Leaving aside the political issues and possible motives ascribed to each side for engaging in the event, I think Obama modeled an important element of leadership. This is the willingness to seek out and engage in dialogue those who oppose your ideas or have yet to buy in to your agenda and vision.

Many leaders do this as part of their strategy for implementing change. They hold all-hands staff meetings to explain their vision, share the rationale and benefits of the change, and then respond to questions from the troops. It is even more effective if, at the outset, the leader makes it clear that he/she welcomes expressions of concern and disagreement.

There is tremendous power in putting yourself out there among your fiercest skeptics, listening to and honoring their points-of-view, acknowledging their heartfelt concerns, and then responding with the goal of assuaging their fears and inviting them to see things from your perspective.