On June 7, 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton made history. I knew it as I watched her deliver her exit speech before 2,000 supporters at Washington's National Building Museum. She wasn't just endorsing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama; she was leading by example.
In her speech, she exemplified how to be gracious in the face of defeat. She did not take "no" for failure. She remained ambitious, confident, and strong. There is much the entrepreneurial woman can learn from Senator Clinton, including the following 10 lessons about facing so-called defeat:
1. If there's an elephant in the room, talk about it right from the start.
"Well, this isn't exactly the party I'd planned, but I sure like the company."
2. Be generous with your gratitude and appreciation.
"I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you - to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, 'See, you can be anything you want to be.'"
3. Reaffirm your commitment.
"To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding . . . I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for."
4. Remind people of why you do what you do.
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