285 military "leadership situations" and the actions leaders have taken--and some real surprisesEmphasis on practical applications of leadership, coupled with real-life vignettes add the real spark to the leadership lessons learned and relearned by each generation of America's warriorsApplicable to business, corporate, and organizational leadershipLeadership, especially military leadership, has many purposes--to build effective organizations, to complete dangerous tasks successfully, and to mold teams that operate like winning athletic teams. Author John Chapman is a superb observer and chronicler of leadership events over many years and now shares his observations and the lessons learned about this essential military art.
This book should be required reading for any military or future military leader. Pithy lessons make it easy reading and make the material very simple to remember. The author takes a good look at what a good leader should and should not be. To reinforce the point the book is chock full of short accounts of leadership he saw during his time in the military. The exemplary actions that should be mirrored in a good leader as well as the actions of those who were not leaders and the effect it had on their reputation with their men and their superiors. Excellent excellent book!
Book gives out very practical and worth emulating lessons for military leaders who want to become effective and successful leaders.
Most important lesson of the book narrated as part of various scenarios is that you are being observed everywhere and if you are not walking the talk in toto then it is affecting your command.
This book started out strong and has some great observations and anecdotes. The book petered out towards the end. I think it is more applicable to leadership at the tactical level. There are some good insights for sure, a good leader will have learned them in the first 5 years on the job.
Having served for ten years on active duty, I can say with confidence that the lessons contained on these pages are gems. Good for young service members, whether officer or enlisted.
My girlfriend picked this up at the bookstore last night, as she's found herself working with several main characters with military backgrounds. Think "The One Minute Manager" for the new commander, this written by and written for Army officers. For the non-military reader, it's an excellent glimpse into what's required of a leader who needs to be a bureaucrat one day and a commander of warriors the next.