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teriboop's review against another edition
5.0
Doris Kearns Goodwin profiles four past presidents who endured tumultuous times during their administrations. Abraham Lincoln had to work through warring factions in the US to see the Emancipation Proclamation become law. Teddy Roosevelt had to deal with a miners strike. FDR took over the country during the depression, seeing multiple programs and projects instituted for his New Deal to come to fruition to stabilize the country's economy. Lyndon Baines Johnson took over as president when the nation lost JFK to an assassin's bullet. He worked hard to see Civil Rights legislation passed during a tumultuous time in our history. All four men had specific leadership qualities that allowed them to persevere through trials and tribulations during their administrations to achieve major goals in moving our country forward. Are these qualities learned or ingrained in these men? They all had uphill battles throughout their lives and their learned experiences in life certainly contributed to their leadership styles.
Goodwin looks at the lives of these men in three sections. The first section covers their young lives and leadership traits they developed before their foray into politics. The second section described some of the hardships they endured in life and their uphill battle getting into politics. The final section covers a specific case study for each president: Emancipation Proclamation, miner's strike, New Deal programs, and Civil Rights legislation. For each president, Goodwin details the leadership qualities that helped these men persevere through turbulent times to become great leaders.
I enjoy Goodwin's writing and how she analyzed each president and their leadership qualities. They were not perfect men, so she did show some of their flaws. In the final chapters, she focused on specific case studies that showed these qualities and the strengths of each man. She did not go into other issues that the presidents dealt with, outside of a brief discussion on the Vietnam war. That seemed a little out of place. I liked how Goodwin focused on one aspect of each man to really show what makes a person a great leader.
Goodwin looks at the lives of these men in three sections. The first section covers their young lives and leadership traits they developed before their foray into politics. The second section described some of the hardships they endured in life and their uphill battle getting into politics. The final section covers a specific case study for each president: Emancipation Proclamation, miner's strike, New Deal programs, and Civil Rights legislation. For each president, Goodwin details the leadership qualities that helped these men persevere through turbulent times to become great leaders.
I enjoy Goodwin's writing and how she analyzed each president and their leadership qualities. They were not perfect men, so she did show some of their flaws. In the final chapters, she focused on specific case studies that showed these qualities and the strengths of each man. She did not go into other issues that the presidents dealt with, outside of a brief discussion on the Vietnam war. That seemed a little out of place. I liked how Goodwin focused on one aspect of each man to really show what makes a person a great leader.
lwalker77's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable examination of four presidents who led during trying times in our nations history. The presidents were Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR and LBJ. If you like presidential history you will enjoy this book.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2018 staff favorite recommended by Rob. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Shistory%20in%20turbulent%20times%20goodwin__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
tonypitt's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've read in a long time. Highly recommend.
carolynmorgan's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Very good. I learned a lot about these Presidents as I listened to this audibook. I would recommend reading this over listening. It moved fast, and was tricky to really note and recall the leadership principles discussed when only listening to the book.
shoshin's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.75
A methodical and enlightening exploration of what it means to be a leader in difficult times. Kearns Godwin unflinchingly examines where these four men excelled and where they failed. She certainly brings to the fore the toll the presidency can take on a person as well. The only thing that could have made this a better book would have been to partner with a psychologist or a political scientist to get a view of these people and events from another discipline.
mikegray6's review against another edition
4.0
Very solid history of 4 incredible presidents accompanied by extremely valuable leadership principles and lessons from each.
(Headers below for reference later)
Abraham Lincoln:
Acknowledge when failed policies demand a change in direction
Gather firsthand information, ask questions
Find time and space in which to think
Exhaust all possibility of compromise before unilateral executive power
Anticipate contending viewpoints
Assume full responsibility for a pivotal decision
Understand the emotional needs of each member of the team
Refuse to let past resentments fester
Set a standard of mutual respect and dignity, control anger
Shield colleagues from blame
Maintain perspective in the face of both accolades and abuse
Find ways to cope with pressure, maintain balance, and replenish energy (was theatre for him)
Keep your word
Know when to hold back and when to move forward
Combine transactional and transformational leadership
Be accessible, easy to approach
Put ambition for the collective interest above self-interest
Theodore Roosevelt:
Calculate risks of getting involved
Secure a reliable understanding of the facts, causes, and conditions of the situation
Remain uncommitted in the early stages
Use history to provide perspective
Be ready to grapple with reversals, abrupt intrusions can unravel all plans
Reevaluate options; be ready to adapt as a situation escalates
Be visible. Cultivate public support among those directly affected by the crisis
Clear the deck to focus with single-mindedness on the crisis
Assemble a crisis management team
Frame the narrative
Keep temper in check
Document proceedings each step of the way
Control the message in the press
Find ways to relieve stress
Be ready with multiple strategies, prepare contingent moves
Don’t hit unless you have to, but when you hit, hit hard
Find ways to save face
Share credit for the successful resolution
Leave a record behind for the future
Franklin D. Roosevelt:
Draw an immediate sharp line of demarcation between what has gone before adn what is about to begin
Restore confidence to the spirit and morale of the people. Strike the right balance of realism and optimism
Infuse a sense of shared purpose and direction
Tell people what they can expect and what is expected of them
Lead by example
Forge a team aligned with action and change
Create a gathering pause, a window of time
Bring all stakeholders aboard
Set a deadline and drive full-bore to meet it
Set forth and maintain clear-cut ground rules with the press
Tell the story simply, directly to the people
Address systemic problems. Launch lasting reforms
Be open to experiment. Design flexible systems to deal with new problems
Stimulate competition and debate. Encourage creativity
Open channels of unfiltered information to supplement and challenge official sources
Adapt. Be ready to change course quickly when necessary
Lyndon B. Johnson:
Make a dramatic start
Lead with your strengths
Simplify the agenda
Establish the most effective order of battle
Honor commitments
Drive, drive, drive
Master the power of the narrative
Rally support around a strategic target
Draw a clear line of battle
Impose discipline in the ranks
Identify the key to success. Put ego aside
Take the measure of the man
Set forth a compelling picture of the future
The readiness is all
Give stakeholders a chance to shape measures from the start
Know when to hold back, when to move forward
Let celebrations honor the past and provide momentum for the future
(Headers below for reference later)
Abraham Lincoln:
Acknowledge when failed policies demand a change in direction
Gather firsthand information, ask questions
Find time and space in which to think
Exhaust all possibility of compromise before unilateral executive power
Anticipate contending viewpoints
Assume full responsibility for a pivotal decision
Understand the emotional needs of each member of the team
Refuse to let past resentments fester
Set a standard of mutual respect and dignity, control anger
Shield colleagues from blame
Maintain perspective in the face of both accolades and abuse
Find ways to cope with pressure, maintain balance, and replenish energy (was theatre for him)
Keep your word
Know when to hold back and when to move forward
Combine transactional and transformational leadership
Be accessible, easy to approach
Put ambition for the collective interest above self-interest
Theodore Roosevelt:
Calculate risks of getting involved
Secure a reliable understanding of the facts, causes, and conditions of the situation
Remain uncommitted in the early stages
Use history to provide perspective
Be ready to grapple with reversals, abrupt intrusions can unravel all plans
Reevaluate options; be ready to adapt as a situation escalates
Be visible. Cultivate public support among those directly affected by the crisis
Clear the deck to focus with single-mindedness on the crisis
Assemble a crisis management team
Frame the narrative
Keep temper in check
Document proceedings each step of the way
Control the message in the press
Find ways to relieve stress
Be ready with multiple strategies, prepare contingent moves
Don’t hit unless you have to, but when you hit, hit hard
Find ways to save face
Share credit for the successful resolution
Leave a record behind for the future
Franklin D. Roosevelt:
Draw an immediate sharp line of demarcation between what has gone before adn what is about to begin
Restore confidence to the spirit and morale of the people. Strike the right balance of realism and optimism
Infuse a sense of shared purpose and direction
Tell people what they can expect and what is expected of them
Lead by example
Forge a team aligned with action and change
Create a gathering pause, a window of time
Bring all stakeholders aboard
Set a deadline and drive full-bore to meet it
Set forth and maintain clear-cut ground rules with the press
Tell the story simply, directly to the people
Address systemic problems. Launch lasting reforms
Be open to experiment. Design flexible systems to deal with new problems
Stimulate competition and debate. Encourage creativity
Open channels of unfiltered information to supplement and challenge official sources
Adapt. Be ready to change course quickly when necessary
Lyndon B. Johnson:
Make a dramatic start
Lead with your strengths
Simplify the agenda
Establish the most effective order of battle
Honor commitments
Drive, drive, drive
Master the power of the narrative
Rally support around a strategic target
Draw a clear line of battle
Impose discipline in the ranks
Identify the key to success. Put ego aside
Take the measure of the man
Set forth a compelling picture of the future
The readiness is all
Give stakeholders a chance to shape measures from the start
Know when to hold back, when to move forward
Let celebrations honor the past and provide momentum for the future