A new book on personal development argues that charisma is important in leadership roles

The spring of 1940 was a dispiriting time for the British people.

For the previous decade, the country’s leaders had tried to avoid a bloody, all-out war in Europe by acceding to Germany’s aggressive efforts to expand its territory. That policy of appeasement, as it was called, had broken down in September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Having committed themselves to assist Poland, Britain and France went to war with Germany. On May 10, 1940, the same day that Winston Churchill became Britain’s prime minister, Germany began an offensive against France by invading neighboring Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

Using powerful blitzkrieg tactics, in which they delivered a quick, concentrated attack of tanks, infantry, and air support, the Germans overwhelmed Allied forces, trapping large numbers of troops in western France and Belgium. Miraculously, the Allies man- aged to evacuate hundreds of thousands of troops across the English Channel in late May and early June. This was the famous Dunkirk evacuation, a military feat that bolstered British morale and allowed the country to fight another day.

In this context, Churchill went to the House of Commons on June 4 and delivered one of the 20th century’s most memorable speeches. With Allied forces routed, he needed to rally...

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