Aloha Leadership; From Pineapples to Presidents

Hawai'i was ruled by Kings, Queens and Kahuna for hundreds of years before a President took over just before the 20th century. Sanford B. Dole (yes, the pineapple scion) declared himself President of the islands in 1894 just prior to the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani.

Dole's reign was just six years. In 1900, Hawai'i became a U.S. protectorate and fell under the jurisdiction of then-President William McKinley (he got shot in Buffalo N.Y. but that's another story!) Dole was the territorial governor for several years before retiring to become a District Judge.

Much of Hawaii's early political turmoil was the result of warring factions of native Hawaiians, immgrants from both the U.S. and Asia, and competing financial interests. Compounding that, communication in those days from Washington to Honolulu took weeks.

Everyone wanted their slice of a limited pie, both in dollars and credit. Sound familiar? Today's leaders could draw lessons from their forebearers. Paraphrasing President Kennedy, "Ask not what your special interests can do for you, but what you can do for the people you serve."