Eisenhower on Leadership: Ike's Enduring Lessons in Total Victory Management

By Alan Axelrod and Peter Georgescu

Book Overview

Based on the findings in recently released archive papers and letters, as well as extensive library and historical resources, Alan Axelrod offers a compelling profile of the remarkable leadership discipline of a general often called a "military CEO." In fascinating detail, Axelrod reveals that Ike was more than a great military leader; he was also a great executive who could--and did--write a reassuring letter to the mother of a solider one moment and make decisions impacting millions of lives the next.

Follow Ike's path as Supreme Commander from the invasion of North Africa to victory in Europe and learn the lessons of great leadership along the way, including:

The nature of leadership Managing detail without sacrificing the "big picture" Ensuring follow-through to execution Building a team Converting conflict into common cause Getting the facts and making plans Mentoring, motivating, and inspiring

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470626917
• ISBN13: 9780470626917
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

An inspirational overview of the strategic and tactical thinking of General Dwight David Eisenhower

U.S. Army General Dwight David Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during World War II. A brilliant strategist and an expert in logistics and organization, Eisenhower planned Operation Overlord, the successful 1944 invasion of Europe by way of the English Channel. D-Day remains history's largest amphibious assault. In 1945, at the height of his military power, Eisenhower commanded more than four million troops from five different nations. He functioned as a manager of managers, directing all military activities in Europe. He was, in effect, the "CEO" of the war in Europe - and indeed, in a letter to Lord Louis Mountbatten of Britain, Eisenhower described his role of Supreme Commander as that of a "chairman of a board." How he successfully planned and coordinated the Allied military effort is the subject of this fascinating military history cum informative treatise on management by business writer Alan Axelrod. Axelrod applies Ike's down-to-earth thinking to the management of organizations, people or important projects in a series of lessons - 232 of them, to be exact. This long, unprioritized list is more than most readers can really absorb. Nevertheless, we suggest that managers who want to learn what inspired, successful leadership truly means study this history of the European conflict from the uniquely informed perspective of Eisenhower, the ultimate insider.