16 Leadership Lessons from A Four-Star General

Thanks, again, for Shane Parrish at Farnam Street for turning me on to General Stanley McChrystal’s memoir: My Share of the Task.

Here are a few of the 16 Leadership Lessons with my quick application to the For Impact world:

1. Leadership is the single biggest reason for success or failure.

Totally agree! Not just internal leadership on funding initiatives but external leadership/champions!

2. Leadership is difficult to measure.

McChrystal says, “Leadership is the art of influencing others.” Not about giving an order or managing. In my world, leadership is measured by impact and results.

4. Leaders take us to where we’d otherwise not go.

It’s the whole ‘VISION’ thing. And, attitude.

8. The best leaders are genuine.

In this case, leadership is the same as sales presentations … both require absolute authenticity.

16. Leadership is a choice.

Here’s his quote: “A leader decides to accept responsibility for others in a way that assumes stewardship of their hopes, their dreams, and sometimes their very lives.”