The Prepared Leader by Erika H. James and Lynn Perry Wooten Summary
Overview of The Prepared Leader
In "The Prepared Leader," Wharton's Dean Erika James and Simmons University President Lynn Wooten reveal why crisis-ready leadership should be your fourth bottom line. What leadership approach united NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Burger King's CEO during unprecedented chaos? The answer reshapes modern resilience.
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Key takeaways
When Crisis Strikes: The Power of Preparation
Picture this: It's March 11, 2020. COVID-19 cases are surging worldwide. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver makes a stunning decision - suspending the entire NBA season despite hundreds of millions in potential revenue losses. This wasn't rash decision-making; it was prepared leadership in action. Silver had consulted experts, built organizational alignment, and prioritized public health over profit. His subsequent creation of the NBA "bubble" would save $1.5 billion while keeping everyone COVID-free. This exemplifies the prepared leader - someone who anticipates crises, builds responsive systems, and emerges stronger when disaster strikes. In our increasingly volatile world, crisis preparation isn't optional - it's essential. The pandemic demonstrated how quickly catastrophe can spread in our interconnected world, collapsing economies and breaking supply chains in mere weeks. Yet despite decades of warnings from experts like Bill Gates, who gave his famous 2015 TED talk about pandemic inevitability, we remained fundamentally unprepared. Why? Because we're trapped in what former World Bank president Jim Yong Kim called the "cycle of panic, neglect, panic, neglect" - responding with alarm during crises but immediately relaxing afterward, allowing critical response mechanisms to atrophy.
Understanding the Crisis Journey and Essential Leadership Skills
Making Decisions and Building Teams Under Pressure
Leading Across Global and Cultural Boundaries
Learning: The Heart of Crisis Leadership
Communication and Recovery Strategies
Becoming the Leader Your Organization Needs
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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