{"id":71235,"date":"2022-07-04T10:02:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T14:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=71235"},"modified":"2022-07-12T11:31:03","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T15:31:03","slug":"leadership-doris-kearns-goodwin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/leadership-doris-kearns-goodwin\/","title":{"rendered":"Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times<\/em> about? What is the key message to take away from the book? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Leadership: In Turbulent Times<\/em>, Doris Kearns Goodwin describes the personal crises of four U.S. presidents\u2014Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), and Lyndon B. Johnson. Specifically, she discusses how these experiences affected their leadership through four different national crises: the Civil War, the coal strike of 1902, the Great Depression<\/a>, and the civil rights movement<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a brief overview of Leadership: In Turbulent Times<\/em> by Doris Kearns Goodwin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Leadership: In Turbulent Times<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Why did a career setback lead Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation? How did a family tragedy help Theodore Roosevelt end a coal strike that threatened the lives of thousands? Why did Franklin Delano Roosevelt\u2019s polio diagnosis end up helping him lead the country through the Great Depression\u2014and how was Lyndon B. Johnson\u2019s heart attack instrumental to the civil rights movement? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times<\/em> shows how great leaders often grow from personal challenges that shape how they lead later on using America’s greatest leaders as real-world examples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abraham Lincoln and Why He Freed the Slaves<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Abraham Lincoln, who was president from 1861 to 1865, inherited a nation in crisis, writes Goodwin. By his inauguration, seven Southern states had seceded from the Union, and his own party was divided: Should they try to keep the slave states in the Union, or had the time for compromise ended?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Goodwin doesn\u2019t outright state why<\/em> Southern states seceded after Lincoln\u2019s election, a point of contention in Lincoln\u2019s time<\/a> and one that remains controversial today<\/a>. A 2011 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 38% of Americans believe that states mainly seceded because they wanted to continue practicing slavery<\/a>, while 48% believe that they did so over states\u2019 rights.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Lincoln wanted to ensure the Union\u2019s survival, he ultimately chose not to compromise, asserts Goodwin. His decision to free the slaves by issuing the Emancipation Proclamation marked a turning point in the Civil War\u2014one that definitively transformed the North\u2019s war effort into one predicated on the abolition of slavery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Modern historians aren\u2019t the only ones who view the Emancipation Proclamation as a shift in the goal of the Civil War from keeping the Union together to abolishing slavery: Foreign governments in Lincoln\u2019s time thought so, too<\/a>. Historians note that prior to the Emancipation Proclamation, some European countries considered supporting the Confederacy. Afterwards, they refused because they didn\u2019t want to support slavery.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how did he come to this decision? Goodwin suggests that it was only possible due to Lincoln\u2019s intellectual rigor and his ability to persuade others\u2014both of which he learned during his personal crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Lincoln Overcame His Crisis<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin explains that Lincoln\u2019s personal crisis stemmed from several political setbacks in his early career that prevented him from fulfilling campaign promises he\u2019d made to his constituents. Lincoln saw these failures as a breach of integrity\u2014a trait Lincoln prized highly\u2014and thus a stain on his character. As such, these failures affected Lincoln deeply. At one point, he became so depressed that he was bedridden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Goodwin argues, these failures were a blessing in disguise: They led Lincoln to reassess his political career and realize that, despite his desire to become president, he didn\u2019t yet possess the necessary leadership qualities to excel at the job. In response, Lincoln embarked on a journey of self-improvement in two main ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, Lincoln chose to study every important topic he could get books on, such as history and philosophy, in an effort to grow intellectually and morally. In this way, he refined his intellectual skills by learning classical logic and philosophical thinking\u2014and he applied these new skills to the prevailing issue of the day: the expansion of slavery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Lincoln focused on doing his best at the job he did<\/em> have\u2014his career as a lawyer. In doing so, he learned to simplify complex topics and get his audience (in this case, jurors) on his side. These persuasive skills were on full display in an 1854 speech, which his contemporaries lauded as one of the best arguments against the expansion of slavery they\u2019d ever heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Lincoln\u2019s Crisis Affected His Leadership<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that Lincoln\u2019s intellectual skills and his ability to persuade others affected his decision to release the Emancipation Proclamation in two main ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, Goodwin argues that the intellectual skills Lincoln developed during his personal crisis were critical to his decision to release the Emancipation Proclamation. Although he viewed slavery as a moral abomination, Lincoln didn\u2019t initially set out to free the slaves; he didn\u2019t initially think that presidents had that legal power. So what led him to change his mind? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin argues that Lincoln changed his mind because he applied the critical thinking skills he\u2019d developed during his personal crisis. Lincoln spent a lot of time thinking about how he could end the war quickly and reunite the states. Thanks to this process, Lincoln realized that abolishing slavery wasn\u2019t just a moral choice\u2014it was also a strategic move that would cripple the Confederate war effort and thus fell within the wartime powers legally granted to the president. In this way, the intellectual skills Lincoln refined during his crisis allowed him to see the loophole that let him release the Emancipation Proclamation.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Goodwin argues that Lincoln was only able to convince his cabinet of the need to release the Emancipation Proclamation due to his skill of persuasion. Since Lincoln wanted to save the Union, he selected the most capable men in the country to be in his cabinet\u2014despite the fact that many were rivals of his with drastically different views on slavery. But thanks to Lincoln\u2019s understanding of the issue and his ability to address all their concerns, he could persuade each of them to support his signing of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In her 2005 book Team of Rivals<\/em><\/a>, Goodwin goes into greater detail on each member of Lincoln\u2019s cabinet, explaining why they disliked not just him, but each other\u2014and why many of them eventually grew into ardent admirers of Lincoln. However, despite Lincoln\u2019s successes, his team of rivals didn\u2019t survive his entire presidency<\/a>: Notably, Salmon P. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, never fully supported Lincoln and ultimately resigned in 1864.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theodore Roosevelt and How He Learned to Act<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin argues that like Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, who led the country from 1901 to 1909, struggled with the limits of presidential power and ultimately expanded it in a major way: He was the first president to ever settle a labor dispute. He was instrumental during the coal strike of 1902, when coal miners and mine owners faced off in a months-long strike that threatened to plunge the nation into crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Following the precedent Roosevelt set, several later American presidents also got involved in labor disputes<\/a>. However, these interventions weren\u2019t always as well-received as Roosevelt\u2019s. Notably, during the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman determined that striking steelworkers were damaging the war effort and seized steel mills\u2014a move the Supreme Court later declared unconstitutional.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that Roosevelt\u2019s decision to intervene during this strike is evidence of courage and a bias towards action\u2014both of which he developed after experiencing his own personal crisis. In this section, we\u2019ll examine how he developed these qualities and why they were essential to how he handled the coal strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Roosevelt\u2019s Crisis Taught Him to Act<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin explains that Roosevelt\u2019s crisis began in February 1884, when both his wife and mother died on the same day. This personal crisis quickly expanded into a professional one: Roosevelt tried to deal with his tragedy by diving into his work as a New York state assemblyman, but his bullish methods of pushing laws quickly alienated his colleagues, leading Roosevelt to leave the legislature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Roosevelt chose<\/em> to deal with his grief by returning to work, but many modern Americans are forced <\/em>to return to work while in the throes of grief because they have only a few days of bereavement leave. If you\u2019re facing this situation, you can ensure that, unlike Roosevelt, you remain productive and can relate positively to your colleagues by following experts\u2019 tips for returning to work while grieving<\/a>, like taking regular breaks and setting boundaries<\/a> regarding what you\u2019ll discuss with colleagues.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, Goodwin argues, Roosevelt made two moves\u2014the first of which led him to develop the courage he\u2019d demonstrate during the later coal strike of 1902. Goodwin explains that Roosevelt embarked on a journey of healing by spending two years at a North Dakota ranch. This was both a physical and spiritual journey. Roosevelt was never a physically gifted man, but he regularly exposed himself to physical challenges at the ranch. He was often afraid of these physical challenges\u2014but by repeatedly facing them anyway, he learned to be brave and not let fear stop him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: According to High Performance Habits<\/em><\/a> <\/em>author Brendon Burchard, there are four types of courage<\/a>. By exposing himself to physical challenges, Roosevelt developed psychological courage, which is when you overcome a personal fear or anxiety and grow. The other three types of courage are physical courage (when you put yourself in physical danger for a worthy cause), moral courage (when you stand up for your beliefs<\/a> in the face of adversity), and everyday courage (when you maintain positivity in the face of uncertainty).)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that Roosevelt\u2019s second move\u2014or rather, moves\u2014demonstrates Roosevelt\u2019s newfound willingness to act when you can because you may never get another chance. Goodwin argues that, prior to his personal crisis, Roosevelt had a plan: He wanted to become president, and he was willing to bide his time and wait for the next move that would get him there. But the loss of his wife and mother made Roosevelt aware that time was never guaranteed. As a result, he developed an attitude that boiled down to: \u201cDo things now.\u201d He took any job he was offered and did his best to solve the issues it presented as quickly as possible\u2014prioritizing efficiency and ignoring the traditional, slow-moving channels, much to the chagrin of the bureaucrats who championed them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As evidence of Roosevelt\u2019s new attitude, Goodwin points to the fact that he took several jobs after returning from North Dakota and how he handled said jobs. For example, as New York City police commissioner, Roosevelt\u2019s main task was to fight the rampant corruption in the police department. Roosevelt used several creative tactics to try to transform the department\u2019s culture into one that valued integrity. Most famously, he donned various disguises and traversed the city at night to find and discipline patrolmen who were slacking off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Roosevelt\u2019s Crisis Affected His Leadership<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that both Roosevelt\u2019s courage and willingness to act were essential to his decision to intervene in the coal strike of 1902. As Goodwin notes, Roosevelt faced a major dilemma during the coal mine workers\u2019 six-month strike to protest dismal labor conditions. Roosevelt needed the mine workers and owners to reach a resolution: At the time, the Northeast relied on coal for fuel during the winter, and without it, the region would plunge into crisis. However, as president, Roosevelt technically didn\u2019t have the legal standing to intervene in the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this reality, Roosevelt chose to intervene anyway\u2014ultimately ending the strike and setting the precedent that presidents could<\/em> help solve labor disputes. These decisions were only possible, Goodwin argues, due to the courage and bias towards action<\/a> that Roosevelt learned after his crisis. Roosevelt was brave enough to step outside of the traditionally accepted presidential role, and he chose<\/em> to protect the American public as he saw fit, despite the lack of precedent\u2014and in doing so, redefined the previously private issue of labor disputes as a public interest issue in which the president could get involved if necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Way He Learned Empathy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like his fifth cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who was president from 1933 to 1945, was instrumental to American workers\u2019 well-being: He was tasked with getting the nation through the Great Depression. Despite this major challenge, FDR successfully turned the nation\u2019s economy around\u2014which Goodwin attributes partly to his ability to empathize with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: FDR\u2019s immense popularity suggests that Americans agreed with Goodwin that FDR successfully revitalized the nation\u2019s economy. FDR easily won a second term<\/a>, capturing the electoral votes of every state but Maine and Vermont. His popularity continued: FDR ultimately won four elections and is the reason why American presidents are only allowed to serve two terms today<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this section, we\u2019ll discuss the crisis that taught FDR the power of empathy. Then, we\u2019ll see how this skill helped him lead the nation through an economic catastrophe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How FDR\u2019s Crisis Improved His Ability to Empathize<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin explains that FDR\u2019s crisis was his contraction of polio in 1921. Prior to his illness, FDR was physically active and regularly put his body under relative strain. But polio forced a dramatic physical transformation for FDR: He became paralyzed from the waist down and would experience chronic pain throughout his life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Some researchers suggest that FDR didn\u2019t contract polio but rather Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome<\/a>, an autoimmune disease<\/a>. While both diseases result in muscle weakness and paralysis, polio usually affects children\u2014not adults, which FDR was when he became ill\u2014and doesn\u2019t usually result in chronic pain of the type FDR experienced.)   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Goodwin argues that contracting polio ultimately improved FDR\u2019s ability to empathize\u2014a quality that didn\u2019t come naturally to the president. Goodwin attributes this lack of empathy to his upbringing: FDR was an only child and was homeschooled until he was 14 years old. As a result, it wasn\u2019t until later in life that he started learning social skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Modern homeschooling experts suggest that homeschooling may harm your children\u2019s ability to socialize if they don\u2019t interact regularly with other children<\/a>\u2014as was the case with FDR. They emphasize that parents should ensure that homeschooled children connect with people who are different <\/em>from them\u2014like kids who aren\u2019t homeschooled\u2014so they learn the social norms<\/a> essential to functioning in society.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did contracting polio teach FDR to empathize? Goodwin proposes two ways. First, FDR\u2019s illness enhanced his connections to his peers. Prior to his illness, FDR had a team committed to helping him become president\u2014including his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. But after he became paralyzed, his ability to empathize improved because he became even more reliant on his team. It was through them that he gathered information and learned about the world, as they could go where he could not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Goodwin argues that FDR\u2019s illness improved his ability to empathize with people less fortunate than he. After contracting polio, FDR found a thermal pool in Georgia that eased the pain in his legs\u2014which he eventually bought and transformed into Warm Springs, a rehabilitation center for polio patients and their families. For four years, FDR spent most of his time at Warm Springs, surrounded by polio patients of all stripes. It was this experience, Goodwin argues, that taught FDR how to relate to anybody<\/em>\u2014a quality he would need as president during the Great Depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: At Warm Springs, FDR talked extensively with people from different backgrounds and learned to live in a different world (one in which he had polio)\u2014both of which are proven ways to increase your empathy<\/a>. You can apply similar techniques in your own life: To talk to new people in a way that improves your empathy, experts recommend asking acquaintances to lunch and learning what their lives are like. To see what it\u2019s like to live in a different world, they recommend spending more time in a different area of your city or attending a different house of worship for a few weeks.)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How FDR\u2019s Crisis Affected His Leadership<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that FDR\u2019s ability to empathize with others helped him lead during the Great Depression in two main ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, Goodwin argues, this ability allowed FDR to connect with the American people, which led them to trust him and do what he asked. To demonstrate how critical this was to the nation\u2019s economic recovery, Goodwin points to the impact of the president\u2019s first nationwide radio address. In the early days of his administration, FDR passed emergency banking legislation that was a first step in pulling the nation out of the Great Depression. But for it to work, FDR had to persuade Americans to deposit their money in banks\u2014a difficult task, since most Americans had initially pulled their savings out because they\u2019d lost faith in the banks. But the day after FDR\u2019s first nationwide address, the public returned their money to the banks\u2014because FDR made them believe<\/em> that they could. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Goodwin argues, this ability to empathize allowed FDR to manage the team that would be essential to revitalizing the nation\u2019s economy. Under FDR\u2019s leadership, the government created several different kinds of projects to help restore the economy\u2014but with so many different agencies and people involved, all with different ideas on which would work best, the discussions on which to pursue often became contentious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FDR masterfully navigated these situations due to his empathy<\/em>, Goodwin contends: He listened to disparate opinions, skillfully placated the people whose ideas he did not choose, and fostered reconciliation between those who disagreed. Thanks in large part to the work of FDR and this team, the nation successfully pulled through the Great Depression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: FDR\u2019s empathy didn\u2019t just help him navigate contentious situations among the people creating different projects to restore the American economy; it may also have helped him choose which projects would revitalize the economy the most. In Tools of Titans<\/em><\/a>, author Tim Ferriss interviews tech investor Chris Sacca, who argues that empathy helps you develop better solutions for people because you can see the world through their eyes<\/a>.)      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyndon B. Johnson and the Power of Purpose<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like FDR, Lyndon B. Johnson, who was president from 1963 to 1969, entered office in a time of crisis. Not only was the nation already struggling to pass civil rights legislation, but then-Vice President Johnson also entered the White House due to a tragedy: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Despite the struggles the nation faced, Johnson successfully united the country in its time of grief and passed landmark civil rights legislation\u2014which Goodwin attributes to his clarity of purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this section, we\u2019ll first discuss the crises that taught Johnson why a clear purpose matters. Then, we\u2019ll see how having one helped him deal with a nation in grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Johnson\u2019s Crises Taught Him Purpose <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

According to Goodwin, Johnson had two personal crises that taught him the importance of purpose<\/a>. Johnson\u2019s first crisis happened when he lost an election to the US Senate in 1941\u2014which, Goodwin argues, was as traumatic to Johnson as the crises faced by the other presidents she discusses. Johnson didn\u2019t separate his private and public life: Since his father had been a Texas state representative, Johnson had known from his early childhood that he wanted to be a politician. As a result, Goodwin argues, he\u2019d designed his entire<\/em> life around his political career. So when he faced political loss, he had no way to retreat from his political life and reconsider his options, as the other presidents discussed in this guide did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, Goodwin argues, Johnson continued to work in the public eye. However, his loss in the election also<\/em> led him to lose the sense of purpose<\/a> that drove his best leadership: his desire to help people. So, although Johnson continued to be politically successful, eventually winning a Senate seat eight years later, he did not lead as well as he could have: Notably, he treated his staff so poorly that many of them resigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this way, when Johnson faced his first crisis, he lost his sense of purpose\u2014and this led to his second crisis: his 1955 heart attack. Goodwin explains that this heart attack threatened to end Johnson\u2019s political career: Doctors forbade him from returning to work, and the media suggested that Johnson was not healthy enough to continue his trajectory toward the presidency. As a result, Johnson became depressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Many former presidents hid their health problems<\/a> from the world in order to avoid any suggestion that they were not healthy enough to become president. Notably, John F. Kennedy hid that he had Addison\u2019s disease, a long-term endocrine disorder.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Goodwin argues that Johnson\u2019s heart attack was a blessing in disguise because it reminded him of his purpose. The heart attack made Johnson aware of his own mortality and, during the vacation from politics it forced, allowed Johnson to reflect on the legacy he wanted to leave behind. In doing so, Johnson remembered that he\u2019d originally pursued a governmental career because he wanted to help the less fortunate, and he made this the mission of the next stages of his political career. It was when he regained this sense of purpose, Goodwin argues, that he changed from being just a man in power to being a true leader<\/em>\u2014someone with a vision and a path to reach that vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Johnson\u2019s Crisis Affected His Leadership <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Goodwin contends that Johnson\u2019s actions during the first months of his presidency demonstrate how having a clear purpose is essential to leading in times of crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the wake of Kennedy\u2019s assassination, Johnson had a clear purpose: Help the country grieve, and give it a path forward. Since these goals were so clear, Johnson was easily able to find a way to fulfill both of them: by passing Kennedy\u2019s civil rights bill. This both honored the late president\u2019s memory and held the promise of a new America in which everybody had equal rights: The bill was designed to desegregate public spaces and enforce the integration of schools, writes Goodwin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, Goodwin contends, Johnson\u2019s new purpose became passing the civil rights act\u2014and he only succeeded because his clarity of purpose allowed him to make the compromises necessary to achieve what he really wanted. Goodwin explains that Johnson was initially unwilling to amend the bill in any way. However, when he learned that his opponents wouldn\u2019t vote for the bill until at least some<\/em> of their changes were included, he yielded and allowed them to change the bill: He chose to prioritize passing<\/em> the bill at all over passing it in its original state. Thanks to Johnson\u2019s willingness to compromise, the bill gained bipartisan support\u2014and ultimately became the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Leadership: In Turbulent Times about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In Leadership: In Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin describes the personal crises of four U.S. presidents\u2014Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), and Lyndon B. Johnson. Specifically, she discusses how these experiences affected their leadership through four different national crises: the Civil War, the coal strike of 1902, the Great Depression, and the civil rights movement.  Below is a brief overview of Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":69863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,39,33],"tags":[673],"class_list":["post-71235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-history","category-people","tag-leadership-in-turbulent-times","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nDoris Kearns Goodwin's Leadership: In Turbulent Times - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are great leaders born or made? 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