Leadership: In Turbulent Times Kindle Edition

I read this book when it was first published and recently re-read it after viewing a series of components of Doris Kearns Goodwin's briliant MasterClass, "U.S. Presidential History and Leadership."Her focus in the book is on four presidents -- Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, and LBJ -- and three separate but related, indeed interdependent themes: Ambition and the Recognition of Leadership, Adversity and Growth, and The Leader and the Times: How They Led. Each theme is uniquely relevant to each of the four presidents.Goodwin had completed wide and deep research prior to writing a previous book about each of the four. Having done so, she then embarked on additional research "through the exclusive lens of leadership. I felt as if I were meeting them anew. There was much to learn as the elusive theme of leadership assumed center stage...I returned to fundamental questions I had not asked so openly since my days of college and graduate school."This more recent research was driven by questions such as these:Are leaders born or made?Where does ambition come from?How does adversity affect the growth of leadership?Do the times make the leader or does the leader shape the times?Is leadership possible without a purpose larger than personal ambition?How can a leader infuse a sense of purpose and meaning into people's lives?What is the difference between power, title, and leadership?The answers to these and other questions guide and inform the narrative in Leadership in Turbulent Times. What we have, in essence, are case studies of four quite different leaders." Three achieved greatness, one aspired to with mixed results, but all four struggled within what I view as a crucible.In or near the downtown area of most cities, there is a farmer's market at which -- at least until recently -- several merchants offer slices of fresh fruit as samples of their wares. In that same spirit, I now offer these brief excerpts:o On LIncoln: "In the great convergence of the man and his times, Lincoln had driven, guided, and inspired his cabinet, Army, and his countrymen. 'Fellow citizens, we cannot shape history,' he told the Congress a month before he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. 'The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation....In [begin italics] giving [end italics] freedom to the slave, we [begin italics] assure [end italics] freedom to the [begin italics] free [end italics] -- honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.'"It was through the language of his leadership that a moral purpose and meaning was imprinted upon the protracted misery of the Civil War. So surely did LIncoln midwife this process of social transformation that we look back at the United States [begin italics] before [end italics] Abraham Lincoln and [begin italics] after [end italics] him." (Pages 241-242)o On Theodore Roosevelt: His leadership "during the experimental resolution of that crisis [i.e. 'the rampart consolidation of corporate wealth that had developed in the wake of the Industrial Revolution'] would prove to be the dawn of a new era. Under the banner of his Square Deal, a mood of progressive reform swept the country, creating a new vision of the relationship between labor and capital, between government and the people. As he explained to his friend Bill Sewall of Maine, 'Now I believe in rich people who act squarely, and in labor unions which are managed with wisdom and justice; but when either employee or employer, laboring man or capitalist, goes wrong, I have to clinch him, and that is all there is to it." (272)o On FDR: "Roosevelt's gift of communication proved the vital instrument of his success in developing a common mission, clarifying problems, mobilizing action, and earning the people's trust. His faith never foundered that if the people 'were taken into the confidence of their government and received a full and truthful statement of what was happening, they would generally choose the right course.' This reciprocal connection between Roosevelt and the people he served lay at the heart of his leadership."Indeed, if ever an argument can be made for the inclusive importance of the character and intelligence of the leader in fraught times, at home and abroad, it will come to rest on the broad shoulders of Franklin Delano Roosevelt." (305)o On LBJ: "When North Vietnam expressed a willingness to come to the table, Johnson's popularity soared. In a matter of weeks, Congress passed both the tax surcharge and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, known as the Fair Housing Act. With this housing bill, Johnson proudly noted, 'the voice of justice speaks again.' For a time, the president looked and acted, one journalist noted, 'like a man who had just invented peace of mind, peace of soul, or both.' Johnson's euphoria did not last. The initial flurry of peace talks petered out. The war that had ravaged both Vietnam and America continued its ruinous course. The fault line through Johnson's presidency would split his legacy and haunt him for the rest of his life." (343)Of greatest interest and value to me is Doris Kearns Goodwin's explanation of Lincoln's unique greatness: how and why he "grew, and continued to grow, into a leader who became so powerfully fused with the problems tearing his country apart that his desire to lead and his need to serve coalesced into a single indomitable force. That force not only enriched subsequent leaders but has provided our people with a moral compass to guide us. Such leadership offers us humanity, purpose, and wisdom, not in turbulent times alone, but also in our everyday lives." (368)Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out four of her earlier works: Team of Rivals, The Bully Pulpit, No Ordinary Times, and Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. Also, Nancy Koehn's Forged in Crisis: The Making of Five Courageous Leaders.

I bought the paperback version, the one with the title and the author’s name on the deep blue cover. The font is very small and the printing very light. After a few pages, I almost decided not to continue, if not for the attractive writing style of the author. I am glad I finish the book, but I hope that the 368 pages of texts in small and light print did not do any harm to my eyesight.The author, a Harvard person, spent her internship at President Lyndon Johnson’s White House. At the end of his Presidency, Johnson asked her to help him with writing his memoir. This was remarkable, as Johnson was of the opinion that “All the historians are Harvard people. It just isn’t fair. Poor old Hoover from West Branch, Iowa, and had no chance with that crowd…..Nor does Lyndon Johnson from Stonewall, Texas.”The book is an account of how four US Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt (TR), Franklin Roosevelt (FDR), and Lyndon Johnson (LBJ), led the country through the turbulent times of the Emancipation Proclamation, Coal Strike, The New Deal and Civil Rights.The organization of the book is somewhat unusual. Instead of finishing the story of one President at a time, it is divided into three parts, each about different aspects of the four Presidents. Part I, entitled “Ambition and the Recognition of Leadership”, is concerned with the early lives and experiences. Part II, entitled “Adversity and Growth”, narrates how each President reacted to the major adversity fate befallen on them. Part III is entitled "The Leader and the Times: How they led." Here, the stories of the turbulent times and the leadership skills each displayed in guiding the country through the turbulences are told with great skill.While the historical events described in Part III are known, in general contours if not in detail, to anyone with some acquaintance of US history, Part I, dealing with the young and formative years of the four Presidents, contains a rich collection of interesting episodes and insights. Both Lincoln and TR loved reading. While Lincoln had to walk miles to borrow a book from the local library, TR’s rich father could get a book to his hands a day after he requested it. TR had very poor health, and his father built a gym in the house for him to exercise to build up his body strength and health. FDR was an avid stamp collector, and LBJ coached the school debate team from no standing to championships. FDR’s mom said she never thought her son can be President. LBJ told his college roommate when he took a job mopping floor in the hallway outside the college president’s office, “The way you get ahead in the world, you get close to those that are the heads of things,” When LBJ was elected to the House of Representatives, he did manage to get close to President FDR.While each President’s upbringing and growth from adversity are fascinating, the most interesting and colorful personality that emerges from these pages is that of TR. From a sick boy who had difficulty breathing during an asthma attack, he became an assemblyman, cowboy, civil service commissioner, police commissioner, assistant secretary of the navy, governor, vice President, and President. He volunteered to enlist in the Army and fought in the Mexican-American War in 1898. He led the Rough Riders to battle in Cuba, exhibiting great courage and leadership during the Battle of Kettie Hill. Due to Army politics, it was not until 2001 that TR was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery. He was the only one among the four who had combat experience. He coined the phrase “Speak softly and carry a big stick”, which should be good advice for anyone engaged in diplomacy.In Part III of the book, how each President navigated the turbulent times are narrated in detail: Emancipation Proclamation (Lincoln), the Coal Strike (TR), The New Deal (FDR), and Civil Rights (LBJ). The author skillfully relates the various leadership principles and actions employed to the actual events.The book concludes with an Epilogue, entitled “On Death and Remembrance”, a moving account of the final days of the four Presidents. Among the memorable tributes were the words reported by the New York Times when FDR died: “in the streets of every American town, strangers stopped to commiserate with one another. Over and over again one heard the same lament: ‘We have lost our friend.’”In summary, a well written and unusual book linking leadership principles and several turbulent periods of American history.

Pulitzer-prize winning Doris Kearns Goodwin does it again!With writing so elegant it practically leaps off the page.And it's interesting to learn that great leaders did not result from the easy life. Even when there was great wealth available (the 2 Roosevelts) there was great suffering -- Teddy's loss of family (his wife and mother died on the very same day) and Franklin's polio. Lincoln overcame abject poverty while Johnson had a hard scrabble beginning.But these fierce souls prevailed and went on to make a difference for themselves, their families, and their country.If you're a history buff, you will enjoy this book!

This book is rich in information about how 4 US presidents became leaders, their qualities (shared and distinct), how each has dealt with their own life issues (how they practiced resilience) and how they lead the country forward.The book is written in easy to read sentences and detailed descriptions of how each president has lead.There are 713 pages that are what the book is about. The remaining pages cover notes and references to other books which were used to source the information.I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who is passionate about history and leadership.

I bought this in hardback for my wife who had seen the authors promotional interview on TV.It must be good as she hasn’t put it down!Fast secure delivery.

Fascinating read - recommended for all aspiring leaders, whatever the field.

a motivational and amazing book to read, so much to learn

Renowned author Doris Kearns Goodwin has written best-selling biographies of Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson, the last-named of which she worked for and helped to write his autobiography. In her most recent work Leadership in Turbulent Times, she compares and contrasts the leadership qualities and styles of the four iconic chief executives, in a comprehensive examination of how each of the four prepared for and confronted the challenges that each were faced with as president and how each developed and implemented his vision of a better America as president.The book is divided into three sections which contain alternating chapters on each of the four in chronological order of their presidencies. The first section, entitled "Ambition and the Recognition of Leadership" looks at the paths each of the four men took to rise to positions of leadership, in some cases from humble beginnings, in others aided by wealth and family connections. In the second section "Adversity and Growth", she examines the early political career of her four subjects and how each overcame some personal challenge to rise to national prominence. In Lincoln's case it was his rise from poverty and his struggles with depression. Theodore Roosevelt overcame poor health as a child and the deaths of his beloved mother and his wife on the same day. A formerly robust Franklin Roosevelt was stricken with polio at a time when it was presumed that a "cripple" had no political future. For Johnson, the author concedes that some of the challenges were less daunting (a loss in a senate race) but she examines how this and a subsequent heart attack subjectively presented formidable obstacles for the ambitious Texan.The third section of the book details how each confronted the challenging issues of their times and examines some of the qualities that each possessed in order to face those challenges. The challenges are especially apparent in the cases of Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt who came into office at a time when the nation was in big trouble (secession in Lincoln's case, the Great Depression for FDR) while for TR and Johnson, leadership was a matter of implementing their respective visions of a better life for those less fortunate in their nation. For Theodore Roosevelt, Goodwin examines his expansion of the powers of the presidency as a means of caring for the working class and for the less fortunate through his "Square Deal" while Johnson achieved considerable progress in the advancement of civil rights and in bringing about his vision of the "Great Society." The book concludes with an epilogue which examines the final days of the four, two of whom died in office and two who had different forms of "retirement."It is apparent that Goodwin is closest to Johnson and she references her time working for him. She presents as fair in her assessment of her former boss, giving praise for his skillful handling of Congress in bringing about long-overdue progress in the field of civil rights, and criticism for his failure in Vietnam.For those who had read the author's previous works, this will be a refresher, focusing on the most interesting parts of these subjects' lives. For those who have not read Team of Rivals, the Bully Pulpit, No Ordinary Time, or Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, this book provides an excellent encapsulation of four unique figures in American history. What many may find lacking is a summary of the important leadership qualities that can be wrung from these lives, although these lessons are there to be found by the discerning reader and student of history.