Previously, I shared lessons from the failed French attempt to build the Panama Canal. In this article: how the Americans nearly repeated those mistakes and what finally turned things around. President Theodore Roosevelt was enthusiastic about what a canal could do for America’s growth. "Let the dirt fly!" was his mantra, and he made sure everyone he appointed understood what was at stake. Unfortunately, his first Chief Engineer, John Wallace, took those words as literal marc

David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas isn't just history—it's a masterclass in what makes or breaks innovation. I've been astounded by the lessons that modern-day leaders can glean from his account of the creation of the Panama Canal, so I thought I'd share a few here. Let's start with the French attempt. In 1869, Ferdinand de Lesseps was an international hero, and for good reason. He had led the ten-year effort to achieve the impossible—to build the Suez Canal. With