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Politics

Speaker Mike Johnson’s ‘Profiles in Courage’ Moment

Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and co-author Steven Tian write that the House Speaker displayed rare courage in learning on the job and defying extremists in his own party—and draw historical parallels to an ideological conversion that changed the course of the Cold War.

House Speaker Mike Johnson speaking to the press, in a wide image from behind
  • What Went Wrong in Afghanistan?

    We asked Prof. Paul Bracken, an expert in business and military strategy, how the U.S. could have avoided a chaotic exit from Afghanistan, and what comes next for the region.

    Afghans outside the Kabul airport on August 20, 2021.
  • Leadership Lessons for Biden after the Afghanistan Withdrawal

    Yale SOM's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld offers advice for the president on recovering from his missteps, drawn from Sonnenfeld's decades of studies of business and political leadership.

    President Joe Biden leaving the podium after speaking at the White House about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
  • The Compromise Infrastructure Bill Reflects the Public’s Priorities

    The infrastructure bill that advanced in the Senate this week doesn’t please partisans on either side. But an analysis from Yale SOM’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld shows a rough correspondence with the objectives favored by the public in polls.

    Senator Kyrsten Sinema speaking at a news conference on July 28, 2021. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
  • To Reduce Risk, Build Trust, in Developing Countries and the U.S.

    Mena Cammett ’12 of the World Bank says that the tools used to analyze risk in emerging markets are increasingly relevant to the United States. To mitigate vulnerabilities, build trust.

    The Taiba N’Diaye Wind Power Station in Senegal, a project underwritten by the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Photo: MIGA.
  • Can Business Leaders Be a Force for Democracy?

    In the wake of the presidential election, Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld hosted three urgent discussions with top CEOs, where they discussed their concern about attempts to overturn the results and made a much-reported pledge to freeze donations to legislators who voted to reject election results.

    An American flag surrounded by office towers
  • Business Leaders Are Deeply Concerned about Public Safety—and Democracy

    At a virtual meeting convened by Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld in the wake of the attack on the Capitol, CEOs voiced worries and brainstormed ideas for how business can help strengthen democracy.

    Police and members of the National Guard behind a fence outside the U.S. Capitol on January 7, 2021.
  • Day-One Advice for President Joe Biden, from Yale Experts

    Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will take on an array of monumental challenges, including controlling COVID-19, making progress on the climate crisis, and confronting racial injustice. We asked faculty members who specialize in these and other subjects what research-based counsel they would give to America’s new leaders.

    President Joe Biden signing an order at the desk in the Oval Office
  • Trump’s Reluctant Goodbye

    In the final act of Donald Trump‘s presidency, Yale SOM's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld sees echoes of “monarchical” CEOs who purge truth-tellers and surround themselves with sycophants—and invariably make an involuntary exit from the C-suite.

    Marine One departing the South Lawn of the White House
  • CEOs Urge Respect for Election Integrity

    In a hastily assembled call on November 6, corporate leaders agreed on the importance of smooth transition process and encouraged GOP leaders to endorse the integrity of the election.

    President-Elect Joe Biden speaks to the media on November 9, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images.
  • Business Leaders Mobilize for a Fair Vote

    As the U.S. approaches a divisive election, writes Yale SOM leadership expert Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, business leaders are calling for patience while ballots are counted and a peaceful transfer of power.

    Ballots in a sorting machine at the Santa Clara County registrar of voters office in October 2020. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.