Arete Coach 1209 Talmage Boston "How the Best Led: Presidential Lessons for Today’s Leaders"

Arete Coach: The Art & Science of Executive Coaching

Arete Coach Podcast

Business, How To, Entrepreneurship, Education, Management

5 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 17 February 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, host Severin Sorensen sits down with Talmage Boston, a distinguished attorney, author, speaker, and presidential historian. With over four decades of experience in commercial litigation and a deep passion for history, Talmage shares invaluable insights from his latest book, How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons from Our Top Presidents.

This episode, recorded on November 27, 2024, via Zoom, explores the leadership principles of America’s most impactful presidents and how their lessons can be applied to modern leadership and executive coaching.

Talmage Boston is a partner at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley, and Norton, LLP, and has been honored as a Texas Super Lawyer since 2003. Beyond his legal career, he is an esteemed historian and author endorsed by Pulitzer Prize-winning historians like David McCullough and Jon Meacham. His previous books, including Cross-Examining History and Raising the Bar, provide thought-provoking analyses of leadership and historical narratives.

In How the Best Did It, Talmage identifies 24 leadership traits exhibited by eight U.S. presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. Each chapter includes interactive questions to help readers apply these insights to their leadership journey.

Boston identifies three overarching traits that all eight presidents shared:

Persuasion – Ability to inspire and unify diverse groups.
Self-Awareness – Recognizing strengths and delegating weaknesses.
Big-Picture Focus – Aligning leadership efforts with the needs of the broad middle rather than extremes.

Boston stresses that history should be remembered accurately and used to inspire positive change. He encourages leaders to apply historical lessons to modern challenges and maintain a commitment to integrity and unity.

This episode offers a powerful blend of history and leadership, making it an essential listen for executive coaches, business leaders, and history enthusiasts alike.

The Arete Coach Podcast explores the art and science of executive coaching. You can find more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.

This episode was recorded on November 27, 2024.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the Artic Coach Podcast with Severin Soren Sorensson and his guest, Talmadge Boston.
0:05.0	He is a distinguished attorney, author, speaker, and presidential historian.
0:09.0	This interview is recorded on November 27, 2024 via Zoom video.
0:14.0	You are listening to Severin Sorensson, executive coach and curator of the Art to Coach podcast, where we explore excellence and the art and science of executive coaching.
0:24.6	He's an award-winning commercial litigator, bar leader, author, speaker, and presidential historian with over four decades of experience in the legal field.
0:33.6	Currently, a partner of Shackleford, Bowen, McKinley, and Norton, LLP. He's widely recognized
0:41.0	for his expertise in commercial litigation, having represented clients in state and federal courts,
0:46.9	as well as making appearances before the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals.
0:52.9	Damage is also board certified with both civil trial law and civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization,
1:01.0	and has been honored as a Texas super lawyer in the business litigation area since 2003.
1:08.0	Beyond his legal career, Talmadge has established himself as a leading historian and author,
1:13.5	endorsed by renowned figures such as David McCullough and John Mitchum, his book. How the Best
1:19.6	Did It, Leadership Lessons from our Top Presidents, explores unique leadership styles of eight
1:26.0	iconic U.S. presidents, providing practical takeaways for today's leaders.
1:30.3	This insightful work endorsed by Pulitzer-winning historians offers readers a deep dive into presidential leadership,
1:38.3	with each chapter delivering lessons that are as relevant today as they were during the President's time in which they served.
1:46.0	Talmud's unique blend of legal acumen and his historical insights make him a sought-after speaker
1:52.0	and a thought leader at the intersection of history, leadership, and contemporary relevance.
1:57.0	With previous works like cross-examining history and raising the bar, he has consistently
2:03.1	provided readers with a meaningful understanding of leadership and its role in society. With
2:07.6	Talmadge's expertise in law, his passion for history and leadership insights, is it any wonder
2:13.1	I thought he'd be a great guest today for the R&K Coach podcast, where we explore excellence
	...

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