07-23-2026
At the Larsen Leader Academy, we believe one can learn about leadership by studying other great leaders. Our students visit sacred places like Gettysburg and Normandy to examine leadership when and where it mattered most.
We all have leaders, past or present, that we admire or look up to. Marshall Larsen, founder of the Larsen Leaders Academy, recently discussed a leader that he most admired — former U.S. president and World War II Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower. Interestingly, President Eisenhower’s retirement home was Gettysburg, and he led the allied invasion on D-Day in Normandy.
Some people hold leadership positions for the wrong reasons — they seek power or wish to satisfy their personal ambition. In contrast, Marshall describes why he holds Eisenhower in such high esteem. Eisenhower didn’t seek the top leadership position in the Allied invasion. Rather, he served when called upon. He understood the human cost and the enormous responsibility he was charged with. And he approached it with humility, empathy, and resolve. What will you do when faced with pivotal leadership moments? Eisenhower’s leadership moment: Stakes are high, uncertainty abounds, two letters.
Brad Alge
Managing Director
Larsen Leaders Academy
