Tag: Harry Truman

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Sunday Book Review

April 3, 2022 the Welcome to April edition


In today’s edition of Sunday Book Review:

    • We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland By Fintan O’Toole
    • The Trials of Harry S. Truman: The Extraordinary Presidency of an Ordinary Man, 1945-1953 By Jeffrey Frank
    • Diamonds and Deadlines: A Tale of Greed, Deceit, and a Female Tycoon in the Gilded Age By Betsy Prioleau
    • The Bond King: How One Man Made a Market, Built an Empire, and Lost It All By Mary Child
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12 O’Clock High-a podcast on business leadership

Episode 111-Truman Sacks MacArthur

Richard Lummis and I are back and we head in a different direction today. This episode begins a three-part podcast series where consider the two principals from a titanic struggle in the early 1950s. It was between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur. In today’s Part 3, we consider some of the leadership lessons from Truman’s decision to and sacking of MacArthur. Some of the issues posed include:

  • Was the sacking inevitable?
  • How much control must you have on subordinate? How much should you have?
  • MacArthur said he wanted to save live; Truman wanted to end the war. Were these mutually exclusive bargaining positions?
  • Was MacArthur subordinate when he sabotaged Truman’s attempt at a cease fire?
  • What would you have done?
  • What should a leader do in the face of criticism like the Benning letter?

Additional resources
The Firing of MacArthur
The Benning Letter

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12 O’Clock High-a podcast on business leadership

12 O’Clock High-Episode 109-Leadership Lessons from Harry Truman

Richard Lummis and I are back and we head in a different direction today. This episode begins a three-part podcast series where consider the two principals from a titanic struggle in the early 1950s. It was between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur. In this Part 1, we consider the leadership lessons from President Harry Truman.
Some of the highlights of this podcast include:

  • Some of the leadership principles of Truman included: (a) do not mistake yourself for the institution; (b) keep a court jester; (c) understand the limits to your power; and (d) don’t worry about being or staying popular.
  • Made peace with your decisions and move on.
  • You can get much more done if you don’t worry about who gets credit.
  • Surround yourself with the top talent and listen to them.
  • Truman’s personal assets included, humility, honesty, intellectual integrity, homespun character and the ability to speak plain truths.

Additional resources
Harry Truman’s Reality-Based Leadership
Leadership Qualities of Harry S. Truman