DOZ Leadership Lessons
Eturuvie Erebor
MAGARET THATCHER
M
argaret Thatcher, also known as The Iron
Lady, was the first female Prime Minister of
Britain and the most famous leader of Britain
since Winston Churchill. She began life as the daughter
of a grocery shop owner. Her father, Alfred Roberts,
taught her to stand up for her convictions and never
compromise on things that matter. He also helped
cultivate her mind by giving her access to non-fiction
books that most girls her age did not read. It was while
reading these books that she discovered her love for
international affairs and politics. Although she initially
studied Chemistry at Oxford University her passion for
Politics caused her to return to Oxford to study Law.
It was at this point that she met her husband, Denis
Thatcher, who from the onset supported her dreams
and political ambitions. Two years into their marriage,
she had twins, Carol and Mark. Her husband had a
good income so they could afford to employ a nanny
to look after their children while she pursued her
DOZ Magazine | January 2019
career. But it has been said that she was a good mother
and homemaker who organised her itinerary so that
she had time for her family. And she ran her home
efficiently making it possible for her to be a good wife,
mother, and politician all at the same time. She was a
member of the Conservative Party and in 1959 ran for
parliament a second time and won. In this position,
she introduced a bill that permitted the media to cover
local government meetings. She moved through the
ranks of her party and rose to the position of leader
and then Prime Minister of Britain. Her journey as
Britain’s leader had its ups and downs but through
it all, one thing was clear, Margaret Thatcher was a
woman who stood by her convictions even when her
approval rating in the eyes of the public was reducing
at an alarming rate. She once said, “I will not change
just to court popularity.” If she was known for anything,
it was her resolve in the decisions that she made. She
once said, “If you have a sense of purpose and a sense
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