Adaptive Leadership: The Heifetz Collection (3 Items)

sorts of distorted schemes to calm the country and restore a firm

footing, from the initiatives of Father Coughlin to the platform of

the communist party. As the nation’s preeminent authority figure,

Roosevelt embodied the country’s hope for a restoration of order

without distorting its core values and institutions. All eyes were on

him for direction and protection. His first priority had to be to

reduce disequilibrium, to lower the distress so that the nation

would be less vulnerable to demagogues and could make progress

toward economic recovery.

To do this, Roosevelt had to speak to emotional realities. He had

to calm the nation down, both in words and ...