Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton: Six Characteristics of High-Performance Teams

by Taylor Baldwin Kiland, Dr. James B. Stockdale II (Primary Contributor), Taylor Baldwin Kiland

"In addition to the co-authors' combined qualifications, including meticulous research and writing in a lucid, easy-to-grasp narrative style, Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton is a tome, the forerunner of future research into the nature of unyielding courage and its application to strategic leadership principles." ― Leatherneck Why were the American POWs imprisoned at the "Hanoi Hilton" so resilient in captivity and so successful in their subsequent careers? This book presents six principles practiced within the POW organizational culture that can be used to develop high-performance teams everywhere. The authors offer examples from both the POWs' time in captivity and their later professional lives that identify, in real-life situations, the characteristics necessary for sustainable, high-performance teamwork. Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Peter Fretwell show readers how to apply these principles to their own organizations and create a culture with staying power. Originally intending their book to focus on fighter pilot James Stockdale's leadership style, the authors found that his approach toward completing a mission was to assure that it could be accomplished without him. Stockdale, they explain, had created a mission-centric organization, not a leader-centric organization. He understood that a truly sustainable culture must not be dependent on a single individual.

192 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2017

About the author

Taylor Baldwin Kiland holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. A former naval officer – the third generation in her family to serve - she has also worked as an account director for the global communications firm Burson-Marsteller, volunteered for numerous national political campaigns – including that of Senator John McCain’s in 2000 - and she continues to serve on several charitable boards of directors. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.