Written by Ethics Center student staffer Caden Arras.
Exceptional leadership is rarely an accident. People are rarely born with the instincts and qualities of a great leader. Instead, these traits are acquired over time through trial by fire and a strong understanding of success strategies used by past leaders. History indicates that only a few American leaders possessed the unique abilities to acquire, hold, and use their power to shape the world we live in today. In How the Best Did It, Ethics Center Advisory Board member Talmage Boston examines eight of these leaders to understand which traits each one relied on to create their legacy. His objective, as he puts it, is to “make the words of one speaker intelligible to another.”
“A discerning examination of what all of us can learn
from some of our most effective leaders—who have held—and wielded—ultimate power at the highest level.”– Jon Meacham, Pulitzer-winning presidential biographer
In this critically acclaimed examination of leadership, Boston considers how leaders today might learn from eight legendary American presidents. In each chapter of How the Best Did It, Boston guides readers through the actions and mind of an iconic American president. He challenges readers to apply the values of each leader to their lives today, encouraging profound self-reflection and inviting improvement. How the Best Did It distills the traits embodied by each featured American leader and presents them in a manner that carries profound implications for current and future leaders striving to enhance their abilities. Boston invites readers to learn from the featured presidents and apply the conclusions he provides in his assessments of each leader to their own lives.
The conclusions Boston drew from his research contain invaluable ethical implications, too. Boston explores beyond the leadership qualities exhibited by the leaders he praises in his book. In his assessment of each influential figure, he dives deeper into their character and the quality of their actions. Readers may note that the qualities of a capable leader often resemble those of an ethical leader, those who bear a duty to those they lead and take accountability for successes and failures. Anyone seeking to enhance their leadership capabilities may also embody ethical traits exhibited by leaders throughout the book–honor, grace, consistency, effort, and self-efficacy–in the process.
The testaments to these leaders in How the Best Did It will also leave readers wondering why so few contemporary leaders can perform at the level of Presidents F.D. Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and others. By evaluating their own leadership skills, readers may find that they can become exceptional leaders through a close study of Boston’s findings. As Talmage explains, “…understanding our past presidents not only helps us comprehend our present situation but also provides a more informed expectation about our future.” His insights into the past inspire a better understanding of contemporary politics and society, helping modern leaders pave a smoother road to the future.
A must-read for present and future leaders, How the Best Did It received endorsement from leading presidential historians for its sound evaluations of exceptional American leadership and actionable insights into applying these conclusions to contemporary politics and society.
Interabang Books in Dallas will host Talmage Boston in-store on Saturday, April 6th at 4:00pm to discuss his new book, How the Best Did It. Learn more here.
To pre-order How the Best Did It, click here.
To learn more about Talmage Boston, click here.