Imagine yourself in the Oval Office. Eighteen months before, you suffered a debacle that will come to mark the low point of your presidency. Your poor decision-making then changed the game, and not in your favor. Castro got stronger. The Soviets were emboldened to challenge you. Your reputation as a statesman on the international stage was damaged. 

Now, the young JFK was at the center of deliberations surrounding the most pressing threat. Soviet ships were shuttling nuclear weapons across the Atlantic towards Cuba. They threatened establish nuclear capabilities within lethal range of 80 million Americans. The fate of the world was on JFK’s shoulders. His track record so far was poor. 

Today's CEOs and leaders, like JFK, must similarly navigate a constant barrage of decisions which will affect the future of their organizations, their people, and their legacy. The fundamental question in these moments is how to get the decisions right when it will matter the most? 

JFK’s most profound lesson in his young presidency rooted in his ability to fundamentally re-architect his decision-making processes. He did so in the short span of 18 months. As a result, he moved from the low point of his presidency – the decision-making failures associated with the Bay of Pigs fiasco – to its high point: the blockade of Cuba. 

Building on the lessons learned in critical moments by leaders like JFK, in this episode learn how you can similarly: 

• Architect Your Decision-Making Processes: Enhance your decision-making process by incorporating diverse perspectives and fostering open debate;
• Unleash the Power of Your Team: Unleash the potential of your team members by focusing on the quality of ideas they create rather than the allocation of power amongst them.
• Build a Resilient Organization: Cultivate an environment where ideas flourish, innovation thrives, and teams come to trust the process.

JFK had to learn several tough lessons quickly. He rearchitected his own decision-making patterns. He challenged the ‘smart guys’ on his team to compete in new ways. He architected a process that yielded more options, superior risk analysis, and higher probabilities of success for those moments when they matter the most. These are the lessons CEOs and executive leaders can similarly learn well in advance of their own most critical decisions. 

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Original Music by Billy Goodrum