Synopses & Reviews
The keys to the success of the Army leadership model
The United States Army is one of the most complex, best run organizations in the world, and central to the Army s success are strong leadership and exceptional leadership development. Army leaders must be able to act decisively and effectively in challenging situations. But the Army, despite the hierarchy of the military, does not train leaders in a command-and-control manner. Dispersed leadership is the key to the success of the Army leadership model. Now, for the first time, Be * Know * Do shares the Army s leadership philosophy and makes the principles from the official Army Leadership Manual Be Know Do available to leaders in business, government, and nonprofit organizations.
The book addresses three levels of leadership: direct, organizational, and strategic. At the heart of the book is the Army s leadership framework, a clear and expressive description of what leaders must be, know, and do in order to fulfill their responsibilities. This framework is adapted to fit the work of leaders in private, nonprofit, and public organizations who face new and diverse challenges on a daily basis. Be * Know * Do will help readers develop organizations in which everyone is a leader and leadership is dispersed through every level of the organization.
Frances Hesselbein (New York, NY) is Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Leader to Leader Institute and former CEO of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.) (Hawaii) is the Former Chief of Staff of the United States Army who was widely hailed as the person who led the transformation of the United States Army. A West Point graduate withmore than 38 years of service, Shinseki was the highest-ranking Asian-American in U.S. military history when he retired in June 2003.
Richard Cavanagh (Boston, MA) is President and CEO of the Conference Board and former Executive Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Review
“The Army trains and develops more leaders than all other institutions altogether—and with a lower casualty rate.
Be * Know * Do shows how this is being done—and how it can be adapted by the nonmilitary: businesses, colleges and universities, nonprofits, and churches.” --Peter F. Drucker
Synopsis
The United States Army is one of the most complex, best-run organizations in the world, and central to the Armys success are strong leadership and exceptional leadership development. Army leaders must be able to act decisively and effectively in challenging situations. But the Army, despite its organizational structure, does not train leaders in a hierarchical manner. Dispersed leadership is the key to the success of the Army leadership model.
Now, for the first time, you can have access to the Armys successful leadership philosophy and the principles that are outlined in the official Army leadership manual. Be, Know, Do makes this critical information available to civilian leaders in all sectorsbusiness, government, and nonprofitand gives them the guidelines they need to create an organization in which leadership thrives.
At the heart of the book is the Armys leadership framework, a clear and expressive description of what leaders must be, know, and do in order to fulfill their responsibilities. This framework is adapted to fit the work of leaders in private, nonprofit, and public organizations who grapple with new and diverse challenges on a daily basis. Be, Know, Do also shows you how to put into place the three levels of leadership: direct, organizational, and strategic.
Be, Know, Do will be your handbook for developing a vital organization in which everyone is a leader and leadership is dispersed through every level of the organization.
Synopsis
Praise for Be * Know * Do"The Army does two things each and every day: it trains its soldiers, and it grows them into leaders. The principles and practices of effective leadership that make the United States Army the greatest landforce in the world are relevant, as well, to civilian organizations–businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies."
–from the Introduction by Frances Hesselbein and General Eric K. Shinseki (USA Ret.)
"The Army trains and develops more leaders than do all other institutions together–and with a lower casualty rate. Be, Know, Do shows how this is being done–and how it can be adapted by the nonmilitary: businesses, colleges and universities, nonprofits, and churches."
–Peter F. Drucker
"So you want to be a leader? Be, Know, Do tells you how, through an insightful combination of lessons from the Army’s battle-focused training manual and a series of organizational leadership case studies."
–Regina E. Herzlinger, professor, Harvard Business School, and mother of Captain Alexander Herzlinger, U.S. Army Infantry
"Great leaders develop leaders at all levels who lead with integrity and values, are able to take action, and can make things happen. This book shows us how the very successful U.S. Army leadership development principles, be, know, do, have built one of the world’s most successful leadership pipelines. Anyone who wants to lead well and develop leadership at all levels should read this book."
–Noel M. Tichy, professor, University of Michigan Business School, and author of The Cycle of Leadership (with Nancy Cardwell)
About the Author
Frances Hesselbein is chairperson of governors of the Leader to Leader Institute and editor-in-chief of its journal
Leader to Leader. Hesselbein served as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. from 1976 to 1990. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor.
General Erik Shinseki (Ret.) is the former Chief of Staff of the United States Army. He is widely hailed as the person who led the transformation of the United States Army from a heavy and immobile organization to an effective combat force.
Richard E. Cavanagh is president and CEO of the Conference Board. He joined the Conference Board after serving as executive dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Formerly he worked with McKinsey & Company, Inc.
Table of Contents
Foreword (
Richard E. Cavanagh).
Introduction.
1. What a Leader Must Be, Know, and Do.
2. The Character of Leaders.
3. People Are at the Core.
4. Leading from the Front.
5. It Takes a Team.
6. Managing Complexity, Leading Change.
7. Building and Leading Learning Organizations.
Conclusion.
Notes.
Index.