by General Stanley McChrystal
May 12, 2015
304 pages
A friend in the Richmond Police Department recommended this book to me. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. General McChrystal mixes great story telling with nuts-and-bolts strategies for adapting to a new landscape. The lessons he learned on the battlefield can be applied to any business environment.
The Joint Special Operations Task Force that General McChrystal took command of in 2003 was losing the battle against Al Qaeda in Iraq. The enemy seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, always one step ahead of the larger, better-trained, better-equipped coalition forces. The strategy of trying to do the same things they had done in the past, only better and faster, was not working. Something completely new was needed. McChrystal describes how his team initiated the enormous paradigm shift that was needed in order to turn the tide.
Some takeaways you may discover:
· How to recognize the need to adapt.
· The power and limitations of data.
· The value in investing in building strong relationships.
· The power of effectively communicating crucial information.
· The rewards gained by empowering others to decide and act.
Leaders often get stuck in the status quo and feel powerless to do anything about it. Leaders must recognize when change is needed and then have the courage and intelligence to make it happen. McChrystal and his team took apart their existing structure and rebuilt it into one that was smart, nimble, and ultimately incredibly effective. Team of Teams shows us what’s possible when organizations break down silos, share information, and empower their people.
Oh, and don’t forget, this happened in a coalition made up of thousands of men and women from diverse countries and cultures scattered around the globe. If it worked for them, it can work for you.
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