13 days is a great book about the Cuban Missile Crisis written by the brother, and right hand, of the President. Here are 13 things that Thirteen days can teach you about leadership (spoilers ahead):1) Challenge assumptions (business orthodoxy) - despite having an extensive intelligence network the US had failed to believe some tips that the Russians were putting nuclear missiles into Cuba. 2) Do not rush to judgment - Robert Kennedy was surprised that despite the intelligence and experience of the group discussing the crisis their views changed over time (some several times).3) Know your customers - John F Kennedy instinctively felt that US voters would not accept anything but a strong government response to the Cuba situation (note - no focus group needed. Malcolm Gladwell would have been proud!).4) Recognise the ingredients needed to create healthy debate - JFK did not attend every meeting of the committee creating the country's response strategy because he recognised that views expressed changed in his presence. Robert Kennedy also pointed out the value of diversity of opinion when dealing with complex problems and having people brave enough to challenge the majority opinion.5) With difficult decisions there is unlikely to be consensus or a right answer. 6) Take a break - The President is seen in the book having lunch with his wife before a major meeting and then on another occasion going for a swim. That was a great instinct to make sure he was feeling relaxed and able to think clearly about the decisions he needed to take. 7) Be professional - The US made sure that they had a strong legal framework for taking action against Russia. Having objective criteria to support their perspective really helped convince other stakeholders. 8) Manage stakeholders - The President is seen throughout the book keeping major stakeholders like the UK, France, Germany and Latin American states informed.9) Strategy then details - The President's team focused on establishing the right strategy, then they worked through the fine details.10) Know when to step forward - The President moved from letting others debate strategic options to taking direct control of all the details when the plan moved into action. 11) Stay rational - The President was painted by his brother as staying level headed and professional in the face of severe provocation. He strongly wanted to avoid miscalculating by acting out of emotion at any time.12) Do not presume that things will get done - follow up - The President learned that some missiles in Turkey that he had previously asked to be decommissioned had not been, weakening the US's bargaining position and moral authority. 13) Kill them with kindness - JFK responded to two letters from the Russian leader, Kruschev by ignoring insults and answering only on the positive points made.
Este libro es un valioso documento histórico: la descripción por parte de Robert F. Kennedy de sus experiencias políticas durante la crisis de los misiles de Cuba en octubre de 1962.Es un relato económico en extensión, que se centra en el papel de RFK como consejero del Presidente, y su pertenencia al Ex-Comm (el Comité Ejecutivo que se formó para gestionar la crisis).Lo más sorprendente para mí es la nobleza y humildad que impregna el relato. RFK intenta transmitir la difícil tarea que las personas involucradas tenían entre manos, y defiende la honradez e inteligencia de gente cuyas sugerencias eran muy contrarias a las suyas, e incluso peligrosas. Es de esta crisis y de los comentarios de JFK sobre la actuación del Estado Mayor americano de donde ha salido la imagen del general americano, entrado en carnes y cubierto de condecoraciones, dando golpes en la mesa y diciendo cosas como "¡hay que darles antes de que nos den a nosotros!" mientras echan espuma por la boca, que llevamos viendo en las películas desde entonces. Y sin embargo, RFK intenta templar las críticas a todas las personas que a posteriori se pudiesen ver bajo una luz desfavorable, citando la presión a la que estaban sometidas, el condicionamiento de su visión subjetiva por el trabajo que desempeñaban, etc.Esta generosidad no la he visto nunca en un político que no estuviese hablando de un amigo o de un aliado político en general. Junto con la idea que tuvo RFK de crear un comité que se reuniese al margen del presidente, de tal manera que todo el mundo pudiese sentirse libre de dar su opinión sin tergiversarla para contentarle, el autor emerge como una figura política muy interesante. Tal vez este ambiente fuese parte de la razón por la cual se le llamaba a la administración Kennedy "Camelot".Esta edición contiene además una introducción de Arthur Schlesinger Jr., que aporta más datos para entender la gravedad de la crisis, la transcripción de discursos claves dirigidos a la nación por parte de JFK en esos días, así como de las cartas que éste último intercambió con Khrushchev, y un largo epílogo en el que se describen y argumentan, tal y como lo quiso RFK, las implicaciones políticas y morales de las decisiones que tomó el mando ejecutivo durante esos días aciagos.
I had read this book many years ago in a class in negotiations in graduate school. This book is the story of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the closest the world has ever come to a full out, no holds barred, nuclear war. The story is well known: the USSR put offensive ballistic missiles in Cuba, 50. Miles off the U.S. coastline.The book is an unfinished narrative by the late Robert F Kennedy, the brother of President John. F Kennedy. As Attorney General, as well as brother and confidant to the President, he tells the story of what went on behind closed doors. Ultimately, the stalemate is broken, the Soviets flinch, and peace returns. But, the story is riveting. In fact, I started to read it again this morning, went out with my family for Father's Day, and return to the house to finish it the same day.If you enjoy history, a good example of negotiation, or even an exciting story, this book reads like a novel even though it is real history.
—Bob
One of the points RFK makes in this assessment of the Cuban Missile Crisis (apart from the obvious fact that his ability to actually write it was a vindication of his brother's restraint and resolve) is the following conclusion to the chapter entitled "Some of the things we learned...":"...we could have other missile crises in the future--different kinds, no doubt, and under different circumstances. But if we are to be successful then, if we are going to preserve our own national security, we will need friends, we will need supporters, we will need countries that believe and respect us and will follow our leadership" (123).It is alarming, to say the least, how low the United States has allowed its international reputation to sink in the time between when Kennedy wrote those lines and today. Imagine a Bush or an Obama having to negotiate the fine line between assertion and aggression as JFK managed to do. This memoir is a frightening reminder of how precarious the Cold War was, and it underscores the importance of remembering that there are only human beings on either side of any conflict. When ideologies intervene, the human beings tend to be pushed out of the way. It was our saving grace that human beings prevailed at that particular moment.
—Rick Patterson
Robert Kennedy, as both brother and Attorney General to President John Kennedy, does a masterful job of explaining the US Administration’s internal deliberations and decisions during the Cuban missile crisis. Many members of my generation do not, perhaps, understand the gravity of the situation, and how a 45 year old president was able to calmly deliberate on the facts, assemble an Executive Committee full of experience, ability and deliberative dissent, and make a decision that protected the world from nuclear holocaust.While protecting the American public, both Kennedy's remained ultra-sensitive to the impact of United States Military actions on the rest of the world, including Berlin, Turkey and Italy, to name a few potential Soviet targets. It was fascinating to read about the mixed messages that the US Administration received from Khrushchev-- occasionally claiming there were no missiles, and at other times avoiding specifics and arguing forcefully for Cuba's right to arm and protect itself. Of particular note, was President Kennedy's rational response to the tragedy of a US fighter pilot being shot down by a Cuban surface-to-air-missile. Many demanded a strong military response, but Kennedy weighed the consequences of such action, and ultimately decided against it. Robert Kennedy describes how, while always leaving all options on the table, President Kennedy negotiated the treacherous mine field of a nuclear stand off, with both bravery and brilliance. Kennedy was the kind of rational leader who surrounded himself with intelligence and experience, brought out the best in others and made sound decisions based on all of the evidence at his disposal. In short, Robert Kennedy was writing about the kind of leader America desperately needs today.
—Dylan
