Eyewitness to Power - (A Political History and Leadership Bestseller) by David Gergen (Paperback)

About the Book

As a White House advisor to four presidents, Gergen assesses the key leadership lessons each president offers. He identifies the core elements and how these lessons can benefit businesses everywhere.

Book Synopsis

Leadership: The Ultimate Guide
Few Americans have observed the ups and downs of presidential leadership more closely over the past thirty years -- from Nixon to Clinton and Watergate to Whitewater -- than David Gergen. A White House adviser to four presidents, both Republican and Democrat, he offers a vivid, behind-the-scenes account of their struggles to exercise power and draws from them key lessons for leaders of the future. Taking us inside the administrations of Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton, Gergen reflects on everything from why Nixon was the best global strategist among recent presidents to how the Bill-and-Hillary seesaw rocked the White House during Clinton's tenure as president.
Gergen argues that, as the twenty-first century begins, our success as a country will depend heavily upon the success of a new generation in power. Drawing upon his many experiences in the White House, he offers seven vital elements for future leaders. What they must have, he says, are inner mastery; a central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values; a capacity to persuade; skills in working within the system; a fast start; a strong, effective team; and a passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive.

Review Quotes

Jon Margolis The New York Times Book Review Perhaps nothing distinguishes Gergen's book from other White House memoirs more than the fundamental sympathy and respect he shows toward all the presidents he served.

Michael Beschloss author of Taking Charge: The Johnson White House Tapes, 1963-1964 A preeminent political analyst and public servant reveals intriguing hidden dimensions of the four presidents he served and brings us a meditation on presidential power that, like its author, is shrewd, thoughtful, and wise.

Robert A. Rankin The Philadelphia Inquirer Superb...Gergen is a masterful journalist...fascinating...fair...generous...and wise.

About the Author

David Gergen has been a leader in the public arena for more than half a century. He has served as a White House adviser to four US presidents of both parties: Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. Gergen then served as the editor of US News & World Report. For the past two decades, he has served as a professor of public service and founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also a senior political analyst for CNN where he is a respected voice in national and international affairs.