The Art of Command provides biographical and topical portraits of exceptional leaders from all four branches of the United States armed forces. Laver and Matthews have identified eleven core characteristics of effective leadership, such as vision, charisma, determination, and integrity, and apply them to significant figures in American military history. In doing so, they argue that leadership is a learned and practiced skill, developed through conscious effort and mentoring by superiors. Tracing the careers, traits, and behaviors of eleven legendary leaders, including Ulysses Grant, George Mar ... More

The Art of Command provides biographical and topical portraits of exceptional leaders from all four branches of the United States armed forces. Laver and Matthews have identified eleven core characteristics of effective leadership, such as vision, charisma, determination, and integrity, and apply them to significant figures in American military history. In doing so, they argue that leadership is a learned and practiced skill, developed through conscious effort and mentoring by superiors. Tracing the careers, traits, and behaviors of eleven legendary leaders, including Ulysses Grant, George Marshall, Henry Arnold, and David Shoup, each chapter provides detailed critical analysis of a leader's personal development and leadership style. This historically grounded exploration delivers an insightful examination of various military command styles that transcend time, place, rank, and branch of service.