* A fresh, dynamic, and contemporary look at military leadership principles as they apply to business and life * Authored by retired general and leadership expert William A. Cohen, and drawing on the principles of Peter F.

Introduction: The Concept of Heroic Leadership 1 Part One The Eight Universal Laws of Heroic Leadership 9 1 Maintain Absolute Integrity 11 2 Know Your Stuff 25 3 Declare Your Expectations 36 4 Show Uncommon Commitment 47 5 Expect Positive Results 59 6 Take Care of Your People 71 7 Put Duty Before Self 80 8 Get Out in Front 89 Part Two The Eight Basic Influence Tools 101 9 Direction 103 10 Indirection 110 11 Redirection 118 12 Deflection 125 13 Enlistment 131 14 Persuasion 139 15 Negotiation 146 16 Involvement 152 Part Three The Eight Competencies of Heroic Leadership 159 17 How to Attract Followership 161 18 How to Develop Your Self-Confidence 171 19 How to Build a Heroic Team 181 20 How to Build High Morale and Esprit de Corps 192 21 How to Motivate When Times Get Tough 200 22 How to Take Charge in Crisis Situations 210 23 How to Develop Your Charisma 221 24 How to Solve Problems and Make Decisions 231 Epilogue 243 Notes 247 About the Author 259 Index 261

Heroic Leadership PETER F. DRUCKER, the "father of modern management," promoted the concept of Heroic Leadership throughout his long career, saying, "The Army trains and develops more leaders than do all other institutions together—and with a lower casualty rate." In Heroic Leadership, leadership expert and retired general William Cohen, a former student and personal friend of Drucker, reveals what Heroic Leadership entails—leading a group with absolute integrity while raising individual performance to a personal best, and building a team spirit of sacrifice for the common good. It requires tough standards, but as Cohen shows you, achieving those standards is not impossible. Heroic Leadership examines military leadership principles as they apply to business and life, and draws on Cohen's research with more than two hundred leaders from the military, who after leaving the military went on to very successful careers in civilian life. In this book, Cohen maps out the eight universal laws of leadership, and explains why Heroic Leadership has worked so successfully and ethically for thousands of years despite severe conditions of risk, uncertainty, and hardship. He also shows how to implement Heroic Leadership to attract fellowship; use influence tactics; develop self-confidence; build, coach, and motivate a team; take charge in crisis situations; and take action. Throughout the book you will find: Real-world examples from business as well as battle, chosen to give you the knowledge and confidence to lead in any situation you may confrontProven strategies and results-oriented techniques to apply the principles of Heroic Leadership and multiply the productivity of any group or organizationNew ideas for motivating people and helping them achieve new heights of personal and group performanceLittle-known but highly effective methods for building teamwork and esprit de corpsMethods for developing yourself as a leader and reaching your full potential Based on Cohen's early best-selling books on leadership, now out of print—The Art of the Leader, The Stuff of Heroes, and The New Art of the Leader—Heroic Leadership is a timeless guide on what it takes to be an authentic, high-performing leader. This book will challenge you to apply the principles of Heroic Leadership, and in turn enable your organization to dare the impossible and achieve the extraordinary.