I'm upper middle class, white, atheist DINK living in a blue city.
Exactly the kind of demographic that Sarah is supposedly turning off.
However. My dad was at one time a hotshot military officer. He left me with these principles of leadership:
Honor. Many, many times, people take ethical shortcuts, and at times it will even seem that doing the right thing is a sucker's bet. Do not go down that path. People will notice. Stay true to your obligations, not to cliques.
Courage. Do not bend under pressure from others, especially when your reports are involved. Stand up for yourself and your reports, always, and your reports will respect and seek to emulate you.
Duty. Deliver what you promise to deliver. You make the promise, and if you cannot fulfill it, you have no one else to blame but yourself.
Passion. Not to be confused with being emotional. Don't go into "politics". Don't lose sight of the goals.
All these things are beautifully modeled in Sarah Palin. Go Sarah!