The Great Franklin D. RooseveltNicholas DeGristinaSUNY CantonLeadership ProfileApril 27, 2014Throughout the history of the United States there have been extraordinary individuals in both business and government who have demonstrated their ability to be affective leaders among the people for whom they are responsible. There are many definitions of what a leader is and what characteristics he should have. A man who demonstrates all aspects of a leader and who was considered in the list of one of the greatest presidents who ever served with respect belongs to Franklin D. Roosevelt. On January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York, a boy named Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born. He was the son of James and Sara Roosevelt. From a young age his family had given him the education he needed to take the next step: entering a private school called Groton, which was located in Massachusetts. It was then in Groton that he had heard a speech by one of his distant cousins ​​Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin had admired him and had been very influential in his political career. At Groton, Franklin was not an outstanding student or an athlete. However, this did not prevent him from attending Harvard University in 1900. During his time at Harvard he devoted much of his time to social life and university activities. He was even determined to become president of the campus newspaper. By 1903, Franklin had graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history in just three years. His next step was to attend Columbia University in New York City, where he would study law. He never got to finish and graduate, instead he took and passed the bar exam and for the next one...half of the paper...and his wife had almost no time to spend together. One quote that stands out is one he made in his first inaugural address on March 4, 1933 where he said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It gave hope and a sense of pride to the American people that everything would be fine even in a time like the Great Depression and with the future uncertain. It takes a great leader to accomplish what Franklin D. Roosevelt had accomplished, and not every president who finds himself in the same situation can achieve the success he achieved, even with a disability that might seem limiting. It's not easy being a leader with everyone watching you and expecting you to know every move. Being a great leader means taking what you deal with and turning it into greatness, and Franklin D. Roosevelt is an exceptional example of a leader.