leadership skill – In October 1962, when Soviet missiles were reported 80 miles from Florida and John F. Kennedy’s generals pressed for airstrikes within days, Kennedy chose to wait. The episode is used here to challenge how modern leadership training rewards speed and punishes
In October 1962, the room was filled with urgency. Soviet missiles were reportedly 80 miles from Florida, and Kennedy’s generals demanded airstrikes within days.
Advisers urged invasion. What they could not quite accept—what one biographer later called “a space for the situation to breathe”—was Kennedy’s decision to wait. The crisis. the account says. ended not because America acted decisively. but because Kennedy refused to act prematurely and held that position while every nerve in the room screamed otherwise.
That wait is the through-line of a leadership lesson most programs don’t teach. The uncomfortable idea is simple: the benchmark for “competence” is often action, while the competence that matters may be knowing how to pause without losing the thread.
John F. Kennedy October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis leadership training decisive action negative capability wu wei business leadership decision-making corporate governance risk management
So he waited and it worked… shocker.
They’re basically saying leadership is just “don’t do stuff right away.” Which sounds nice but in real life? If you wait too long you’re still the one who screwed it up. Also wasn’t it like, the Russians backed down because they got scared of our nukes??
I don’t get it. If missiles were 80 miles away and generals wanted airstrikes, shouldn’t the “right” leadership be instant action? Like waiting sounds reckless. Unless the article is saying “negative capability” or whatever, like just vibes? My brain hurts.
Modern leadership training punishes you for moving slow? lol ok but most people can’t even sit still during a meeting without checking their phone. I think Kennedy “waiting” is only easy to say in hindsight. If they had attacked and it went bad, everybody would’ve called it weak leadership or reckless or whatever. Also the article keeps saying “space for the situation to breathe” like that’s a business thing but we’re talking about missiles near Florida.