Military Business

For the last several years Adm. James Stavridis and his co-author, R. Manning Ancell, have surveyed over 200 active and retired four-star military officers about their reading habits and favorite books, asking each for a list of titles that strongly influenced their leadership skills and provided them with special insights that helped propel them to success in spite of the many demanding challenges they faced. The Leader's Bookshelf synthesizes their responses to identify the top 50 books that can help virtually anyone become a better leader.

The relationship between military leaders and political leaders has always been a complicated one, especially in times of war. When the chips are down, who should run the show, the politicians or the generals? In Supreme Command, Eliot Cohen examines four great democratic war statesmen—Abraham Lincoln, Georges Clemenceau, Winston Churchill, and David Ben-Gurion—to reveal the surprising answer—the politicians. The generals may think they know how to win, but the statesmen are the ones who see the big picture.

"The Art of War", by the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, was written in fifth century BC and remains one of the most influential strategy treatises of all time. It was held as the most important military treatise for 1500 years, and has now a pervasive influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy and beyond. The ancient wisdom of this ultimate guide to combat strategy is indeed applicable in all areas of life by anyone willing to ensure every kind of victory.

The Best Life Stories by Reader's Digest are 150 of the best hand-picked real-life tales of resilience, joy, and hope - all in 150 words or less! My son, Nick, joined the army reserves back in 2000.

Professional athletes, surgeons, first responders - all perform remarkable feats in the face of intense stress. Why do they thrive under pressure while others succumb? What separates the two is attitude. Resilient people meet adversity head on and bounce back from setbacks. They seem to naturally exude an inner strength - but studies show that resilience is something that anyone can build.

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the fifth century BCE). The work, attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (Sunzi), comprises 13 chapters, each devoted to an aspect of warfare and its application to military tactics and strategy. It contains a detailed analysis of the Chinese military, from weapons and strategy to rank and discipline as well as the importance of intelligence and espionage in war.

For the first time in any modern language, a female scholar and translator reimagines The Art of War. Sun Tzu’s ancient book of strategy and psychology has as much to tell us today as when it was first written 2,500 years ago. In a world forever at odds, his rules for anticipating the motivations and strategies of our competitors never cease to inspire leaders of all kinds.

From the Frontline to Executive Success: An MBA Field Manual for Military Veterans is a powerful guide for veterans who are ready to lead again—this time in the business world. Written by retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Benny R. Kinsey, MBA, the book blends military wisdom with business acumen to help transitioning service members, MBA/EMBA students, and career-changers find their footing in corporate leadership.

For Gregory A. Duncan, life began with a series of uphill battles. Raised as the middle child in a family of five by a single mother, Gregory grew up in the shadow of an absent father and the challenges of standing out-literally. His fair skin, fiery reddish-light brown hair, and bright brown eyes marked him in ways that made childhood uniquely difficult. But Gregory's spirit of perseverance carried him forward, transforming adversity into fuel for success.

For every corporate commander, business strategist, and market planner, Corporate Combat presents an insightful, realistic view of how competitions are won and lost - on both the military and business battlefields. In the often zero-sum contest for market share, it demonstrates how the principles of war are not only valid, but also wisely applied for greater gain.

With Schwarzkopf is Gus Lee's remembrance of his mentor and friend H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and his firsthand account of how Schwarzkopf shaped his life. In 1966, Lee, a junior-year cadet at West Point, was bright, athletic, and popular. He was also on the verge of getting kicked out. Nearing the bottom of his class due to his penchant for playing poker and reading recreationally instead of studying engineering, he was assigned a new professor: then-Major Norman Schwarzkopf.

During its single year of existence, more money was expended on the Elmira prison than in any of the other Union Stockades. Even with this record spending, a more ignominious figure was attached to Elmira: of the more than 12,000 Confederates imprisoned there, nearly 3,000 die while in captivity - the highest rate among all the Northern prisons. The authors conclusions are based on new, little-known, or never used archival materials. In a similar vein, his description of the prison culture is especially illuminating.

Many of our nation's men and women exit the military without a clue of what to do next. Others pursue their passions, doing everything they can to break into the life they've always dreamed of. This book provides guidance on how to follow your passions, and includes interviews with military veterans who have gone on to creative careers.

There is no shortage of consultants, coaches, gurus, and authors who regurgitate lists of leadership principles. The deficit lies in the number of qualified leaders willing to share the truth about what it takes to lead a great team year after year. Fortunately, military veteran John Berry is one of those qualified leaders. Drawing from his experience as an army platoon leader and the CEO of Berry Law, John Berry shows mission-focused teams how simple military leadership lessons apply to any organization.

John R. Deane, Jr. (1919-2013) was born with all the advantages a man needs to succeed in a career in the US Army, and he capitalized on his many opportunities in spectacular fashion. The son of one of George C. Marshall's closest assistants, Deane graduated from West Point with the first class of World War II and served in combat under the dynamic General Terry de la Mesa Allen, Sr.

Why this book? How to Lead Like a Navy SEAL provides a blueprint for leadership excellence, fostering accountability and achieving meaningful results. Packed with actionable strategies to enhance your skills and drive your team to new heights.

Robert E. Lee scholar H. W. Crocker III is an esteemed Civil War historian. Skillfully summarizing Lee’s life, Crocker clearly extracts leadership lessons from the storied career of the South’s beloved leader and applies them to today’s business worldUnder General Lee’s management, a rag-tag army of poor farmers—vastly outnumbered, outgunned, under-supplied, and under-fed—consistently routed Union troops. Brilliantly seizing strategic opportunities, Lee stunned his foes and inspired his soldiers. He was decisive, focused, and humble.

The US military in general, and its many elite organizations in particular, possesses a culture of high performance. Courage to Execute outlines the six basic principles that operate at the foundation of high performance, which include leadership, organization, communication, knowledge, experience, and discipline, known together as LOCKED. When all are practiced effectively, teamwork emerges. But the most elusive quality that's at the heart of all elite military teams, the element that organizations and businesses desire to perform more efficiently and effectively, is trust.

Not everyone will have the chance to chase and seize Colombian cocaine cartel smuggling boats, assist in post-9/11 security in New York City, keep the peace between warring mountain tribes in Southeast Asia, or build and run successful American manufacturing companies. But everyone has the chance to become their very best self and build a bulletproof life of their own!

Discover a groundbreaking vision for how to unlock America’s full potential for greatness from one of the country’s foremost conservative leaders: David McCormick, the former CEO of Bridgewater Associates. It’s easy to be pessimistic about the state of our country these days, but as...