by David Gergen
First published 2016
Sasha Chanoff arrives in the violence-ravaged Congo with clear orders: evacuate one group of refugees to safety. The mission parameters are strict, the timeline unforgiving. Then he discovers a second group of desperate people who weren't part of the original plan. Taking them along could jeopardize everyone's escape and put the entire operation at risk. Abandoning them guarantees their deaths. Chanoff must choose between following protocol and saving lives, between mission success and moral obligation. Through his harrowing experience and the stories of eight other leaders who faced similar crossroads, the narrative explores how people access their deepest values when everything hangs in the balance. These leaders from military, business, and humanitarian sectors each confronted moments where moral courage became the deciding factor. Their experiences reveal five core principles for navigating the most difficult choices, showing how our fundamental beliefs can guide us through impossible situations.
Genres: biography, adventure, contemporary, non-fiction, africa
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: impossible-situation, moral-choice
Setting: Congo
298 pages · Paperback · ReadHowYouWant
Content warnings: violence