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In this series, biographers explain the leadership style, defining personal traits and lesser-known quirks of prominent figures. Here, Larry Sabato–author of “The Kennedy Half Century”–provides a roadmap to former U.S. president John F. Kennedy. |
Greatest leadership skill: Kennedy
knew how to challenge the advice and assumptions of so-called experts.
During the Berlin crisis, two defense analysts made the case for waging
“rational nuclear war” against the Soviets and told Kennedy he could
prevail with only limited casualties. Kennedy remained wary and asked
probing questions: How could he maintain control once the war began?
Wasn’t there a danger of using more bombs than were necessary? How could
he keep a limited war from turning into a holocaust? When none of
Kennedy’s advisers could provide him with satisfactory answers, the
president shelved the proposal. Leaders know when to say no.
Role model: JFK greatly admired Winston Churchill—so much so, in fact, that he made Churchill an honorary U.S. citizen in 1963.
Achilles heel: JFK had a
dark side. The same internal fire that fueled his political success
could also burn out of control. At 10, he noted in a letter to his
father (requesting an allowance increase) that he had “put away childish
things.” He achieved that goal in many areas of life, but not in his
irresponsible relationships with young, beautiful women—and even, on
some occasions as president, with prostitutes. Kennedy’s affairs
included a White House intern, the mistress of a Chicago Mafia boss,
Jackie’s personal secretary and Mary Meyer, a prominent Georgetown
artist. He risked his White House tenure, the welfare of his party, his
policy goals and everyone he supposedly held dear.
How he got his way: Most
of the time, Kennedy used his wit, charm and intelligence to get what
he wanted, but he was not above bullying people and issuing threats.
When Kennedy became convinced that some U.S. steel executives had
reneged on a promise not to raise prices, he cancelled their contracts
with the Defense Department, ordered the FBI to subpoena their corporate
and personal records, and held press conferences denouncing their
cupidity. He was widely criticized for these actions, but he held firm
and the executives were forced to withdraw their price hikes.
Lucky talisman: Kennedy
saved the coconut shell he had used to scribble an S.O.S. message when
he and his PT-109 crew were stranded on a remote South Pacific island
during World War II. He had the shell encased in plastic and wood and
used it as a paperweight throughout his presidency.
He would micromanage when: He
tended to become a micromanager during crises. During the Cuban Missile
Crisis, he insisted on personally selecting the first ship to be
stopped and boarded by the U.S. Navy as part of its quarantine of Cuba.
However, Kennedy deserves credit for choosing wisely: the Marucla
was an American-built, Panamanian-owned vessel that had been registered
in Lebanon and chartered by the Soviets to carry supplies between the
U.S.S.R. and Cuba. He sent a signal to Nikita Khrushchev that although
the United States was serious about enforcing the quarantine, it would
not risk all-out war by stopping a Soviet-owned ship.
Neatnik or mess: In
every picture, Kennedy’s Oval Office desk appears neat and well
organized. The conference table in the president’s cabinet room was a
different story, however. It was often covered in memos, briefing sheets
and other documents, especially during important meetings.
Darkest hour: In April
1961, in what turned out to be one of the worst decisions of his
political career, JFK allowed 1,400 CIA-trained paramilitary men to
launch an ill-fated invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. The
inexperienced Kennedy had not paid enough attention to the details of
the plan, deferred to some military and civilian aides too much, and
failed to think through the consequences of his actions. The operation
was horribly planned and sloppily executed. As a result, 114 Cuban
exiles were cut down on the beach and 1,189 others were thrown in jail
to await possible execution.
Unique ability: Kennedy
grasped the importance of history and strove constantly to secure a
place in it, perhaps in part because of his fatalism. He seized every
moment, embraced every challenge and lived life to its absolute fullest.
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