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Leadership Under Pressure

Leadership Under Pressure

By: Nathan Pali
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About this listen

Leadership Under Pressure is a history and leadership podcast about what happens when leaders are forced to decide with incomplete information, limited time, and everything on the line.

Each episode examines real moments from history where leadership was tested by crisis, uncertainty, and high stakes. Some leaders rose to the moment. Many did not. The show explores decision-making under pressure, leadership failure, judgment errors, power dynamics, and how stress, fear, and urgency change the way leaders think.

From military and political crises to organizational and cultural turning points, this podcast breaks down how leaders respond when plans collapse, advice conflicts, and consequences are unavoidable. You’ll hear how small choices made under pressure can spiral into catastrophic failure, unintended consequences, or lasting change.

This is not a leadership theory podcast or a collection of motivational stories. It’s a narrative-driven exploration of real leadership decisions from history, focusing on crisis leadership, management under stress, and why pressure reveals more about leadership than success ever does.

If you’re interested in leadership under pressure, crisis decision-making, leadership lessons from history, and understanding how power behaves in moments that can’t be rehearsed—this podcast is for you.

Leadership Under Pressure Because leadership is defined in moments that don’t allow do-overs.

© 2026 Leadership Under Pressure All rights reserved.
Education
Episodes
  • A Case Study in Leadership Failure: James Buchanan
    Jan 17 2026

    This episode isn’t about villains—it’s about hesitation. James Buchanan had warnings, power, and time. What he lacked was the willingness to risk short-term chaos to prevent long-term disaster. A leadership case study with modern relevance.

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    10 mins
  • Nikolai Vavilov: Science vs. Ideology and Starvation
    Feb 15 2026
    In this episode, we explore the compelling story of Nikolai Vavilov, a botanist and geneticist who risked everything to collect seeds and prevent famine in the Soviet Union. We examine his conflict with Trofim Lysenko and illustrate how ideology and the pursuit of certainty can lead to devastating consequences when prioritized over scientific truth and reality.          Chapters    00:00 Introduction to Vavilov    00:37 Vavilov's Vision and Work    03:33 The Rise of Lysenkoism    08:21 Vavilov's Arrest and Legacy
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    8 mins
  • The Irish Brigade at Fredericksburg's Mary's Heights
    Feb 14 2026
    In this episode, we explore the devastating leadership failure during the Battle of Fredericksburg, focusing on the Irish Brigade's doomed advance at Mary's Heights. We discuss the strategic missteps, the immense casualties, and the lingering questions about why the brigade was sent forward into an unwinnable battle.          Chapters    00:00 Introduction to Fredericksburg    00:43 Burnside's Ill-Fated Plan    04:44 The Irish Brigade's Advance    10:55 Lessons in Leadership Failure
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    9 mins
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