Customer Reviews

When You're Asked to Do the Impossible: Principles of Business Teamwork and Leadership from the U.S. Army's Elite Rangers

5 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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Nice surprise. Makes me wonder if I'd rather have an MBA or a Ranger on my business team. This book illustrates how for over 200 years, Army Rangers have led and won the ultimate impossible and unfair competitions - America's military battles - And how that can work for business. Rangers operate with inviolate, unchanging core operating principles spelled out in the Ranger Creed and executed with unrivaled training and leadership. MBA's are not trained to, and business does not have, a set of inviolate core principles to enable consistent achievement of the impossible. The book's examples provide clear guidance on how to transfer Ranger principles into business leadership success. I was very pleasantly surprised.

In my view the author does the impossible himself by applying the vast knowledge and wisdom he gained as an elite combat Ranger in the Vietnam war to the complexities faced in civilian organizations. The learnings are certain to help organizations as they strive to achieve competitive advantage. The book is filled with interesting case studies and meaningful quotations that help the reader grasp the practical value of applying Ranger knoledge to strategic planning and problem solving. This is a must book for all who are iterested in help with the challenge of keeping their organization vital. David Tanner, Founding Director, Dupont Center for Creativity & Innovation.

I was disappointed with the book. I should have read a sample chapter which would have revealed that this was not what I was looking for. As a veteran, I have looked for books that could help bridge a Milspec approach to a business approach, or more a transition from military to civilian life, but have realized that there could be no such book. No business personnel go through indoctrination as military personnel have, nevermind combat, and therefore the common base in missing. Its a completely different culture. "Counter insurgency and the Corporate Citizen" titled book is more appropriate for business people and former military alike.

I appreciate the author's effort to use the Ranger ethics, values and lessons learned. There just isn't a civilian social construct to maintain the metaphor. I write 'civilian' because law enforcement, medical staff, and the like, are not corporate equivalents.

The book uses the classic pontiffs of management academia and common One Minute Manager syntax, laced with a military storytelling and ideals. I have yet to find a book that reveals corporate/business politics, and how to survive them in a raw and realistic fashion.

The author states that he is not trying to do a one to one parallel between the military. Fine, to me it then begs the question, why write the book in the first place, especially with a focus on the Ranger Corps, or any fighting unit? Ranger values to business is more an ideal, thus a book of generalities/management cliches serves no greater purpose.

Sigh.