3 Decision-Making Lessons from the Cuban Missile Crisis (actually from Thirteen Days, the movie about it)
Hollywood JFK teaches us about leadership and stress.
“The 1962 Cuban missile crisis was the closest we’ve come to a nuclear world war. Nikita Khrushchev installed Soviet missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from Florida and within striking distance of 80 million Americans. Kennedy told him to remove them, or else. As Soviet ships with more missiles moved toward Cuba, a U.S. naval blockade was set up to stop them. The world waited.” [1]
That’s the synopsis for one of my favorite movies, Thirteen Days. As the name suggests, it’s a Hollywood portrayal of when “the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe.”
I bring up this movie because of how applicable the lessons are in our own personal lives. (Do I take movies too seriously? Absolutely!)
Decision Making
Kenny O’Donnell: [reading Khruschev’s message] It’s ten pages of sentimental fluff, but he’s saying it right here — he’ll remove the missiles in return for a no-invasion pledge.
John McCone, CIA Director: Mr. President, our early analysis says this probably was written by Khruschev himself. It’s a first draft; it shows no signs of being polished by the foreign ministry. In fact, it probably wasn’t even approved by the Politburo, as they wouldn’t let the emotionalism go by. The analysts say it was written by someone under considerable stress.
[all chuckle]
President Kennedy: Glad to know we’re not alone.
It’s at this point a fascinating decision-making process occurs. JFK is then presented with the option to ignore a subsequent letter from the Soviets that reads much more aggressive, and he instead chooses to only respond to the first letter, more likely written by Khruschev himself.
When presented with two contradictory data points, he chooses to pay attention to the one that is more workable.
In the world of positivity and productivity, we can see things as “glass half empty” or “glass half full.” Or we can interpret a person’s motivation as “out to get me” or “they prob didn’t know.”
In response to the stress of life, be like Hollywood JFK and choose to respond to those that will yield a positive or productive outcome. After consideration, ignore the else.
External Pressures
General Curtis LeMay: You’re in a pretty bad fix, Mr. President.
President Kennedy: What did you say?
General Curtis LeMay: You’re in a pretty bad fix.
President Kennedy: Well, maybe you haven’t noticed: You’re in it with me.
Kenny O’Donnell: They want a war, Jack, and they’re arranging things to get one.
General Curtis LeMay: Those goddamn Kennedys are gonna destroy this country if we don’t do something about this!
General Curtis LeMay: The ‘big Red dog’ is diggin’ in our backyard, and we are justified in shooting him!
Imagine the pressures faced by JFK during these critical moments when your military advisors are advising you in a specific direction. But you’re not ready nor willing to go there yet. Could you resist?
For us though, the situation looks more like a difficult coworker and you’re about to respond angrily over email. (An email you would most likely regret later, once you’ve calmed down.) Or perhaps your boss at work or partner at home wants you to pursue a direction you aren’t ready for.
In response to the external pressures from others, be like Hollywood JFK and be who you are; true to your core values. That’s how you got here and that’s why they’ll, in the end, respect and love you.
“What emerges in “Thirteen Days” isn’t the menace of the Russians; it’s the political pressure that informs every decision.”
— Desson Howe, Washington Post Staff Writer [2]
Civic Lesson
President Kennedy: Goddamn it! How the goddamn hell could this happen? I’m gonna have Powell’s head on a platter — next to LeMay’s. Kenny, you hear me give the order to go to DEFCON 2? ’Cause I remember giving the order to go to DEFCON 3 but, y’know I must be suffering from amnesia! I’ve just been informed our nuclear forces are at DEFCON 2.
Gen. Max Taylor: They were limited, Mr. President. The orders were limited to our strategic forces…
President Kennedy: Max!
Gen. Max Taylor: …in the continental United States. General LeMay is correct. Technically, SAC has the statutory authority…
President Kennedy: [slams fist] *I* have the authority! I am the commander in chief of the United States, and I say when we go to war!
Understanding governance is critical. In other words, how and where do decisions get made? In the workplace, the key to our success is knowing who makes what level of decision. In our homelife, the key to our happiness is the shared assurance that big decisions are made together, while smaller decisions are entrusted.
But it’s easy and terrible to see when the governance gets corrupted.
“On June 1, 2020, amid the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C., law enforcement officers used tear gas and other riot control tactics to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square surrounding streets, creating a path for President Donald Trump and senior administration officials to walk from the White House to St. John’s Episcopal Church. Trump held up a Bible and posed for a photo op in front of Ashburton House (the church’s parish house), which had been damaged by a fire during protests the night before.”
— Wikipedia [5]
A small but important example of when power corrupts. Perhaps it won’t so drastic in your workplace and hopefully not in your home life (!!), yet it happens and there should be guardrails. In the hands of a good leader, it could result in great things, but under a bad person, it can quickly unravel.
In response to undue manipulations, be like Hollywood JFK and reinforce the rules, while staying collaborative with the answer.
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
Dive deeper into this time period with these two recommendations:
🐇 The Courier — Businessman Greville Wynne (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) is asked by a Russian source to try to help put an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
🐇 Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman — Pulitzer Prize Winner and selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time, and apparently one of JFK’s favorite books.
References
- Thirteen Days Review By Roger Ebert
- A Thrilling ‘Thirteen Days’ By Desson Howe, Washington Post Staff Writer
- Thirteen Days: on the brink of nuclear war, Hollywood steps in By Alex von Tunzelmann
- Thirteen Days Script — Dialogue Transcript
- Donald Trump photo op at St. John’s Church By Wikipedia