The Powers to Lead

In this book, Nye looks at the nature of leadership in today’s world. He uses historical examples, case studies, and psychological research to argue that the best approach to leadership is to design a leadership style that best suits a certain situation, often using a blend of a more authoritarian style of leadership (“hard power”) and an inspirational one (“soft power”). He calls this “smart power” and includes a discussion of skills for leaders so they can better harness this idea. Nye is University Distinguished Service Professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.