| What essential leadership lessons do we learn by distilling the actions and
ideas of great military commanders such as George Washington, Dwight D.
Eisenhower, and Colin Powell? That is the fundamental question underlying
The Art of Command. The book illustrates that great leaders become
great through conscious effort effort - a commitment not only to develop vital skills but
also to surmount personal shortcomings. Harry S. Laver, Jeffrey J. Matthews, and
the other contributing authors identify nine core characteristics of highly
effective leadership, such as integrity, determination, vision, and charisma,
and nine significant figures in American military history whose careers embody
those qualities.
The Art of Command examines each figure's strengths and weaknesses
and how those attributes affected their leadership abilities, offering a unique
perspective of military leadership in American history. Laver and Matthews have
assembled a list of contributors from military, academic, and professional
circles, which allows the book to encompass diverse approaches to the study of
leadership.
Harry S. Laver is
assistant professor of history and political science at Southeastern Louisiana
University. He is the author of Citizens More Than Soldiers: The Kentucky
Militia and Society in
the Early Republic.
Jeffrey D. Matthews is associate professor of business and
leadership at the University of Puget Sound. He is the author of Alanson B.
Houghton: Ambassador of the New Era.
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