Lessons of October – Take YES for an Answer

If you are 65 or older, you may remember that in October 1962 the US came as close as it ever has to nuclear warfare when it discovered that Soviet Premier Khrushchev had parked nuclear weapons in Cuba (90 miles from Florida) with the help of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Then President John F. Kennedy was still reeling from his disastrous decision resulting in the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion intended to remove Castro from power. This failure had emboldened Khrushchev to place intermediate range nuclear armed missiles on the island, gambling that Kennedy’s recent failure would discourage him from attempting military action against Cuba again.

Kennedy ultimately prevailed in getting the Soviets to remove the missiles. If you don’t remember (or were never taught) about this crisis, there are some great leadership lessons here. Kennedy was no stranger to war. He was a decorated Naval officer and having experienced combat in the Pacific during WWII, understood the risks of a military conflict. This short article on the Vistage Research site, “Leadership lessons from JFK and Cuban Missile Crisis summarizes lessons that every CEO should take to heart about having, and managing, advisors during a crisis, and how taking time to understanding one’s “competition” can help avoid disaster.

Note: If you’re too young to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis ( or were never taught about it), there is a great docudrama about the day the world could have ended and Kennedy’s remarkable leadership in preventing it. “The Missiles of October” will help you understand the “Lessons of October.”

Taking “Yes” for An Answer

Much of life is a negotiation. If you’d like to be better, quickly, in this crucial life skill, I strongly suggest you take 90 minutes for a podcast with the FBI’s former lead international kidnapping negotiator, Chris Voss. Mr. Voss will give you an overview of the “The Art of Letting Other People Have YOUR Way.” After you listen to the podcast, I am sure you’ll buy and study his book “Never Split the Difference.” Do this before you negotiate anything else of importance.