Becoming a Leader the Annapolis Way (Hardcover)

~ W. Brad Johnson (Author), Greg P. Harper (Author) "The scene is a crowded seminar room at the famed Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania..." (more)
Key Phrases: midshipmen learn, best damn ship, plebe summer, Naval Academy, Marine Corps, Captain Kapitulik (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The military takes leadership very seriously, and this stolid but readable primer offers an unusually coherent view of the subject. Harper, a USNA alum, and Johnson, a psychologist and USNA Leadership professor, discuss such time-honored leadership topics as delegating, vision and servant-leadership, but their focus remains on the distinctive leadership approach preferred at the Annapolis Naval Academy. The hazing, constant drill and crushing workload at Annapolis, they feel, prepare students for the stress of combat command while inculcating obedience, teamwork and unit solidarity. Upperclassmen learn to take progressively greater responsibility for the performance of their comrades. Throughout, students are steeped in devotion to the Navy’s storied past and uncompromising code of honor. The authors argue that this regimen tends to produce paragons of integrity, grace under pressure, emotional sensitivity and deep regard for the welfare of subordinates. Harper recounts lots of leadership incidents from his years of command, while Johnson gives the material a psychotherapeutic gloss. They include reminiscences from Jimmy Carter, John McCain and other illustrious USNA grads, along with many stories of heroic (and less than heroic) military leaders. Their account of USNA leadership doctrine and praxis is lucid and engaging, if slightly idealized and stentorian, but it is not clear that it translates well, as they contend, into the civilian economy. The average Taco Bell, for instance, lacks the institutional mystique, compelling purpose and total control over employees’ lives that the military enjoys; unlike the Naval Academy, it can’t afford to let incessant drill, leadership exercises and sado-masochistic bonding rituals take time away from selling burritos. The book offers an illuminating look at the ideological foundations of military life, but does not seem a cure-all for the ills of the business world.
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Product Description

Battle-proven, step-by-step guidelines for instilling leadership in anyone, in any business

Today, more than ever, businesses need leaders with a rare blend of strength, capability, and integrity. Unfortunately, they're not always easy to come by. Becoming a Leader the Annapolis Way details how the U.S. Naval Academy builds quality leaders from the ground up, instilling in them the habits and tools required for outstanding leadershipin any pursuit.

Using real-life vignettes and examples of USNA graduates who experienced breakthrough success in combat, government, and business, this timely book looks beyond just the military aspects to explore:

• Techniques for teaching honor, duty, and commitment
• Empowerment strategies proven to work over centuries of use
• Insights for overcoming the perils of blind obedience

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (August 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071429565
• ISBN-13: 978-0071429566
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #284,708 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read For Today's Leaders, September 15, 2004

By	proud to be Navy (seattle, wa) - See all my reviews

Excellent book. As a career Naval Officer, I have seen first hand how critical each of the leadership principles discussed in this book are. Throughout fleet, these are the skills, and values which distinguish the highly successful leaders from the mediocre. In a straightforward manner, the authors elucidate the 12 fundamental lessons which have been carefully honed over the course of the Naval Academy's long and impressive history of turning out admirable military, government and business leaders. When earnestly applied, these tenets will prove to be of significant value to leaders and organizations, whether military or civilian. In this highly enlightening book, Johnson and Harper blend sound psychological and sociological knowledge with gripping real life examples. In addition to being informative and thought provoking, the book is a fun read. I strongly recommend it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaching Leadership in a Time Practiced Way, October 26, 2004

By	John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The military academies were among the first to understand that leadership is a subject that can be learned just the way you learn a language, mathematics or computer programming. It is a mixture of theory and practice. You teach the theory, and you assign 'homework' that enables these theories to be put into practice.

In the military acadamies you are teaching one of the hardest leadership tasks, how to make people perform in the crucible of combat. Here leadership is more important than in most companies. It is a field that the academies study very closely. The graduates of the program are those who lead the Navy in time of peace and peril.

This book concentrates on the Navy way of teaching leadership. It is not necessarily the way that is suited for every environment, but after all, it is only one book. And after all, some people will do better than others -- we are after all, just people. This book describes the way that the Navy has trained its officers for a long time, it works for them, and as a business manager there are certainly techniques that are applicable to business practices.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aye-Aye, Sir!! -- Lessons for Us All from "Canoe U.", October 6, 2006

By	Kevin Quinley "GeezerJock" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book can help you in your personal or professional lives by distilling some key lessons of leadership as honed at the US Naval Academy. Leaders are made, not born, and no you can't become a leader by reading a book or a thousand books. But by thoughtfully reading this book and applying its lessons, you WILL improve your leadership skills. The Navy has 4 short years to turn recent high school graduates into combat leaders. Their formula has, by and large, worked for them. Put it to work for you....