Keynote Speaker
Presidential Historian, NBC News and PBS NewsHour, New York Times Columnist and #1 Best-Selling Author
Telling original and unforgettable stories that illuminate the behind-the-scenes lives of American presidents and other titans, Michael Beschloss describes the leadership skills essential to almost every kind of success.
Michael Beschloss provides gripping tales and brilliant inside analysis, revealing the leadership secrets of great Presidents and other towering figures in history. Trained at the Harvard Business School in leadership studies, Beschloss unravels the mysteries of powerful and effective leadership in areas from business to politics to sports. He is a contributing columnist for The New York Times, writing a monthly column on business history (Sundays) and a weekly column on sports history (Saturdays). Winner of an Emmy award, Beschloss also serves as NBC News Presidential Historian and contributes to the PBS NewsHour. He is the author of nine best-selling books, including Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989, Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy (co-authored with Caroline Kennedy) and two volumes on President Lyndon Johnson’s secret White House tapes. With more than 110,000 followers, Beschloss also has the largest Twitter following of any historian on earth; his popular site appears on TIME magazine’s list of the world’s top Twitter feeds.
As a master in his field, Beschloss brings us inspiring, humorous and tragic never-before-told stories of American presidents – from George Washington to Joe Biden – as they struggle with war, peace and domestic crisis. He reveals the qualities that have made great presidents in history and shows how to find leaders who have them now – in politics, business and civic life.
Drawing on his years studying leadership at the Harvard Business School and as a presidential historian, Beschloss, customizing his presentation for each audience, picks the most brilliant successes and the most lethal mistakes made in business and politics – and shows what they can teach us.
From his talks with presidents, Supreme Court justices, diplomats and members of Congress and his quarter-century in the capital, Beschloss reveals the hidden side of important personalities and behind-the-scenes developments that may soon have a major impact on your life.
What makes a great U.S. president? Michael Beschloss believes the answer is “presidential courage”: the willingness to take a political risk that might end a president's career-and the wisdom to do that for reasons that later Americans will admire. In a presentation based on his book Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989, Beschloss describes crucial times when courageous presidents took such risks and overcame obstacles to dramatically change the future of the United States. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, the presidents Beschloss focuses on addressed some of the most paramount, abiding issues in American history-war and peace, human rights, and the proper balance between government and business. A natural storyteller, Beschloss details the outstanding traits of these presidents, and then compares them to the current crop of presidential candidates, for in insightful glance into America's political future. He also uses what he has discovered about presidential courage to provide leadership lessons for all of us.
Tell us about your event and the speaker you are interested in booking and we will be in touch right away.