Taking Notes from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (1of 5)

I will never forget my first “Hillary Moment.” It was in 2011 in the back halls of the Willard Intercontinental in Washington, DC at a conference on U.S. – Israeli Relations and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. She arrived through a back entrance and moved swiftly down the hallway toward her green room. As she passed me, she smiled and said “hi, good to see you.” Soon she took the stage and gave an excellent speech where she took and a firm stance on a few key issues. She commanded the room with authority and grace.

Eight months later, I had the unique opportunity to join twenty people (all of whom outrank me by thirty years or more) in a private meeting with the Secretary. This meeting blew my first “Hillary Moment” out of the water because it was a chance to see the Secretary as her true self, the self that cameras almost never have an opportunity to meet. She’s charming, bold and honest. She has her own opinions but listens to those of other experts in the field. She’s wise beyond her years – but how could she not be? She’s lived at least three lives and held countless titles (daughter, wife, mother, first lady of Arkansas, First Lady of the United States, Senator, Presidential Candidate and now Secretary of State – to name a few).

A few weeks ago I met the secretary for the third time in one year. I was just as excited and nervous as ever before. Even though my role (yet again) was to remain anonymous (no handshakes or pictures for this girl!), I didn't care because I was in the presence of the Secretary of State just a couple months before her title would change to “former Secretary of State.” She would soon go down in history with the likes of Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, and Madeline Albright.

So why do I bring this up? I assure you it’s not for bragging rights. We need to learn what we can about this incredible woman so we can become a stronger nation. She's not perfect, but I think she offers so much for men and women and serves as one of the greatest role models of our time.

Secretary Clinton exudes..

• Perseverance

• Poise and Patience

• Commitment and Dedication

• Morality

**This is the first post in a series of five posts about how we can learn from the Secretary of State and other strong female leaders.**