John F. Kennedy on Leadership: The Lessons and Legacy of a President [Paperback]

John A. Barnes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0814474551 | ISBN-13: 978-0814474556

Today’s business leaders have much in common with President Kennedy. They face monumental decisions in unpredictable times; their actions have implications far beyond their own organizations; and they are judged mercilessly and incessantly by both their constituents and the media. Professionals, then, would do well to study the leadership traits that made Kennedy one of the most respected, beloved, and influential world leaders in modern history. John F. Kennedy on Leadership analyzes what made Kennedy, both before and during his Presidency, a unique and dominant force who would serve as the standard by which future leaders would be judged. Readers will learn the value of: * Planning and decision making: Consult widely, then act. * Crisis management: Don’t let events manage you. * Building a team: Find your own "Bobby." * Independence: Don’t follow the crowd. * Mistakes: Learn from them and move on. This timely (and timeless) book will be of interest to anyone involved in leadership.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following up on Ulysses Grant on Leadership, journalist Barnes offers 12 concept-based chapters that draw on the life and presidency of JFK. "Vision" centers on the "Ask Not..." inaugural address; "Resilience" touches on the West Virgina primary (where JFK found a way around "the Catholic issue" to score an upset victory); "Team Building" looks at the JFK-RFK relationship and at Kennedy's crack staff of advisors (as well as when he did and didn't listen to them). Barnes gets to the anecdotal material quickly enough in each chapter to keep his rather thin concepts from buckling, and he presents it clearly and without jingoism. And Barnes does not back away from "Miscalculations and Misjudgements" and "Faults and Failings." The result is suggestive, if not overly inspiring.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“It’s a tight, tough, thought-provoking biography-cum-leadership book that is fun to read.”

-The Globe & Mail (Toronto)

“[Barnes] dazzles with his sharp eye for the unnoticed detail – and his fascinating insights into the minds of the great."

-NationalReview.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (May 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814474551
• ISBN-13: 978-0814474556
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am assistant director for Leadership and Colleague Communications at Pfizer Inc. That's my day job. I'm a native New Yorker, born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn.

I graduated New York University in 1982 with a B.A. in journalism, but left NYC almost immediately to work for the Washington Times as a metro reorter. I thus began the gypsy life of a journalist, moving, in succession, from Washington, Boston, Detroit and Norfolk, Virginia before returning to NYC in 1995. In addition to the Washignton Times, I worked as a reporter and editorial writer for the Boston Herald, the Detroit News, the New York Post and columnists Rowland Evans and Robert Novak. My freelance articles have appeared in the Reader's Digest, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Monthly, America's Civil War and many other publications.

Along the way, I acquired a master's degree in Finance and Economics from Walsh College in Troy, Michigan. I joined Pfizer in 1999.

John F. Kennedy on Leadership, published in May 2005, is my third book. My previous ones were Ulysses S. Grant on Leadership, published in May 2001, and Irish-American Landmarks: A Traveler's Guide, published by Visible Ink Press in 1995. I have also contributed to two other books, the Encyclopedia of the Irish in America and Presidential Administration Profile for Students.

I live in Manhattan with my wife Mary, our daughter, Mary Elisabeth, and our son, John Paul

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful for anyone in a high-profile leadership position, May 17, 2005

By 

Diane K. Danielson "Principal Consultant, DKD... (Cohasset, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John F. Kennedy on Leadership: The Lessons and Legacy of a President (Hardcover)

This is perhaps one of the best books I've read on leadership. Of course I always like learning a little history along with some business skills, which makes this particularly appealing (having not been around for the Kennedy years in person). The book takes us through the Kennedy years and shows how JFK changed the rules of compaigning, challenged tradition, turned weaknesses into strengths, worked positively with the media, wrote speeches that reached his audience, and crafted a particular image. At the end of each chapter is a summary of lessons to be learned if you want to do the same. For anyone doing anything entrepreneurial, political and otherwise high-profile, this is a very useful guide for building a following.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars weLEAD Book Review by the Editor of leadingtoday.org, December 8, 2007

By 

Greg L. Thomas (Litchfield, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John F. Kennedy on Leadership: The Lessons and Legacy of a President (Hardcover)

Some of the most effective books to read on leadership development are biographies that examine historical characters. One of the most popular was Donald Phillip's Lincoln on Leadership which became a best seller. John F. Kennedy on Leadership falls into this category and illuminates the
leadership skills of JFK in a way seldom appreciated.

Most people think of Kennedy as a privileged son of a wealthy businessman with powerful political connections who used his good looks and charisma to ultimately achieve the presidency. However, little attention has been given to his difficult struggle with a chronic disease, a severe physical
handicap and personal shyness. Further, few authors have closely analyzed how well Kennedy mastered the new medium of television, or fostered teamwork within the Whitehouse. What about the leadership skills that inspired him to create the Peace Corps, or the way he cautiously maneuvered during the Berlin crisis or the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962?

Author John Barnes deftly covers various attributes of sound leadership like vision, resilience, communication, team building, decision making and crisis management. He takes each of these qualities and weaves them into actual historical episodes within Kennedy's brief life. For example, Barnes clearly demonstrates JFK's powerful use of vision from his proclamation of America entering a "New Frontier", his remarkable Inaugural Address and his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech of June 1963. At the conclusion of this chapter, Barnes offers the reader some thoughtful ways to create their own vision using the lessons learned from Kennedy's example.

This is an excellent book and is a pleasure to read. John F. Kennedy on Leadership is not a book that simply idolizes the achievements of JFK. Kennedy is honestly examined and all his personal strengths and weaknesses are frankly revealed. The final chapter entitled, Faults and Failures strips away the veneer of the Camelot myth. But even here... there is much for the reader to learn from JFK's unpleasant character flaws.

John F. Kennedy on Leadership is a readable book that beautifully merges real historical events with a man whose leadership skills changed the world we live in today. This is the kind of book that provides a satisfying rumination of thought when the back cover is eventually closed.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!, August 31, 2005

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John F. Kennedy on Leadership: The Lessons and Legacy of a President (Hardcover)

In the 40-plus years since John F. Kennedy's assassination, many people have forgotten how far American politicians have come in their public personas. Every candidate tries to use the media, savvy advisers, staged events and a winning personality to develop an authentic, vote-getting public voice. Kennedy was the first president to master these essential political tools. This made him one of America's most popular presidents, as well as a celebrity. Kennedy's political personality was so strong that it virtually transformed the presidency. In this rich historical and personal story, author John A. Barnes does a great job of showing how Kennedy operated. JFK was enmeshed in pivotal events and each circumstance tested his ability to lead. Barnes clearly presents Kennedy's triumphs and shortcomings as well as his formula for successful leadership. We recommend this to aspiring and current leaders, and to those interested in history - or in politics the way it used to be.