by David Gergen
First published 2022
David Gergen draws from his decades as a White House adviser to four presidents to create a practical guide for developing leadership skills. He argues that effective leadership begins with an inner journey of self-awareness and self-mastery before moving to the outer work of persuading, empowering, and guiding others through crises. Gergen examines the paths of leaders across generations, from Lincoln and Winston Churchill to Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John McCain, and from Eleanor Roosevelt to contemporary figures like Greta Thunberg and the Parkland students. He identifies common patterns in how these leaders overcame setbacks, navigated challenges, and inspired change. The book connects historical examples with modern leadership challenges, offering concrete strategies for the next generation of change-makers. Gergen emphasizes that leadership requires developing a sense of history, maintaining humor and passion, and operating with clear purpose. The work serves as both memoir and manual, distilling five decades of political experience into actionable wisdom for future leaders.
Genres: leadership, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, academic, american-history
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: manual, memoir
Period: 21st-Century, 20th-Century
320 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster