Michael Beschloss

Drawing on his years studying leadership at the Harvard Business School and as a presidential historian, speaker Michael Beschloss picks the most brilliant successes and the most lethal mistakes made in business and politics and shows audiences what they can teach us. He customizes each presentation according to his audience.

Using presidents, Supreme Court justices, diplomats, and members of Congress as examples and drawing on his quarter-century in the capital, speaker Michael Beschloss reveals the hidden side of important personalities and behind-the-scenes developments that may soon have a major impact on your life.

What makes a great US president? Speaker Michael Beschloss believes the answer is “presidential courage”: the willingness to take a political risk that might end a president’s career and the wisdom to do that for reasons that later Americans will admire. In a presentation based on his book Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789-1989, Beschloss describes crucial times when courageous presidents took such risks and overcame obstacles to dramatically change the future of the United States. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, the presidents Beschloss focuses on addressed some of the most paramount, abiding issues in American history – war and peace, human rights, and the proper balance between government and business. A natural storyteller, Beschloss details the outstanding traits of these presidents and compares them to the current crop of presidential candidates, offering an insightful glance into America’s political future. He also translates what he has discovered about presidential courage into leadership lessons for all of us.

As a master in his field, speaker Michael Beschloss brings inspiring, humorous, and tragic never-before-told stories of American presidents – from George Washington to George W. Bush – as they struggle with war, peace, and domestic crisis. He reveals the qualities that have made great presidents in history and shows how to find leaders who have them now in politics, business, and civic life.