Book review: The 7 Secrets of Leadership Success
 Book author: Deborah Tom and Major General Richard Barrons
Publisher: Random House Australia
Whether or not it makes you uncomfortable, the nexus between business leadership and the military is kind of obvious.
When you think about it – ethical considerations aside – the military industry has a long history of refining the very models of success that the world of commerce equally strives for.
Having reviewed quite a few ‘secrets of leadership success’ books in recent years, I admittedly walked into this one with some trepidation. Rarely are these books sufficiently original to warrant the use of the word ‘secrets’.
This book is no exception. What does make it more worthwhile, however, is the fact that the material – albeit not highly original in itself – is contextualised in an original paradigm: that of military rhetoric and anecdotes.
More than merely using military with business language (section headings such as ‘Build Your Armoury’ and ‘Becoming a Business General’ come to mind), the book manages to integrate the two forms of discourse. Close synergies emerge between examples of military battles and business competition and rivalries.
The authors – one a management consultant, the other a Major General – also make good use of famous quotes and examples from both the business and military fields.
There remain, however, two limitations on the appeal of The 7 Secrets of Leadership Success. First, the language of the military may simply jar too much with some readers. If you cannot make the linguistic leap, then you may struggle to work through the material.
Second, the leadership lessons are clearly – although not necessarily explicitly – aimed at managers in larger organisations. If you work in a small business, it may take too much effort to mentally translate the book’s ideas for your level of operation.
All said, The 7 Secrets of Leadership Success does present a clever synthesis of leadership lessons through the remarkably well-researched guise of a military vantage point.
The bottom line: A disciplined approach
Good for: Managers in large organisations who can embrace the rhetoric of the military
Our rating: 7/10 |
By Ben Zipper, Editor, Women & Leadership Australia eNewsletter
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