Book Review of Eisenhower Lessons in Leadership - Essay Example

He examines his shortcomings as well as successes in a manner that appreciates one's environmental situation. The author reveals that Eisenhower was a great executive who could write assurance letters to mother of soldiers in one moment, apart from being a great military leader. He would also make decisions that would influence millions of people. 2The author presents General Dwight David Eisenhower as a wise strategist and an expert in organization. He was a supreme commander of United States allied forces during World War II.

General Eisenhower commanded more than four million soldiers drawn from five different nations. His role resembled that of a top manager in an organization. He played crucial role in directing all military operations in Europe. He successfully planned operation attacks and organized allied troops efforts, which yielded victory. Axelrod applies Eisenhower thinking to the management of organizations, projects, or even people in a series of 232 lessons. This long list is more than what average reader can absorb.

It could have been easier to understand the lessons if they were prioritized. Axelrod should have highlighted a list of the most important lesson. However, to make this lesson easy to understand, Axelrod has revealed ten characteristics of a good leader. These characteristics are universal and can be applied in any other organization other than military. Axelrod impresses me by how he brings out a point that illustrates the mode of application of such strategies in politics and for the good of the business world.

Axelrod puts Eisenhower’s word into a context that helps the reader out of an exorbitant situation she/he is. I could say that the value of this book is not outlining the principles of leadership that seem significant. The real value is to understand how Eisenhower expresses himself to people who are hopeless, powerful, influential, insecure, and still strive to get the much-needed result. Such challenges paralyze most managers. Eisenhower knew how to plan and achieve objective he wants. He was an inspiration to others.

He could get things done. One of the most important traits that the author presents about Eisenhower, is his magical ability to work with personality of all types. 3He managed to persuade one of the most temperamental military leaders such as United States army General George Patton, British field Marshall Bernard law Montgomery, and French leader General Charles de Gaulle. In his persuasion, he tried to put their difference aside and work as a team to achieve a common objective of military. His talent to inspire cooperation among allies in Europe was precisely what lacked.

The military alliance was unexpected in that it constituted of nations with different ideologies, altitudes, and histories. Bringing the military leaders of this nation to defeat Hitler was truly a huge diplomatic and management challenge4. However, analysis on how he was able to do all this is missing. One would expect something little more in depth especially on building a team, converting conflict into common cause and liberation of Europe. The biggest leadership challenge is not knowing what ought to be done in order to attain efficiency.

For instance, Eisenhower had to restrict the outspoken George Patton5. In one of the letters he wrote him, he acknowledged that there was no one else of his acquaintance that he would write so