the leader. Now, obviously, you've got to consult with a board of advisors, board of directors, key personnel whose judgment you trust. But ultimately a leader leads. And one of the real challenges in leading an organization is to keep the big picture in mind. It's difficult in politics sometimes because there's a lot of competing pressures. Occasionally the editorials, in my case, weren't all that positive. And therefore people say, oh no, the editorial this, the editorial that. And I didn't give a damn about the editorials, because I cared about the big picture, what I was trying to achieve. In this MasterClass, we'll also be visited by my better half, the former First Lady, Laura Bush. - President Bush really hasn't changed that much since he lived at the White House. His personality and everything about him is the same. The new thing is that he's become an artist. And when we lived at the White House, we lived with a major collection of American art that he seldom looked at. I think he had a lot of other things on his mind. So when he took up painting, I was shocked. - One of the wonderful things about being president is that it's an unbelievable learning experience. And one of the things I missed after the presidency was this daily learning. Thankfully, painting came into my life. It's certainly not as profound a learning experience as the presidency, but it is a learning experience. Because with every paint stroke, you learn something new. - George is very disciplined. And he gets his work done. But he's actually become quite good. - Thank you, darling. That's why I want you here. - Just so he wouldn't have to do all of the talking. - So one of the things I noticed when I was a young guy watching politicians work a crowd is oftentimes they'd be talking to a person, but their eyes would be looking for somebody more important. And I said, wow, if I ever get in that position, that's not me. Nor would it have been my instincts anyway. I found it to be rude and insincere. And so ...
About the Instructor
Step inside the Oval Office with the newest instructor in our White House series, President George W. Bush. With insight from former First Lady Laura Bush, the former commander in chief opens up about the tough calls and life lessons that shaped his career. Develop and own a leadership style that’s true to you and learn to lead by connecting personally with everyone in the room.
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George W. Bush
Learn to listen and inspire a culture of teamwork. The 43rd U.S. president teaches leadership skills from his career and opens up about painting.
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