A Philosophy of Muddy Boots Leadership

Alan Preizer

• Editorial: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Año: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781685173791
• Categoría: Business
• Categoría: Leadership

A Philosophy of Muddy Boots Leadership presents a Bible-based leadership philosophy. These thoughts (some original, most not) are not rocket science. They are basic common sense and as applicable to everyday life as they are to the battlefield, classroom, or boardroom. Most are drawn from those who have influenced the author the most--pastors, military leaders, and football coaches.

In this uncertain and dynamic environment, there are a few constants. In this book, you will find a clear and concise set of principles and fundamentals that will assist leaders in maintaining mission focus and focusing on the team.

Why will it help?

Today, there is no shortage of leadership books, consultants, and experts. We hear terms like servant, authentic, transformational, adaptive, etc. These concepts are valid and important, but they are focused on the conceptual, not on the actionable.

A Philosophy of Muddy Boots Leadership provides a set of biblically-based, actionable principles for leaders. The goal of the book is to provide overwhelmed, understaffed leaders or mid-level managers a set of techniques and processes that in times of stress and uncertainty will act as a blueprint for success. This is not a checklist but a thought-provoking set of guiding biblical principles that can be used every day.

Foreword

Shortly after taking command of 3/22 Inf antry in the summer of 1995, a newly minted second lieutenant of engineers reported to me as my task force engineer. I recognized him immediately as we had served together in Second Ranger Battalion. Alan Preizer—ramrod, straight, confident but not cocky, and a picture of physical fitness—quickly assimilated into the exceptional group of junior officers, which I was so blessed to lead. He was much like the other junior officers, just more seasoned. His enlisted time served him well, and several good platoon sergeants kept him between the lines. He was in the battalion as an infantry officer two years later as I departed. We have stayed in contact since our days, serving in the Twenty-Fifth Infantry Division. He, like many of the men in 3/22 Infantry, continues to make me proud. Bottomline—Alan gets it.

During a conversation in 2004, Alan shared with me that he and Jacqui, his wife, had accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior and had been baptized. His salvation experience was a huge step for a Jewish boy from New York, and now, his steps are in a walk with the Lord. As time moved on, we’d occasionally talk via phone or visit.

A couple of years ago, Alan called and invited me and my wife, Kerry, to hear him preach his first sermon at a country church in Kentucky. It was evident that his faith was growing as his walk with the Lord matured. Amazing as all this seems, I received an email a few weeks ago, asking me to read a manuscript he’d written on leadership. On the header page of the manuscript, I noticed that a bunch of letters followed his name as the author. Don’t let all the letters turn you off. After reading the manuscript, I can still say, “He gets it.” Alan’s manuscript entitled A Philosophy of Muddy Boots Leadership is one of the few works on leadership that is based on true doctrine—the doctrine of how to live, and that is found in the Word, the Holy Bible. Throughout, he has supported his philosophy with the Word, and his strength of faith is evident as he defends this philosophy. Nothing speaks more profoundly of divinely guided leadership than his assertion that muddy boots leaders are shepherds, not sheepherders. King David succinctly starts the twenty-third Psalm with “The Lord is my shepherd,” and the following 123 words serve as the guide for the shepherd leader.

I urge you to read A Philosophy of Muddy Boots Leadership. Stay in the Word, and I trust you will get it.

—Stan Clemons (COL, US Army, Retired)

*****

“Everyone to whom much is given, of him much will be required” (Vince Lombardi).

Well, it wasn’t really Vince that said it, but it was another step along the way for a pair of muddy boots of a leader. Bear with me.

Like all old soldiers, I can sit and talk for hours about those who have influenced my life, career, and spiritual walk. Never has the impact of a leader been shaped by their GPA or where they earned their diploma—it’s always from the path they walked to get to where they are and if they are willing to invest into those who are around them. CPT Alan Preizer was one of many leaders, along a now thirty-plus-year career, who left an indelible mark on me personally, and by extension, his efforts are still shaping young soldiers today. Let me share just a bit of the dirt on my boots to introduce this capable, battle-proven warrior of the Kingdom.

Now back to the quote I started with from Mr. Lombardi. I’ll spare the description of Alan for the sake of brevity and simply say that, while gathered around the infamous stoop of our OCS area, I had heard Alan make this quote and give credit to Vince Lombardi several times. Since I was in the candidate role and he was in the commander role, there wasn’t, or probably shouldn’t have been, a way to let him know he was wrong. However, I was an older-than-usual candidate, already an armed scout helicopter pilot, and frankly, I regarded myself somewhat similar to LTC Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, during the beach scene when he wanted to surf and was told, “It’s pretty hairy in there. It’s Charlie’s point,” to which he responded, “Charlie, don’t surf!”

Off I went—I let CPT Preizer know that the quote he continued to give credit to Vince Lombardi was from the book of Luke chapter 12, verse 48. Even in that moment, I thanked God for using me, the chief sinner, to work for His glory.

Whether in my role as Army officer, standing in the pulpit on Sunday, or walking the streets in the greatest country on earth, Alan’s lessons and example are ingrained into who I am and how I lead.

I’ll let Alan give the remainder of the details of our relationship since 2001. Suffice to say, when I need sound advice or the banter of a brother with whom, to this day, I would walk onto the field of battle, he is the one I call. He understands people because he cares about people, he understands leadership because he is one of the best of them, and he understands being a follower of Christ because he exemplifies it. In a world where people talk about being a leader, Alan is the guy who is doing it and leaving muddy boot tracks across floors at every level.

—Tim Morgan (MAJ, US Army)

Preface

How a Jewish Kid from New York Ended Up Preaching in a Southern Baptist Church in Nebo, Kentucky

During my twenty-two-plus years of service in the Army, I had the opportunity to observe leaders at every level. Personally, I have had the privilege to lead at the team, squad, platoon, and company level, allowing me to lead organizations ranging in size from three to two hundred Along the way, I had the honor to teach, coach, and mentor junior, noncommissioned officers, US Army rangers, future Army officers, and newly commissioned infantry lieutenants. I also had the opportunity to serve on a three-star general staff during combat operations and participate in an Army-level strategic change initiative focused on officer education, leadership transformation efforts. Additionally, I participated in formulating the Warrior Ethos implementation plan for the Army late in my career. I was part of a small team that developed the United States Army Soldier’s Creed.

After retiring from the Army in 2005, I was directly involved in preparing to deploy units for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, having the unique opportunity to observe leaders from virtually every Army unit and many other types of military formations (sometimes multiple times) deployed from the summer of 2005 until October of 2009. Returning Stateside, I embarked on another long-held goal of mine to complete a terminal degree. In 2014, I graduated, earning a PhD BA in management of organizations, focusing on employee performance, management, and leadership. I have been in higher education full-time, leading academic teams and teaching at the doctoral level since 2013. My specific educational and professional area of focus is...