I recently finished Doris Kearns Goodwin’s new book “Leadership in Turbulent Times.” Her book studies the presidential leadership styles of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson. For each of these presidents, she discusses how their leadership style developed, the key personal and professional crucibles they endured, and how they emerged through turbulent times to lead America through pivotal moments in history.
Theodore Roosevelt led through the 1902 coal mining strike that threatened the coal supply of the entire country at a time when coal was the primary heat source for most of the nation. Franklin D. Roosevelt steered the country out of the Great Depression and then through most of World War II. LBJ championed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. And, in one of the truly defining moments in American history, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and was able to bring together a “Team of Rivals” that effectively led the nation through the Civil War. The Harvard Business Review published
this excerpt
on Lincoln that I strongly recommend reading.
While the stakes are not nearly as high, nor the conditions as turbulent, as I read these stories, I thought of the work being done at Idaho State University. What our faculty and staff face in defining and delivering on our collective vision requires all of them to understand and deeply consider what transformative leadership really means. It is leadership that truly and substantially can impact the University. ISU is at a crucial stage as an institution. We are looking to set a direction for the University that will increase access and opportunity for students in Southern and Eastern Idaho and beyond. We will deliver on this mission through a foundation of trust, compassion, stability, and hope that we extend to our students and communities. We must keep our word in the midst of change and ensure that trust is at the basis of all that we do. When we do this, Idaho State will start to realize a brighter future.
Lastly, here's a short list of highlights and recent accomplishments: