Doris Kearns Goodwin is a best-selling author who specializes in presidential history. Additionally, her writing on leadership often informs and provokes thought.
She spent decades investigating how presidents become authentic leaders during some of the most trying periods in American history. Her latest book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, examines Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson as examples.
Abraham Lincoln
Goodwin’s first part of her book details each president’s formative experiences as they began to recognize their leadership potential. Lincoln, an untaught lawyer who earned his first dollar ferrying people across the Ohio River on a raft he constructed himself, found leadership opportunities by being asked by members of his New Salem community to run for state legislative positions. Teddy Roosevelt was so opposed to corruption in public office that his own abhorrence of public office led him to join both New York City council and later state assembly as a result.
Goodwin also examines the characteristics that distinguish successful leaders, like Abraham Lincoln. One characteristic he displayed was perseverance despite seemingly losing out; historians suggest this wasn’t motivated by superior morality but instead an innate determination to see things through. Lincoln demonstrated this commitment when telling his generals during the Civil War to focus on military objectives while leaving politics up to him.
Lincoln taught leaders an important lesson: they need to surround themselves with people who will challenge and stretch them, helping them develop as individuals. A team should include those willing to take on challenging jobs as well as diverse viewpoints – something Lincoln was cognizant of when realising he lacked the ability to lead his army himself; therefore bringing in top generals with the battle plans was his solution.
Lincoln was known to always meet the needs of others throughout his life. For instance, there was usually a line waiting outside his office who wanted something from him; this demonstrated both his humility and ability to connect with people.
Goodwin holds a fundamental belief that individuals play a crucial role in historical events and that leadership decisions have significant ramifications, which informs her analysis. This belief pervades her writing and makes her books so engaging. At a time of increased polarization, Goodwin’s insights about historic leadership in difficult periods resonate deeply.
Theodore Roosevelt
Goodwin draws upon her years of acclaimed studies to investigate the leadership styles of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson – four presidents who faced unprecedented difficulties during their respective terms in office: Civil War with seven states poised to secede; industrial and business disputes which threatened national prosperity; assassinated predecessor’s legislative agendas that needed addressing; etc.
Despite these trials, each of the four men displayed key qualities for success: humility, empathy, resilience and self-awareness. For instance, Theodore Roosevelt believed he lacked any special talents or abilities at birth; yet through perseverance and hard work his leadership abilities advanced rapidly over time.
President Teddy Roosevelt also had an exceptional understanding of everyday citizens’ lives, having personally explored tenement housing and served as police commissioner in New York City. He appreciated that people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds could share similar values and aspirations, leading him to support progressive policies which increased American naval strength while pushing for construction of Panama Canal.
While Roosevelt was widely beloved, his second term as president was marred by political turmoil and ultimately led him to opt out of running again for office. Yet Roosevelt remained an effective leader as he never lost sight of the importance of tasks at hand and continued working tirelessly on behalf of constituents and country.
Overall, this book provides an engaging and instructive read that can teach us valuable lessons for both our personal and professional lives. With increasing political and economic uncertainty worldwide, revisiting this book to gain leadership insights can serve as a reminder that leading in difficult circumstances requires courage and conviction.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
No matter the sector or environment, leadership skills are an integral component of success. Doris Kearns Goodwin has dedicated decades to the study of presidential leadership skills development; her work includes profiling Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson among many others – learning lessons from their lives while teaching lessons to others through Leadership in Turbulent Times (her 2018 book). Her observations in the book identify strengths, habits and behaviors developed during times ranging from Civil War and Depression through Vietnam to postwar Korea that were vital in maintaining leadership during difficult times in their nation’s history – helping their nation survive through some difficult years – that allowed them to lead their nation successfully during turbulent times!
As author of a multipart HISTORY Channel series on American presidents, Goodwin uses her extensive knowledge of each president’s personality and circumstances to offer insightful analysis without resorting to cliches or hackneyed platitudes disguised as insights. She shows how each president became a leader by accomplishing goals and surmounting obstacles; acknowledging that no two leaders began with identical circumstances or ambitions.
FDR used his advisors’ talents to bring his ideas to life. For instance, his inaugural speech went through multiple drafts with aid rearranging phrases and rewriting paragraphs as needed; FDR understood the value of having an engaging opening line and an inspiring vision statement.
He welcomed change and used the presidency as a vehicle for reform, using New Deal programs to bring about economic recovery, renewed international engagement and establish the federal government as a dominant player across many aspects of national life.
FDR was committed to social justice and equality during his term in office, passing civil rights laws, fighting for economic reform and making social security and Medicare cornerstones of the Great Society. His legacy remains as one of our nation’s most productive and transformative periods in history; his dedication was unwavering. FDR’s ability to reach out and connect with people was unparalleled – his boundless optimism served as an exemplar for leaders everywhere.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Doris Kearns Goodwin’s work as an historian of American politics is unmatched; her analysis makes sense of an often confusing national narrative through four presidents studied. Her 2018 book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, examines their qualities of leadership during America’s most challenging periods in history.
Goodwin demonstrated in her class that while there is no single solution to effective leadership, each president had certain qualities and habits they developed that helped them become genuine leaders during some of America’s most turbulent periods. One such trait is humility; Goodwin believes this quality enables leaders to understand people from diverse backgrounds, regions or races and address their needs and concerns effectively – as evidenced by Teddy Roosevelt touring tenement housing, which gave him insight into how other Americans lived their lives.
Goodwin identified empathy as an essential trait of effective leaders, which she defined as being able to sense and share others’ emotions. She highlighted how this ability is particularly crucial in our globalised world today. Self-awareness was also noted as being vital, with FDR realizing his failures during World War II as being a pivotal moment of his presidency.
Goodwin stresses the significance of working collaboratively with other leaders. She cites FDR and Harry Truman’s close working relationship during FDR’s administration of the New Deal as an example, which proved crucial during times such as Great Depression. Goodwin further details how FDR and LBJ collaborated for success of programs like Medicare and Medicaid under their Great Society initiative; yet due to his presidency’s disintegration during Vietnam War this assessment may be challenged by some readers.
