Teaches U.S. Presidential History and Leadership

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Meet your instructor: Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and bestselling author Doris Kearns Goodwin. She talks about why she’s excited to teach this class, how she came to love history, and her path to becoming a presidential historian.

Introduction

Looking at the early lives of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and LBJ, Doris discusses whether leaders are born or made and why great leaders have ambition for something bigger than themselves.

How People Become Great Leaders

Doris delves into the character traits that make up emotional intelligence, including humility, empathy, and resilience. She also shares Lincoln’s secret trick for dealing with anger and frustration.

More Important Than IQ: Emotional Intelligence

Doris discusses the building blocks for leading a team well, including honest communication, sharing credit, building trust, allowing for failure, and paying attention to the needs of individual team members.

Successfully Leading a Team

Don’t shy away from putting rivals on your team, advises Doris. She explains how to complement your weaknesses with strengths from team members, allow for differences of opinion, and create a culture of respect and honesty.

Forging Key Partnerships

Using examples from the lives of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and LBJ, Doris illustrates why recharging is essential for leadership, especially for solving complex problems and making high-stakes decisions with a clear mind.

The Importance of Relaxing and Recharging

Doris shares how some of the greatest presidents have made consequential decisions and how we can use their approach in our own lives. She also talks about how to heal divisions and build consensus.

Making Informed Decisions

Doris discusses the role she believes leaders should take in a crisis and how they should console their constituencies, sharing a case study on Teddy Roosevelt’s management of the 1902 Coal Crisis.

Navigating Crises

Doris talks about how leaders must tailor the way they communicate to the most popular mediums of the time. She also discusses how she believes presidents and citizens should interact with the press.

Delivering Your Message

Doris shares the journey of her late husband, presidential speechwriter and adviser Richard Goodwin, who devoted his life to civil service. She also shares Richard’s draft of LBJ’s most famous speech on civil rights.

Finding Your Voice

Doris explains her approach to studying and writing about history, including how she collaborated with Steven Spielberg on the film Lincoln.

Writing History

Doris examines what made George Washington, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Jr. such effective leaders.

Profiles in Leadership

Emphasizing the impact of great leadership on the United States, Doris encourages us all to be active and engaged citizens. She also describes which qualities matter and which don’t when it comes to voting for candidates.

Civic Leadership: Get Involved

Doris reinforces the importance of sharing stories as a way to seek connection and build legacies, and she offers a parting message of inspiration and hope.

Legacy: The Power of Storytelling

For anyone who dreams of running for president someday, Doris provides words of wisdom and encouragement.

Bonus: Advice for Future Presidents

Doris Kearns Goodwin Teaches U.S. Presidential History and Leadership

Lead With Genuine Conviction

Craft Impactful Speeches

Let History Inform Your Future

Engage Audiences With Storytelling

Get Involved in Civics

Build Trust for Team Collaboration

Community & Government

Grow as a Community Leader

Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice Teach Diplomacy

Madeleine Albright & Condoleezza Rice

Teach Diplomacy

Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson Teaches Scientific Thinking and Communication

Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Richard Branson

Richard Branson Teaches Disruptive Entrepreneurship 

Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn Teaches Mindfulness and Meditation

Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton Teaches Inclusive Leadership

Teach Advertising and Creativity

Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein

Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein Teach Advertising and Creativity

Teaches The Power of Resilience

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Teaches the Power of Resilience

Hillary Rodham Clinton Teaches The Power of Resilience

Teaches Mental Strength

Robin Arzón

Robin Arzón Teaches Mental Strength

Teaches Conservation

Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall Teaches Conservation

Teaches Authentic Leadership

George W. Bush

President George W. Bush Teaches Authentic Leadership

Teaches Designing Your Career

Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth Teaches Designing Your Career

Lessons from Influential Black Voices

Black History, Black Freedom, and Black Love

Teaches Self-Expression and Authenticity

RuPaul

RuPaul Teaches Self-Expression and Authenticity

Teaches the Power of Storytelling

LeVar Burton

Teaches the Power of Storytelling 

LeVar Burton Teaches the Power of Storytelling

José Andrés with Special Guest Chefs

Food, Stories, and Connections

Teaches Economics and Society

Paul Krugman

Paul Krugman Teaches Economics and Society

Teaches Purposeful Communication

George Stephanopoulos

George Stephanopoulos Teaches Purposeful Communication

Rewriting the Rules of Business and Life

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Teaches Art and Creativity

Jeff Koons

Jeff Koons Teaches Art and Creativity

Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Spike Lee

Spike Lee Teaches Independent Filmmaking

Teaches Business Innovation

Rosalind Brewer

Rosalind Brewer Teaches Business Innovation

A Documentary by Academy Award Nominee Andrea Nevins

The Cowboy and the Queen

A Documentary by Andrea Nevins

Teaches Investigative Journalism

Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward Teaches Investigative Journalism

Teaches Impactful Giving

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates Teaches Impactful Giving

Teaches Poetic Thinking

Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo Teaches Poetic Thinking

Pharrell Williams and Noted Co-Instructors

The Power of Empathy

The Power of Empathy With Pharrell Williams and Noted Co-Instructors

A Documentary Film From Artist JR

Tehachapi

A Documentary by Artist JR

Teaches Writing and Performing Poetry

Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman Teaches Writing and Performing Poetry

Teaches Writing

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing

Chris Hadfield and Noted Co-Experts

Crisis Day

Chris Voss and Noted Co-Experts

Teaches Tracing Your Roots Through Food

Michael W. Twitty

Michael W. Twitty Teaches Tracing Your Roots Through Food

Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing

Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin Teaches Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing

Malala Teaches Creating Change

Malala Yousafzai

Teaches Creating Change

Gloria Steinem and Noted Co-Instructors

Redefining Feminism

Redefining Feminism with Gloria Steinem and Noted Co-Instructors

Teaches Writing for Social Change

Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay Teaches Writing for Social Change

Teaches Philosophy

Cornel West

Cornel West Teaches Philosophy

Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

Bill Nye

Bill Nye Teaches Science and Problem-Solving

Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

David Axelrod and Karl Rove

David Axelrod and Karl Rove Teach Campaign Strategy and Messaging

Reframe Your Thinking

Ava DuVernay

With Noted Investors

Mastering the Markets

Teaches a Winning Mindset

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton Teaches a Winning Mindset

Teaches Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Noam Chomsky

Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Noam Chomsky Teaches Independent Thinking and Media’s Invisible Powers

Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Icons and Their Influences

Talking Shop