Nancy Koehn

Nancy Koehn, a Harvard Business School professor and historian, shares insights on the legendary leadership of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton. She discusses how Shackleton's empathy and team-building skills were vital during his crew's two-year struggle for survival in Antarctica. Koehn highlights important lessons on crisis management and the power of personal connections in leadership. Listeners will learn how Shackleton’s experiences can inform contemporary leadership tactics, stressing resilience and adaptability in dire situations.

Nancy Koehn, a Harvard Business School professor and historian, dives into the remarkable leadership of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. She illuminates how Lincoln's emotional discipline enabled him to remain focused on the larger mission despite personal struggles, even choosing to withhold a scathing letter to a general. Koehn discusses Lincoln’s resilience, the impact of his depression on empathy, and how pivotal moments, like the Gettysburg Address, redefined equality and freedom in America. A masterclass in leadership emerges, showcasing the enduring power of emotional self-control.

Nancy Koehn, a historian at Harvard Business School, Michela Giorcelli from UCLA, and Louis Hyman of Cornell University dive into the origins of scientific management, pioneered by Frederick Winslow Taylor. They discuss how this approach revolutionized industrial practices, the critiques it faced over worker treatment, and its surprising ties to both labor movements and Lenin-era efficiency strategies. The guest speakers also reflect on Taylorism's enduring legacy in modern workplaces and question the balance between productivity and human dignity.

Nancy Koehn, a Harvard Business School historian, dives into the life of Rachel Carson, a pioneering environmental activist and science writer. They discuss how Carson's book 'Silent Spring' revolutionized the environmental movement and challenged powerful industries. Koehn highlights Carson's remarkable resilience and leadership, particularly in balancing family responsibilities with her groundbreaking work. The conversation reveals caretaking as a vital aspect of leadership and showcases the profound impact one individual can have on policy and public awareness.

Celebrated historian Dr. Nancy Koehn did not expect to write a book about crisis leadership. But as she studied many experiences of history’s transformational leaders, she discovered that so often great leadership is developed out of one’s ability to both learn from failure and to rise to inspire others.During this discussion, Koehn shares some of the critical crisis leadership lessons from her book Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times with host Gary Heil. Together they examine the similarities and circumstances that shape courageous leaders and how these lessons apply to leaders facing the tumultuous business landscape and ongoing global crises of today. Key takeaways: What courageous leadership looks like in action.How the best leaders are often forged through failure.Why leadership is more than choices: it's a reflection of who you are in crisis.The power of purpose in leadership: why meaning and value are critical. Why great leaders must balance passion with emotional self-discipline to inspire hope.Learn more about our speakers:Gary Heil: https://www.wsb.com/speakers/gary-heil/Nancy Koehn: https://www.wsb.com/speakers/nancy-koehn/About the series:Presented weekly, Leadership Lessons from the Fast Lane explores some of the most pressing challenges that leaders of today face, with the world’s most respected, creative, and successful thought leaders.Visit our website: https://www.wsb.com/Contact us: https://www.wsb.com/contact/