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Leadership Defined

by Col. Don Myers, U.S.M.C. (RVT)

130 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-1287; ISBN 1-4120-0918-9; US$16.00, C$19.00, EUR13.50, £9.50

The nation looks for leaders in politics, business, education and the military. Learn how to be that leader! Food for thought for all levels of management, military and civilian alike.

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about the book      about the author      reviews      table of contents      catalogue info

About the Book Col. Myers presents principles of leadership and uses examples from business, education and the military to show how they work. Listen to your people, expect superior results and demand them. Develop your people. Talk, look, and listen to them.

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About the Author Colonel Myers spent four years as an enlisted infantryman in the Marine Corps before entering the Naval Academy. As an infantry officer he commanded every size infantry unit up to a regiment, and served two combat tours in Vietnam. He also commanded the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., and the Recruit Training Regiment at Parris Island, S.C. He taught at every level of schooling in the corps, and has been published extensively on such subjects as leadership, training, and behavior. In the business world, he has been the general manager of an aerospace company and later worked with juvenile delinquents in the interest of developing productive attitudes and life skills. Currently, he teaches a college level course about Vietnam, writes a weekly editorial for a Baltimore newspaper and lectures at various civic and private organizations.

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Reviews

A Companion of the Military Order since 1986, Don Myers combines over 30 years of practice in uniform, as enlistee, cadet, and officer, with experiences gained as general manager of an aerospace company, to present a primer on leadership. He begins, quite appropriately, with the importance of organizational goals, and continues by emphasizing the need for employees to have a clear understanding of the tasks and responsibilities of those around them. Some readers may be surprised to learn that the author does not consider money to be a motivator but may become willing to consider that this is indeed the case, after considering his rationale. Writing in the Information Age, it is not surprising that Myers acknowledges the import of good communication. In times when bad news is the norm, the author reminds his audience that establishing a positive work environment can pay enormous dividends in employee morale. He is enough of a traditionalist to hawk trust and integrity, while, at the same time, pointing out that leadership is not worthwhile if no one is actually enjoying being part of the organization. At other times, Myers reverts to the old adages of leadership by example and empowering subordinates, while still holding them accountable.

In short, Myers presents a common-sense approach to the ageless questions of how to be an effective leader. As a distillation of truths that can be regurgitated ad nauseum, his 126 pages can easily be read and digested by an MOWW Companion thrust suddenly and, perhaps, unwarily into a position of leadership.

from The Bookshelf

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Make Room In Your Pack

As the author says in the first sentence of his preface, "There is no shortage of material concerning leadership or the study of it in any decent library or bookstore throughout the country." It often seems that anyone who has ever written anything has something to say about leadership. The question becomes, how does one select a worthwhile work form all the clutter? What makes this little 126 page book special?

First, it is full of plain talk. No beating around the bush here; just straightforward, clear, direct, and honest talk about responsibility, accountability, values, standards, expectations, trust and loyalty, motivation, flexibility, integrity, and having fun. This is also not a theoretical effort. Col Myers provides practical examples of effective leadership at work and the resulting successes, big and small. He does so by relating a series of stories; stories that demonstrate that leadership is leadership whether it be in the military, in the business world, in academia, or anywhere else.

Few people are better qualified than Col Myers to write about leadership. Over a long and successful Marine career, he practiced a flexible style of leadership that sought to make every member of his command an active player, to help them become Marines who could make good things happen for the organization and for themselves. At every level, as a platoon, company, battalion, and regimental commander, and as CO of a recruit training regiment and Marine Barracks, 8th & I, leadership was Col Myers central concern. His goal was to make a difference, to work with people as individuals and make choices that led to good consequences for everyone. Defining Leadership condenses the insights from this extensive experience.

This book should be added to the "Commandant's Reading List." It has something to say to all Marines, private to general. It is said that copying is the greatest form of flattery. We in Marine Corps Recruiting Command have "copied" many of the ideas presented by Col Myers in his nifty little book. It will always have a place in my pack.

reviewed by MajGen Jack W. Klimp

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Starting to Lead

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are."

- Malcolm Forbes

Chapter 2: Subordinates

"Executives are given subordinates; they have to earn followers."

- John W. Gardner

Chapter 3: Communication

"I consider to be of utmost importance the keeping informed of our men as to current situation so that each man may perform his duty with understanding of its importance."

- Sgt. Douglas Thibalt

Chapter 4: Being Involved

"Belief in the existence of other human beings as such is love."

- Simone Weil

Chapter 5: Standards

"There is no right way to do a wrong thing."

- Norman Vincent Peale

Chapter 6: Environment

"Morale is a lot of little things."

- Benjamin Franklin

Chapter 7: Integrity

"No one knows what he is doing so long as he is acting rightly; but of what is wrong one is always conscious."

- Goethe

Chapter 8: Flexibility

"The man who was too old to learn was probably always too old to learn."

- Haskins

Chapter 9: Expectations

"There are no bad regiments, only bad colonels."

- Napoleon

Chapter 10: Games

"Disgrace kills hatred and jealousy. Once someone is no longer a favorite and no longer envied... he may even be a hero and not annoy us."

- La Bruyere

Chapter 11: Trust and Values

"The strength of a man's virtues should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts."

- Pascal

Chapter 12: Team Building

"Freedom and love are simple words. They are not simple actions."

- M. Scott Peck, M.D.

Chapter 13: Have Fun

"There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval."

- Santayana

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Catalogue Information

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