Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower and author of "How Ike Led," shares her unique insights on the legendary leader. She discusses her personal relationship with Ike, emphasizing his commitment to responsibility and effective delegation during pivotal moments like D-Day. Susan explains Ike's strategic mindset, his emotional resilience, and how he navigated complex political dynamics. Her reflections reveal how his love for history shaped his decision-making and underlined the importance of optimism and morale in leadership.
01:02:28
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
D-Day Note
Eisenhower's D-Day note wasn't widely known until after his death.
It exemplified his commitment to taking responsibility, a key leadership trait.
insights INSIGHT
Taking Responsibility
Eisenhower took responsibility, even for things outside his direct control, like the weather.
This fostered trust and enabled effective delegation, crucial for strategic leadership.
insights INSIGHT
Delegation and Trust
Effective delegation requires leaders to support their team and take responsibility.
This builds trust and allows for strategic focus, which is lacking in today's "political day traders."
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution
David A. Nichols
In 'A Matter of Justice', David A. Nichols challenges common perceptions of Dwight Eisenhower's stance on civil rights by highlighting his behind-the-scenes efforts to advance the cause. Nichols demonstrates that Eisenhower was more progressive on civil rights than often credited, laying groundwork for future breakthroughs. The book draws on extensive archival research, including documents from the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
My three years with Eisenhower;
Harry C Butcher
This book provides a unique backstage account of World War II, offering intimate glimpses into the lives of key Allied leaders, including Eisenhower, Churchill, and Roosevelt. It chronicles the planning and execution of major military operations, such as D-Day, and explores the personal and professional relationships among these historical figures.
How Ike Led
Susan Eisenhower
Susan Eisenhower's *How Ike Led* delves into the strategic leadership and decision-making processes of her grandfather, Dwight D. Eisenhower, during his time as Allied Commander and President. The book highlights his commitment to integrity, accountability, and national unity, offering insights into his approach to complex historical events like D-Day and the Cold War. It provides a unique blend of personal anecdotes and historical analysis, making it a valuable resource for understanding effective leadership.
From guiding the Allies to victory in World War II as supreme commander, to steering the ship of state for eight years as one of the country's least partisan and most popular presidents, few leaders in history have had to make as varied and consequential decisions as Dwight D. Eisenhower.
My guest today possesses insights into how he made the many choices he was faced with in his military and political careers that are gleaned not only from studying Ike's life, but from personally knowing the man beneath the mantle. Her name is Susan Eisenhower and she's a writer, consultant, and policy strategist, one of Dwight's four grandchildren, and the author of the new book How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower's Biggest Decisions. Susan and I begin our conversation with her relationship with Ike as both historic leader and ordinary grandfather, and why she decided to write a book about his leadership style. We then dive into the principles of his leadership, beginning with his decision to greenlight the D-Day invasion, what it reveals about his iron-clad commitment to taking responsibility, and how that commitment allowed him to be such an effective delegator. From there Susan explains how a love of studying history born in Ike's boyhood allowed him to take a big picture approach to strategy, how he used a desk drawer to deal with his lifelong struggle with anger, and how his belief in morale as an input rather than an output inspired him to always stay optimistic for the benefit of those he led. We then turn to how Eisenhower dealt with the discovery of concentration camps at the end of WWII and making peace with Germany after it. We then talk about his nonpartisan governing style as president which he called the "Middle Way" and which involved emphasizing cooperation, compromise, and unity, including members of both political parties in his cabinet, limiting his use of the "bully pulpit" to sway public opinion, and striving not to turn policy issues into personality confrontations. We then discuss how this style influenced how he dealt with Joseph McCarthy and enforced the Brown v. Board of Education decision. At the end of our conversation, Susan explains that while she doesn't expect everyone to agree with the difficult decisions her grandfather made, she thinks there's something to be learned from how he managed to make them, and to make them without becoming hard and cynical in the process.
The Art of Manliness 
