Go Point : When It's Time to Decide, Knowing What to Do and When to Do It

What do you do when it’s time to get off the fence?

One of the world’s most noted leadership experts, Michael Useem uses dramatic story­telling to show how to master the art and science of being decisive. He places you smack in the middle of people who faced their go point, when actions–or lack of them–determined the fates of individuals, companies, and countries.

• Why on earth did Robert E. Lee send General George Pickett on an almost suicidal charge against the Union lines at Gettysburg?

• How does the leader of a firefighting crew make life-or-death decisions when one direction means safety, the other danger?

• You’ve just assumed responsibility for a scandal-wracked corporation, a company teetering on the brink of disaster. What you decide over the course of the next several days will have consequences for thousands of employees and investors. How do you fulfill your responsibilities?

You’ll discover why some decisions were flawless, perfectly on target, and others utterly disastrous. Most of all, you’ll learn how to make the right calls yourself, whether you’re changing your career, launching a product, or deciding on a potential acquisition or merger.

MICHAEL USEEM is the William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania,and director of its Center for Leadership and Change Management. Dr. Useem is also the author of The Leadership Moment.