Summary: Leading the Charge

Review and Analysis of Zinni and Koltz's Book

BusinessNews Publishing

• Publisher: Must Read Summaries
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9782511019535
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Leadership
• Index: Business

The must-read summary of Tony Zinni and Tony Koltz's book: `Leading the Charge: Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom`.

This complete summary of the ideas from Tony Zinni and Tony Koltz's book `Leading the Charge` shows that, at one time, leadership was mostly about character, but character alone won’t be enough anymore. Today's world involves a challenging worldwide economy, the collapse of iconic companies which have been in business for decades and the ever increasing threat of global terrorism. Tomorrow’s most successful leaders will have to negotiate a far more fluid world. In their book, the authors explain eleven qualities the most successful leaders in recent times have cultivated, making this summary a must-read for all leaders who want to learn the techniques used by the best and find out how to survive the changes in today's world.

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To learn more, read `Leading the Charge` and discover the key traits of the world's greatest leaders and how you can adopt them.

Summary of Leading The Charge (Tony Zinni and Tony Koltz)

1. Self knowledge

Leaders must know what they stand for and why it matters

To be or become a good leader, you first must think about how you would answer some tough questions like these:

• Who are you?
• What do you consider defines you?
• Which of your values do you believe to be most important?
• Do you live your values completely?
• What do you see as being your life’s purpose?
• What would you be willing to die for if necessary?

Until you’ve thought about and framed your own answers to these questions, you probably won’t be able to cope with the pressures and demands which are an integral part of being a leader today and in the future. Leaders need to be well rounded and multi-dimensional rather than workaholics. Balance is vital in knowing when to put in a concerted effort and when it’s better to pull back a little so as to avoid organizational burnout.

Once you’ve developed your own personal code, you have a yardstick with which you can test your decisions. You also have an in-built early warning system which will alert you when your values are at risk of being compromised.

Leaders need to be complete and well-rounded. In practical terms, this means keeping a good balance between:

Integrity You Loyalty

• Integrity – your intent and obligation to speak the truth, to adhere to your personal code and core values and to answer to those you lead by doing things which will move your organization forward.
• Loyalty-your commitment to your organization or to a person who holds a key position within that organization. If you ask your people for their loyalty, then you owe it to them to act with complete integrity and honesty in return.

Leaders also have a healthy attitude towards what they do. In broad brush terms, someone who sees what they do as a “job” will view work as a means to an end. Those who view their work as a “profession” will understand the code, obligations and standards involved. And those who see their career as their “calling” will be truly dedicated to whatever it takes. In the future, the leaders who excel will view their work as a calling. They will see it as an opportunity to make a difference in the world. They will look for an intense sense of accomplishment and pride. If you aspire to fill a key leadership position in the future, look for something which feels like a calling to you. Grow into your work. Hit the right balance between integrity and loyalty. Live your personal code and leave a legacy of significance. That’s what self-knowledge always leads to.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you will win a hundred battles.”

– Sun Tzu

“Define yourself and your code for living and leading. Never betray your code. Live it, and seek to live a life that matters to you. Think about what you leave behind-your legacy. Fight your devils and be true to yourself. Challenge yourself to the fullest so you know your full strengths and limitations.”

– Tony Zinni and Tony Koltz

2. Ethics

Leaders must act as the conscience of their organizations

Good leaders act ethically. It’s the smart and sustainable approach to business and life in general. To act ethically, you have to be prepared to make the hard decisions which are morally right, even in the face of attendant risk. Unless you have the legitimacy which comes from acting ethically, it will be difficult to get people to follow you.

Successful business enterprises not only make money but they deliver the right product at the right price point and in the right quantity which provides value to customers. They also treat employees, suppliers, partners and customers the right bway. It might be possible for you to get away with delivering a shoddy product or service once or twice but not over the long haul.

Today, when it’s relatively simple for customers to find out what your company does at search engine speed, it’s not enough just to aspire to meet the minimum requirements of the law. People are looking for:

• Organizations that act ethically – that look at the consequences of all their business practices and processes and find ways to turn these into benefits for society at large. It’s no longer acceptable, for example, for manufacturing companies to dump chemicals into river streams and leave it to others to clean up. Customers expect more.
• Leaders who appreciate their corporate social responsibility – the necessity to be running their business in ways which benefit the community. This will incorporate everything like giving money to worthy causes, making a quality product which meets expectations and so forth.
• Consistency of behavior – leaders who don’t say something in public utterances but then go out of their wa...

Table of contents

• Title page
• Book Presentation
• Summary of Leading The Charge (Tony Zinni and Tony Koltz)
• About the Summary Publisher
• Copyright