Leading Through Crisis: Lessons From Past US Presidents

The coronavirus pandemic is a crisis of unprecedented scale and scope. In response, the world looks to its leaders for clarity, direction, and the reassurance that their actions will mitigate — not exacerbate — the pandemic’s dire humanitarian and economic consequences. While no U.S. president has faced a challenge quite like the current one, what do past commanders-in-chief have to teach us about leading through a crisis? University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Bob Bruner shares findings from his examination of the leadership styles of past U.S. presidents that could inform the current moment for leaders at all levels as we navigate the difficult path ahead.

About the Expert

Robert F. Bruner

University Professor Emeritus; Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Business Administration; Dean Emeritus

Bruner is an expert on mergers and acquisitions. He’s written two books on the subject, Deals From Hell: M&A Lessons That Rise Above the Ashes and Applied Mergers and Acquisitions, which have helped countless students and business people deal with the complexity of mergers and acquisitions. His business expertise is wide-ranging; he’s well-versed in corporate finance, financial crises and bank panics, corporate valuation, enterprise leadership and management education. He is co-author of Case Studies in Finance: Managing for Corporate Value Creation, currently in its eighth edition.

Bruner comments on life, business and current events in his blog. He also tweets on his Twitter account.

B.A., Yale University; MBA, DBA, Harvard University

READ FULL BIO