You're in Charge – Now What?

The Oath of Office

When Franklin Delano Roosevelt first assumed his duties as president in March 1933, he took the helm of a nation in crisis. He didn’t have the luxury of a honeymoon period. The Great Depression was in full swing and practically every bank in the country was closed. About 25% of U.S. workers were unemployed, and democracy itself was at a crossroads. He began his presidency with the inaugural declaration: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

As historian James M. Schlesinger Jr. describes it, Roosevelt responded with a burst of activity in his first 100 days: "Roosevelt sent 15 messages to Congress, guided 15 major laws to enactment, delivered 10 speeches, held press conferences and cabinet meetings twice a week, conducted talks with foreign heads of state, sponsored an international conference, made all the major decisions in domestic and foreign policy, and never displayed fright or panic and rarely even bad temper."

Roosevelt’s decisive actions during the early days of his administration provide a model for the new leader. As the leader of your organization, you must lace up your tennis shoes and get ready to run the race. The pace...