Stand Your Ground: Building Honorable Leaders the West Point Way

by Evan H. Offstein

West Point is the ideal laboratory for studying the dynamics of character, honor, and first, it operates a comprehensive honor education and enforcement program that has been subjected to rigorous Congressional scrutiny; second, it builds all of its academic, athletic, and military programs on this bedrock of honor. As a result, West Point invests heavily in mentoring, training, and evaluation to ensure the leadership and character development of its 4,000 cadets. From Civil War General Robert E. Lee to astronaut Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin to basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, West Point has groomed leaders whose contributions far exceed the successful management of their immediate charges. By illuminating the principles by which West Point teaches leadership, Stand Your Ground not only provides a unique tour behind the scenes at this revered institution, but, more generally, imparts lessons of honor and character-building that can be adopted by any aspiring leader.

Management professor and West Point graduate Evan Offstein approached leaders at the U.S. Military Academy and the Department of the Army with two primary (1) How does West Point develop its leaders?; (2) Can other individuals and organizations apply these methods effectively? Two years later, after conducting extensive on-site research at West Point and with business leaders in a variety of industries, he offers unprecedented access to the process of leadership development at West Point, and practical insights that can, indeed, be applied in any type of organization that strives to operate on the principle of integrity.

Genres: Leadership

176 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

Reviews

[Caleb Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I inevitably have a dozen children or so, I will consider myself a successful parent if at least one of my kids ends up at West Point.

This book is a brilliant window into the culture of what is, quite possibly, the most elite military academy in the world, and how they have shaped the minds and hearts of CEO's, Presidents, an astronaut, and other bright leaders. Honor is a core theme. Reading about it in depth has made me realize that I would not last very long at this school, where cadets are tested and tempted almost daily in a strange meat grinder/incinerator of an academy with the goal of giving them an unwavering moral compass and a backbone stronger than your mom's chair.

There was an especially pointed section titled Wash Away the Gray that really stuck out to me. In it, Offstein states that there are very VERY few true ethical dilemmas, and that most of what we would call "ethical dilemmas" are actually very simple problems that we have rationalized into big, complicated ones. I hate to admit it- but I think he is right.

This book made me analyze my actions and others in ways I hadn't thought of before. I was clearly wrong in areas where I had thought I was right. It gave me a good kick in the bum to "be better" and to take the moral High Ground. So if anyone is looking for a short read to make them feel something nasty, then look no further!

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book has some interesting theories on how honor excels leadership but it is mostly a reflective narrative than anything else. There were several parts where the author spent two pages telling an unrelated story, only to use it as a metaphor for a paragraph worth of material. I had hoped the final chapter would have brought the whole book together but it seemed like a compilation of miscellaneous points that the author forgot to mention throughout.

[Kristen Philips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read it for grad school so it’s not a book I would have selected otherwise. Not terrible but the leadership style described isn’t totally applicable outside of the military in my opinion. Still interesting food for thought.

[James D'Annibale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read it in grad school and now I voluntarily reread it every few years to remind myself of its points on honorable leadership that are useful in all areas of life.

[Amanda Molina]

dnf. hated the writing and abraham lincoln was not mentioned.

[ainsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superficial review: wow, does this need a good edit (a copyedit would solve most of the problems).

That said, I found the book fascinating. Like the Harry Potter character Cedric Diggory, we all face choices between what is right and what is easy. What sets real leaders apart, Offstein argues, is that they consistently choose right and that in most cases they do it almost reflexively.

What separates leaders is their honor, which is learned rather than inborn. As such, it's a skill that can be taught, and the author rather ably demonstrates how West Point teaches it. Each chapter illustrates a particular trait necessary to honorable leaders and the real-world examples of the results of the absence of that trait.

(He can be rather idealistic about USMA's success rate, though to be fair people neglecting to learn what they've been taught isn't the point of the book.)

The first seven chapters describe how to secure the high ground (honor), while the eighth and final focuses on how to stand that ground.

This most definitely isn't a book about USMA; Offstein never mentions the fourth-class system or one of the key ideas at its root, that one must learn to follow before one can learn to lead. But then, those aren't ideas that transfer well. :P

Overall, I look forward to rereading and taking notes (my borrowed copy must be returned today).

[Oscar Watt]

leadership