Book Review: Leadership in Turbulent Times

by fljustice | Feb 11, 2019 | Biographies, Books, Reviews

Leadership in Turbulent Times

by

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Blurb:

“In Leadership in Turbulent Times, Goodwin draws upon the four presidents she has studied most closely—Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson—to show how they recognized leadership qualities within themselves and were recognized as leaders by others. No common pattern describes the trajectory of leadership. Although set apart in background, abilities, and temperament, these men shared a fierce ambition and a deep-seated resilience that enabled them to surmount uncommon hardships. At their best, all four were guided by a sense of moral purpose. At moments of great challenge, they were able to summon their talents to enlarge the opportunities and lives of others.”

My Review

I really looked forward to this book. I’ve studied leadership—not at the presidential level, but I have worked with several Fortune 50 CEOs and dozens of executives in my professional career. I also taught leadership and change management to ambitious young managers in MBA courses. Effective leadership is key to a company/country’s ability to survive and thrive. In addition, I’ve had an abiding interest in the lives of Lincoln; and Teddy, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt and have read several biographies about them. Although I’ve seen Doris Kearns Goodwin on TV frequently, the only one of her books I’d read previously was Team of Rivals, an 890-page tome about Lincoln’s time in office, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So I looked at Leadership in Turbulent Times from two perspectives: Was it good history/biography? Was it good leadership analysis?

My answer to both questions (with one caveat) is “Yes!” (more…)