Episode 54: Book Talk —“Power Up” with Steven Leonard and Jonathan Klug

Superhero tales captivate us through their exploration of human nature and their reminder of our duty to improve the communities around us. These themes underpin the timely anthology Power Up: Leadership, Character, and Conflict Beyond the Superhero Multiverse, where the iconic Avengers battle scene and ethos of the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl offer lessons in leadership, ethics, and conflict resolution. Editors Steven Leonard and Jonathan Klug translate imagination-sparking stories into critical teachings on decision-making, teamwork, and character. Hosts Kellsie Herrmann and Max Caplan sit down with Steven and Jonathan to dig into the inspiration for the book, critical lessons learned from our favorite superheroes, and more.

About the Guest

Steve Leonard is an award-winning faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Business, where he serves as Senior Assistant Dean and Professor of the Practice. A former senior military strategist and the creative force behind the defense microblog Doctrine Man!!, he is a career writer and speaker with a passion for developing and mentoring the next generation of thought leaders. He is a senior fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point; the co-founder of the national security blog Divergent Options; co-founder of the Military Writers Guild; and a member of the editorial review board of the Arthur D. Simons Center’s Interagency Journal. He is the author, co-author, or editor of several books, including To Boldly Go (Casemate, 2021), Why We Write (Middle West Press, 2019), Winning Westeros (Potomac Books, 2019), and Strategy Strikes Back (Potomac Books, 2018).

Jonathan Klug is a professor at the U.S. Army War College, military strategist, and historian. A PhD candidate in Military and Naval History at the University of New Brunswick, he is an award-winning military history instructor and has taught at both the Air Force and Naval Academies.

Views expressed are personal and do not represent the views of GSSR or any other entity.