Worklife with Adam Grant Leadership lessons from Zelenskyy and Putin
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Mar 29, 2022 Join Michael McFaul, a political scientist and former U.S. ambassador to Russia, as he delves into the stark contrasts between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership styles amid the Ukraine conflict. Discover how Putin's rise has reshaped authoritarianism and the implications for democracy. McFaul reveals insights into Zelensky's resilience and motivations, emphasizing the critical importance of accountability in leadership. The discussion also highlights the differing impacts of their actions on global perceptions and national identity.
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Putin's Opportunistic Beginnings
- Putin's early career showed opportunistic tendencies, aligning with democratic figures after the Soviet Union's collapse.
- His later anti-democratic actions and current rhetoric contradict this early trajectory.
Putin's Overreach
- Putin's miscalculations in Ukraine resemble Brezhnev's overreach in Afghanistan.
- Both leaders, after a series of smaller victories, overestimated their power and underestimated their opponents.
The Nemtsov Counterfactual
- Yeltsin could have chosen Boris Nemtsov, a liberal democrat, over Putin.
- Nemtsov envisioned Russia as a leading European democracy alongside Germany.