Who is the author of The Leadership Moment?

The author of The Leadership Moment is Michael Useem.

Management & Leadership

The Leadership Moment Book Summary - The Leadership Moment Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

The Leadership Moment summary

Name: The Leadership Moment
Rating: 3.9 (34 reviews)
Author: Michael Useem

Michael Useem

Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All

3.9 (34 ratings)

12 mins

Brief summary

The Leadership Moment by Michael Useem is a business book that features high-stake leadership stories and insights that can inform aspiring and practicing leaders. It underscores the importance of taking action and making critical decisions in difficult situations.

Topics

Leadership

Table of Contents

The Leadership Moment
Summary of 5 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 5

What’s in it for me? Get inspired to take on leadership challenges.

Think about your experiences at work or in the community: are there times when you or someone else had to take the lead in important decisions? Well, such leadership moments can teach us something important about how to act as leaders. By analyzing the experiences of other leaders in these moments and asking yourself what lessons they teach, you can better anticipate what to do when faced with similar challenges.

In these blinks, we look at nine situations in which one leader was faced with a difficult challenge. The stories are about business leaders, astronauts, leaders of NGOs, civil war generals and mountain climbers, and they all give us insight into how to tackle decision-making in this fluctuating world – insight we can use when facing our own leadership moments.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how a lack of action almost was the end of financial traders Salomon Inc;
That a lack of communication can be literally fatal; and
what an astronaut can teach us about quick and precise decision-making.

Seek out new challenges to grow your leadership skills.

Are you always on the lookout for new challenges? That’s a good thing. Taking on new responsibilities is usually stressful, and sometimes nightmarish! But it’s a surefire way to gain new skills and experience, which, in turn, prepares you for even more challenges.

For Clifton Wharton, the former US Deputy Secretary of State, challenging assignments were an opportunity to sharpen his skills and enrich his practical knowledge. A development economist, Wharton faced his first landmark challenge when he was elected president of Michigan State University.

In the eight years Wharton spent there, he successfully led and administered the university in spite of its huge campus and vastly complicated systems. When invited to head the State University of New York, Wharton accepted.

The State University of New York had an administration about ten times larger than that of Michigan State, and control was very centralized. But through his experiences at Michigan State and as a board member of large corporations, including Ford Motor Co., Wharton knew that even the largest, most resistant enterprises could be restructured. Again, Wharton was able to leverage lessons learned in previous challenges to solve another and eventually reshaped and improved New York State.

These experiences prepared Wharton for yet another huge challenge as he accepted a job offer from the Teachers Insurance and Annuities Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), the biggest non-government retirement provider for college and university professors.

With products ranging from retirement planning to life insurance, the TIAA-CREF had a lot on its plate. Clients of the TIAA-CREF were losing patience with their restricted investment options and lack of control over their own retirement funds. When the organization offered Wharton a position, they were in dire need of a solution for their inflexible structure.

In 1987, Wharton took office and began modernizing the state system. He created three top management teams to steer the enterprise while introducing greater autonomy and accountability in customer service. Clients were given access to diverse investment options, greater flexibility in transferring their funds and improved counseling services.

You, too, can immerse yourself in your current role and all the learning opportunities it offers. These will give you the tools to succeed in positions of greater responsibility later on.

Understand and adhere to your vision and values.

When on the hunt for a new job, which positions catch your eye? Probably those offered by companies that have goals similar to your own. Sharing a vision for the future with the organization you work for is also a prerequisite for great leadership, as is a deep understanding of your own values. This is something which Nancy Barry’s career reflects.

As a senior official at the World Bank, Barry was beginning to doubt whether their aid projects for developing countries actually did that much good. So she envisioned an alternative: alleviating poverty and hardship through microfinancing, providing financial and educational services to low-income groups to help them provide for themselves. The World Bank didn’t share this goal, but Women’s World Banking (WWB) did, which is why Barry accepted their job offer.

Stay calm and focused to make the right choice, even when time is tight.

Some leaders find themselves in life-and-death situations, where a failure to make the right choice fast can have devastating consequences. Eugene Kranz was one such leader. His brilliant leadership as the flight director of the Apollo 13 lunar mission shows that a decision made quickly needn’t be a decision made poorly.

In 1970, the spacecraft Odyssey, in flight, suffered an explosion. This was nothing short of a catastrophe – air pressure, electricity and fuel cells were being lost at an alarming rate. The astronauts had to return to Earth as soon as possible. The situation called for rapid action; the team had mere minutes to dash from the command module to the lunar excursion module following the explosion.

Leadership without communication can have disastrous consequences.

Back in 1949, Wagner Dodge was the chief of a 15-man crew of firefighters, working together for the very first time. One day, they were called to Mann Gulch, a rugged area of central Montana; a forest fire was burning. Dodge had vast experience dealing with forest fires. But it was a different story when it came to leading a crew.

A man of few words, Dodge rarely offered appraisals of the situation at hand, nor was he particularly adept at expressing and explaining his decisions. Unfortunately, Dodge’s poor communication skills had fatal consequences at the Mann Gulch fire.

Listen to your team and keep them involved in decision-making to win their support.

It was in 1863 that Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who commanded the 20th Regiment of Infantry, Maine Volunteers, during the American Civil War, defended and secured Little Round Top, a crucial strategic point in Gettysburg. This would not have been possible without his top-performing army.

Given that a third of Chamberlain’s army were mutineers recently decommissioned from the 2nd Regiment of Maine, you wouldn’t think he’d have a very cohesive force on his hands. And yet, Chamberlain was able to win full cooperation of these mutineers by giving them what they needed: someone to voice their grievances to.

Want to see all full key ideas from The Leadership Moment?

Key ideas in The Leadership Moment

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is The Leadership Moment about?

In The Leadership Moment (1999) we accompany leaders from a range of different fields on their incredible journeys, and learn, by witnessing their responses to critical challenges, some of the central principles of great leadership. From seeking out new opportunities to winning the trust of your team, these blinks are your guide to leading well in the trickiest of times.

The Leadership Moment Review

The Leadership Moment (1998) is a thought-provoking book that delves into the critical moments that shape great leaders. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Its compelling stories and case studies provide valuable insights into the challenges and decisions faced by leaders in difficult situations.
Through its exploration of real-life leadership events, the book offers practical lessons that can be applied to our own professional and personal lives.
With its focus on character, courage, and integrity, this book reminds us of the importance of ethical leadership, making it anything but boring.

Who should read The Leadership Moment?

Leaders of businesses, small teams and large organizations
Individuals interested in the aspects of good leadership today
Readers fascinated by real-life inspirational tales

About the Author

Michael Useem is a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania as well as the Director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management. Renowned for his expertise in the theory of leadership, Useem is also the author of The Leader’s Checklist and The Go Point: When It’s Time to Decide.

Categories with The Leadership Moment

Management & Leadership

Book summaries like The Leadership Moment

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Mark Manson

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Lead like your employees want you to lead

Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

13 min

4.3

Trust First

Bruce Deel with Sara Grace

A True Story About the Power of Giving People Second Chances

How Leaders Turn Difficult Conversations into Breakthroughs

13 min

3.8

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covey

Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Discover Your Authentic Leadership

An Essential Guide to Life

The Small Changes That Change Everything

22 min

4.6

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

John M. Gottman and Nan Silver

A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert

A Spark for Revolutionary Thought

The Case For Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

Know thyself, then go out and conquer the world!

Why Some People Have It And Others Don’t

Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life

The Secret to Achieving More with Less

Implementing a Data-Driven, Customer-Centric Business Strategy

12 min

4.0

The Art of Living Alone and Loving It

Jane Mathews

Your inspirational toolkit for a whole and happy life

How to Get What You Want by Living Fearlessly

24 min

4.4

Handbook of Strategic 360 Feedback

Allan H. Church

Useful Tools and Strategies to Optimize Performance Management

19 min

3.7

The Art of Resilience

Ross Edgley

Strategies for an Unbreakable Mind and Body

The Tactics, Routines and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World-Class Performers

16 min

3.8

The Lost Art of Connecting

Susan McPherson

The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships

How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work

Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization

18 min

4.2

That Little Voice in Your Head

Mo Gawdat

Adjust the Code That Runs Your Brain

20 min

4.5

Million Dollar Weekend

Noah Kagan

The Surprisingly Simple Way to Launch a 7-Figure Business in 48 Hours

Work, Family, and Our Future

26 min

4.1

Thanks for the Feedback

Douglas Stone

The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well

Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha

How Smart Leaders Defeat Complexity

24 min

4.2

Fail Fast, Fail Often

Ryan Babineaux and John Krumboltz

How Losing Can Help You Win

18 min

4.4

The Answer to Anxiety

Joyce Meyer

How to Break Free from the Tyranny of Anxious Thoughts and Worry

15 min

2.8

The Art of Communicating

Thich Nhat Hanh

The fascination of mindfulness in our daily lives

15 min

4.5

The Power of Full Engagement

Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

22 min

4.4

Customer WinBack

Jill Griffin and Michael W. Lowenstein

How to Recapture Lost Customers – And Keep Them Loyal

14 min

4.0

The Person You Mean to Be

Dolly Chugh

How Good People Fight Bias

20 min

4.0

Savor

Thich Nhat Hanh and Lilian Cheung

Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead

17 min

4.2

Millionaire Success Habits

Dean Graziosi

The Gateway to Wealth and Prosperity

20 min

4.5

Managing Transitions

William Bridges & Susan Bridges

Making the Most of Change

A Guide for Occupants

29 min

4.4

Emotional Intelligence 2.0

Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

Discover how to Increase your EQ

11 min

4.1

Simple Truths of Leadership Playbook

Ken Blanchard & Randy Conley

A 52-Week Game Plan for Becoming a Trusted Servant Leader

The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work

Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World

8 min

3.8

Positive Communication for Leaders

Julien C. Mirivel & Alexander Lyon

Proven Strategies for Inspiring Unity and Effecting Change

17 min

4.4

The Ultimate Sales Machine

Chet Holmes

Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies

Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success

19 min

4.2

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.