>> Eric: 200 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, MARY WEATHER LEWIS LEFT OUR NATION'S CAPITAL TO GO TO PITTSBURGH.

THERE HE PURCHASED SUPPLIES AND HIRED MEN FOR THE JOURNEY THAT WE NOW KNOW AS THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION.

THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE WESTWARD JOURNEY IS BEING REMEMBERED ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

JOINING IN THAT EFFORT IS A NEW BOOK, "INTO THE UNKNOWN."

MINNESOTA AUTHOR JACKAL BRIDGE HAS TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO LEWIS AND CLARK, HE'S FOCUSING ON LEADERSHIP LESSONS THAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIS HISTORIC JOURNEY.

WELL, THIS IS -- YOU MAKE A BIG POINT ABOUT ALMOST THE SHARED LEADERSHIP.

MERRIWEATHER.

>> I REALLY DO.

IT'S A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THEIR SUCCESS.

MERRIWEATHER LEWIS WAS TAPPED BY JEFFERSON TO LEAD THE EXPEDITION, BUT HE SAID TO HIMSELF, I DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS ALONE TO DO THIS.

AND WHAT HE DID, HE WENT TO HIS FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER AND SAID, WILL YOU HELP ME?

AND TOGETHER THE TWO ARGUABLY MADE THE BEST LEADERSHIP TEAM IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

BUT I THINK THE REASON IT'S SO POIGNANT FOR TODAY IS THAT TODAY'S BUSINESS AND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IS MOVING SO FAST, IT'S SO COMPLEX, THAT SORT OF UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT ONE INDIVIDUAL TO KNOW IT ALL AND I THINK THAT LEWIS AND CLARK FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF SORT OF CO-C.E.O.s OR SHARED LEADERSHIP.

>> Cathy: IT WAS UNUSUAL AT THE TIME, OF COURSE, TO HAVE THAT MODEL OF SHARED LEADERSHIP.

>> YEAH, IT REALLY WAS.

I MEAN, IT'S MORE SURPRISING BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY REALLY WERE PRODUCTS OF THE 18th CENTURY AND THEY GREW UP IN A HIGH ARREST CAL SOCIETY.

THEY WANTED TO KNOW THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.

SO THEY WERE REALLY PROGRESSIVE LEADERS AND WAY OUT AHEAD OF THEMSELVES.

>> Cathy: ARE THERE PARALLELS BETWEEN LEWIS AND CLARK AND HOW THEY OPERATED AND OTHER FAMOUS TWOSOMES?

>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

I MEAN, THERE ARE VERY FEW.

AND THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE REASONS, I THINK, THAT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, SO EXCITING AND THE REASON I REALLY SORT OF LATCHED ON TO LEWIS AND CLARK AS A METAPHOR IS BECAUSE THEY WENT OUT INTO THE UNKNOWN AND, YOU KNOW, FOR 8,000 MILES, 863 DAYS, THEY LED A REALLY DIVERSE TEAM TOWARDS THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF A GOAL THAT IN ITS ERA WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF MAN LANDING ON THE MOON.

>> Eric: AND THE DIVERSITY ANGLE IS QUITE INTERESTING, THE INDIAN GUIDE AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SLAVE.

>> OH, IT'S ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING.

LEWIS WRITES CLARK A LETTER BEFORE THE EXPEDITION.

HE SPECIFICALLY SAYS, I DON'T WANT YOUNG MEN OF PRIVILEGE.

AND WHAT HE WAS SAYING, I DON'T WANT A LOT OF GUYS JUST LIKE US.

AND THEY HIRE AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE TEAM.

SIX MEMBERS ARE HALF FRENCH, HALF INDIAN, THEY'RE SACK WOOEG A, THERE'S YORK.

THERE'S THIS WONDERFUL SCENE OUT ON THE PRAIRIES WHERE THEY ENCOUNTER AN INDIAN TRIBE AND HAS TO GO FROM ONE OF THE FRENCH INDIANS, THEY SPEAK IN THE LANGUAGE TO THEM, HE THEN TURNS TO SAKAKAWEA'S HUSBAND WHO THEN TURNS TO HER, THEY THEN QUERIED THE INDIANS BACK AND FORTH, IT'S SORT OF A WONDERFUL METAPHOR FOR THE POWER OF DIVERSITY.

>> Cathy: LET'S, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE, USING YOUR MODEL HERE OF CO-LEADERSHIP, HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE KERRY/EDWARDS TEAM?

>> OH, I THINK THAT THAT -- IT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THE JOHN KERRY SORT OF LACKS CHARISMA, HE LACKS ENERGY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, EDWARDS REALLY BRINGS A LOT OF TALENT TO THE TEAM.

I ALSO THINK THAT BUSH/CHENEY WORKED AS A GOOD MODEL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS AGO, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, BUSH DIDN'T HAVE THE GRAVITAS TO BECOME PRESIDENT.

SO HE SELECTED A MAN WHO CLEARLY HAD A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE THAN HIM IF THAT AREA, AND I THINK THAT IT'S NICE TO SEE PEOPLE GOING FOR VICE PRESIDENTS BASED ON SKILL RATHER THAN GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES.

>> Eric: HOW EASY IS IT TO TRANSLATE TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR SOMETHING THAT WAS SORT OF A MISSION FOR COUNTRY AND SELFLESSNESS AND DISCOVERY AND WASN'T REALLY A BURDEN BY THE PROFIT MOTIVE AND ALL OF THAT?

>> WELL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT'S REALLY EASY.

AND THERE'S THIS WONDERFUL STORY THAT I LIKE TO TELL AUDIENCES, AND IT OCCURS HALFWAY THROUGH THE COMPETENT KIGS, -- EXPEDITION, WHEN THEY REACH THE HEADWATERS OF THE MISSOURI RIVER.

IT'S QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

BUT MERRIWEATHER LEWIS IS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO CLIMB THE REST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE FROM WHICH THE MISSOURI STEMS.

AND WHAT HE EXPECTS TO FIND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS ANOTHER RIVER GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE PACIFIC.

HE THINKS HE'S ABOUT TO BECOME THE FIRST PERSON TO FIND THE FABLE NORTHWEST PASSAGE BUT HE GETS UP TO THE TOP?

WHAT DOES HE SEE?

HE DOESN'T SEE ANOTHER RIVER, HE SEES NOTHING BUT MOUNTAINS FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES.

AND IT'S AT THAT MOMENT THAT HE KNOWS THE FUTURE IS RADICALLY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING HE OR WILLIAM CLARK EXPECTED.

AND, YET, THEY KEEP MOVING ON.

AND I THINK THE PARALLEL TO TODAY'S BUSINESS IS, CHANGE IS COMING.

IT'S COMING FAST.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND SAY, OH, MY GOSH, MY BUSINESS IS A LOT DIFFERENT OR CONDITIONS HAVE CHANGED, BUT JUST LIKE LEWIS AND CLARK SORT OF KEPT MOVING WEST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT TODAY'S LEADERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

>> Eric: INTO THE UNKNOWN, AT YOUR BOOKSTORE NEAR YOU.

>> Amazon.com, BARNES & NOBLES, ALL OF THOSE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ERIC.

[ ♪♪ ]