Winston Churchill, a leader from history or an inspiration for the future?

Purpose – In a world where the need for effective leadership has never been greater this article aims to: demonstrate that Sir Winston Churchill exemplified key leadership principles; that these principles are still relevant today; that Churchill remains a source of inspiration throughout the world to leaders both in business and politics; and that these principles are all behavioral and can be learnt by others. Design/methodology/approach – The key leadership principles are identified. For each principle an examination is made of Churchill's behavior and how he exemplified each principle. Examples are also given from modern‐day leaders. Findings – Churchill's leadership style demonstrates how his behaviour exemplifies key leadership principles which are still relevant today and can be used as a model for learning by others in order to become a more effective leader. Originality/value – The paper is of value for anyone in any field that aspires to lead by demonstrating that leadership skills are about behaviour which can be learnt. The paper achieves this by examining the leadership principles Churchill exemplified showing how they are still relevant today.