Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy (UK edition)

Henry Kissinger analyses how six extraordinary leaders he has known have shaped their countries and the world

'Leaders,' writes Henry Kissinger in this compelling book, 'think and act at the intersection of two axes: the first, between the past and the future; the second between the abiding values and aspirations of those they lead. They must balance what they know, which is necessarily drawn from the past, with what they intuit about the future, which is inherently conjectural and uncertain. It is this intuitive grasp of direction that enables leaders to set objectives and lay down a strategy.'

In Leadership, Kissinger analyses the lives of six extraordinary leaders through the distinctive strategies of statecraft which he believes they embodied. After the Second World War, Konrad Adenauer brought defeated and morally bankrupt Germany back into the community of nations by what Kissinger calls 'the strategy of humility'. Charles de Gaulle set France beside the victorious Allies and renewed its historic grandeur by 'the strategy of will'. During the Cold War, Richard Nixon gave geostrategic advantage to the United States by 'the strategy of equilibrium'. After twenty-five years of conflict, Anwar Sadat brought a vision of peace to the Middle East by a 'strategy of transcendence'. Against the odds, Lee Kwan Yew created a powerhouse city-state, Singapore, by 'the strategy of excellence'. Although when she came to power Britain was known as 'the sick man of Europe', Margaret Thatcher renewed her country's morale and international position by 'the strategy of conviction'.

To each of these studies, Kissinger brings historical perception, public experience and – because he knew each of their subjects, and participated in many of the events he describes – personal knowledge. The book is enriched by insights and judgements such as only he could make, and concludes with his reflections on world order and the indispensability of leadership today.

About the Author

Henry Kissinger (1923–2023) served in the US Army during the Second World War and subsequently held teaching posts in history and government at Harvard University for twenty years. He served as national security advisor and secretary of state under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and has advised many other American presidents on foreign policy. He received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Medal of Liberty, among other awards. He authored numerous books and articles on foreign policy and diplomacy, including On China and World Order. 

Reviews

"Do individuals matter in shaping the course of events? Henry Kissinger thinks they do, and in his latest book he draws on case studies and his own experience to argue that the individual leader, and his or her statecraft, can sometimes determine history... Although Kissinger, now aged 99, has not held office since 1977, he has advised virtually every US president since Nixon... For Kissinger, good leaders have a deep appreciation of the past and an ability to imagine possible futures... Elder statesman is an overused term but Kissinger is the genuine article, and worth listening to." —Margaret MacMillan, Financial Times

"The 99-year-old Kissinger has written what purports to be a handbook for the leaders of today and tomorrow, built around six portraits of global figures from the second half of the 20th century: Konrad Adenauer, Charles de Gaulle, Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Lee Kuan Yew and Margaret Thatcher. Kissinger draws interesting parallels between them. All six lives were shaped by what he calls the Second Thirty Years War – the period of global conflict from 1914 to 1945.... Kissinger knew them all and enlivens his text with accounts of his own interactions with the leaders and those around them.... informed and authoritative" —Jeremy Cliffe, New Statesman

"They all triumphed over their modest starts in life, through their great ability and drive, to reach the pinnacle of power. All of his six subjects, Kissinger argues, show that 'transformative leadership' by great people matters more than impersonal forces in shaping history." —Phillips O’Brien, The Times

"One of America's most legendary diplomats finds the soul in statecraft in these enlightening sketches of world leaders.... Kissinger infuses his lucid policy analyses with colorful firsthand observations.... Kissinger's portraits of politicians spinning weakness and defeat into renewed strength are captivating. This is a vital study of power in action." ―Publishers Weekly

Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.3 x 19.7 cm