Leaders In Dangerous Times

Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower brought World War II to a close in decidedly different ways. Was MacArthur a vainglorious actor, as some who observed his triumphant ceremony aboard the Missouri concluded? Was Eisenhower as dry and colorless as the "ceremony" at Reims suggests? In MacArthur and Eisenhower, author Robert McDougall describes how these two very different leaders came to be two of the most important people on earth and what they each did with their fame and leadership potential after the war ended. McDougall details how the careers of both men encompass many of the important events of the first two-thirds of the twentieth century. MacArthur emerges as a brilliant strategist who defeated and rebuilt Japan and saved South Korea, but his egocentric posturing masked the heavy burden he bore aspiring to duplicate the exploits of his illustrious father. Eisenhower comes into focus as a likeable and efficient organizer who always kept his teams working together. He defeated Hitler and, as president, dealt effectively with the numerous challenges of postwar America. Yet, ever the consummate moderate, he may have missed opportunities to reach loftier goals with bold strokes. MacArthur and Eisenhower assesses the leadership styles of these men as they play their roles across the world stage during World War I, the inter-war period, and the Cold War.

"Post is a pioneer in the field of political-personality profiling. He may be the only psychiatrist who has specialized in the self-esteem problems of both Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein."--The New Yorker "Policy specialists and academic scholars have long agreed that for U.S. leaders to deal effectively with other actors in the international arena, they need images of their adversaries. Leaders must try to see events, and, indeed, their own behavior, from the perspective of opponents.... Faulty images are a source of misperceptions and miscalculations that have often led to major errors in policy, avoidable catastrophes, and missed opportunities. History supplies all too many examples."--from the ForewordWhat impels leaders to lead and followers to follow? How did Osama bin Laden, the son of a multibillionaire construction magnate in Saudi Arabia, become the world's number-one terrorist? What are the psychological foundations of man's inhumanity to man, ethnic cleansing, and genocide? Jerrold M. Post contends that such questions can be answered only through an understanding of the psychological foundations of leader personality and political behavior.Post was founding director of the Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior for the CIA. He developed the political personality profiles of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat for President Jimmy Carter's use at the Camp David talks and initiated the U.S. government's research program on the psychology of political terrorism. He was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit in 1979 for his leadership of the center.In this book, he draws on psychological and personality theories, as well as interviews with individual terrorists and those who have interacted with particular leaders, to discuss a range of issues: the effects of illness and age on a leader's political behavior; narcissism and the relationship between followers and a charismatic leader; the impact of crisis-induced stress on policymakers; the mind of the terrorist, with a consideration of "killing in the name of God"; and the need for enemies and the rise of ethnic conflict and terrorism in the post-Cold War environment. The leaders he discusses include Fidel Castro, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong Il, and Slobodan Milosevic.

In an era of sound bites, Smart Leadership for Higher Education in Difficult Times provides an outstanding analysis of the context in which today s colleges and universities operate. The essays are thought provoking, insightful and valuable for preparing our institutions for an uncertain future. Through case studies and personal experience, contributors challenge readers to reflect on our own institutions and re-imagine higher education. Graham B. Spanier, The Pennsylvania State University, US Smart Leadership for Higher Education in Difficult Times makes the case that bridging the time from recession to recovery with typical belt-tightening tactics, without a strategy for fundamental change in the higher education business model, is a formula for failure. Globalization, changing demographics, evolving technology and jobs of the future are only beginning to impact the business of higher education. These trends, combined with the lingering effects of constrained revenue, are the building blocks of a new business environment. Reading this book will jump-start your thinking about how innovation, reorganization, prioritization and strategic investing are necessary for institutional success. John Walda, National Association of College and University Business Officers, US In response to falling state support, limited returns from endowments and increasing costs, colleges and universities have turned to examinations of the mission of higher education and new ways in which its missions can be achieved. Two of the many provocative insights described in this series of papers concern the permanent nature of change in the economic, demographic and competitive environment, and the need for more creativity and innovation. Risa Palm, Georgia State University, US Smart Leadership for Higher Education in Difficult Times offers positive ideas and encouragement from some of the leading thinkers and doers in higher education about how to lead proactively in response to the sobering challenges now facing colleges and universities economic stagnation; the completion imperative; rapid demographic changes; global competition; the stunning pace of technological change; and the tensions among affordability and the stubborn growth in college unit costs. William Zumeta, University of Washington and Association for the Study of Higher Education, US As the US economy emerges from the severest recession in a generation, large questions regarding its long-term ramifications for higher education remain unanswered. In fact, the harshest effects of the economic downturn are likely ahead as campus leadership focuses on enrollment, affordability and fundraising. This volume of essays examines the challenges and opportunities for advancing higher education s core missions of education, research and service in a resource-constrained environment. Many parties will wish to return to the old normal, but fulfilling the mission of higher education will require implementing change in the face of opposition, gaining support from key stakeholders, and maintaining morale in the process. The new normal entails innovating to meet the needs for higher education among a growing population of potential students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom are ill-prepared for a college education and unaware of how to access it, and a population of mid-career students seeking to retool or reinvent themselves for the labor market. The economic success of both individuals and the US economy are directly dependent upon increasing the share of the population receiving a higher education. Chapter authors include college and university presidents and chancellors, and other senior administrators and thought leaders from the higher education community. They provide new and actionable information to enhance decision-making and inform strategic planning as well as a contemporary examination of the business of higher education and areas of potential new research.

The New York Times bestseller by the acclaimed, bestselling author of Start With Why and Together is Better. Now with an expanded chapter and appendix on leading millennials, based on Simon Sinek's viral video "Millenials in the workplace" (150+ million views). Imagine a world where almost everyone wakes up inspired to go to work, feels trusted and valued during the day, then returns home feeling fulfilled. This is not a crazy, idealized notion. Today, in many successful organizations, great leaders create environments in which people naturally work together to do remarkable things. In his work with organizations around the world, Simon Sinek noticed that some teams trust each other so deeply that they would literally put their lives on the line for each other. Other teams, no matter what incentives are offered, are doomed to infighting, fragmentation and failure. Why? The answer became clear during a conversation with a Marine Corps general. "Officers eat last," he said. Sinek watched as the most junior Marines ate first while the most senior Marines took their place at the back of the line. What's symbolic in the chow hall is deadly serious on the battlefield: Great leaders sacrifice their own comfort--even their own survival--for the good of those in their care. Too many workplaces are driven by cynicism, paranoia, and self-interest. But the best ones foster trust and cooperation because their leaders build what Sinek calls a "Circle of Safety" that separates the security inside the team from the challenges outside. Sinek illustrates his ideas with fascinating true stories that range from the military to big business, from government to investment banking.

Offering the wisdom of practitioners from the military, law enforcement, fire and rescue, as well as prominent scholars this guide integrates theory and research with practical experience to help the reader prepare for the unique psychological, social, and physical challenges of leading in dangerous contexts. Whether a young soldier preparing for war, seasoned combat commander, SWAT team leader, EMT supervisor, law enforcement patrol unit leader, or fire department lieutenant, those involved in life-and-death situations face common challenges, and the authors draw on their own experiences and that of others to help first responders effectively function in dangerous environments.

In this sequel we offer the insights from 16 leaders whose leadership shone brightly in difficult times.

'A marvellous banquet with four leaders whose lives provide lessons for all. Pull up a chair' Warren Buffett 'It is a safe bet that Leadership will soon sit on the nightstand of every chief executive officer in the land and will be avidly read by the legion of ambitious young people who want their jobs' Niall Ferguson, Sunday Times In this culmination of five decades of work, Doris Kearns Goodwin offers an illuminating exploration of the origin, growth and exercise of leadership through the lives of four US presidents Are leaders born or made? How does adversity affect the growth of leadership? Does the man make the times or do the times make the man? In Leadership, acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin looks at four presidents - Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson - to show how they first recognized leadership qualities within themselves, and were recognized as leaders by others. By looking at their entry into public life and how they confronted the dilemmas of their times, we can follow their development into leaders of their time. These stories of leadership in fractured times take on a singular urgency in today's polarized world and provide a much-needed roadmap for aspiring and established leaders. 'Colourful, fun and illuminating . . . a master storyteller' Daniel Finkelstein, The Times