14. ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE – The Ability to Communicate of Eleanor Roosevelt
Much to her surprise, she was named as one of the ambassadors to represent America on the Human Rights Commission. Even more astonishing, the first act of the commission was unanimously electing her to be the group’s lead chairperson. Her appointment was not sur- prising to those who worked with her and considered her “the most important person in the United Nations human rights program. ” The questions facing Eleanor and the Human Rights Commission were challenging from the beginning. How would they define rights? What would these rights be? Are there rights that are truly universal? Countless emotional debates focused on answering these questions and more. In her role as lead chairperson, Eleanor found herself in the middle of every discussion, each time playing a different role – peacekeeper, negotiator, or judge. As the leader of the commission, Eleanor effectively got her ideas across to others. To defend what she felt most deeply about, she was a fierce debater who didn’t back down. To get to know her colleagues personally, she hosted simple dinners in her small apartment for delegates and their spouses. These were friendly and informal: nine guests chatting in her living room, dinner plates balanced on their laps. In this way, Eleanor and her guests got to know one another personally.
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