Leadership Lessons from a SEAL Leader

Before moving forward, I am an avid reader of leadership books and am a sucker for anything that relates to the military and/or special forces.  So, when I saw the title The Navy SEAL Art of War, I jumped on it.  Rob Roy's book cover was uninspiring, so I made an immediate assumption.  Remember the adage "don't judge a book by its cover"?  Well, I should have because I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  It will be added to my professional reading shelf and, quite frankly, it was not going to be prior to reading it.

This review is a deviation from my normal focus on Christian books.  It does have some profanity laced throughout, so bear that in mind going into it.  If such language will be offensive to you, then I suggest you avoid reading it.  Now, to the details of this modern-day leadership book written in the format of a Sun Tzu Art of War....

The author has more than 50 "chapters," and I use that term loosely.  Most of them are 3-4 pages of material but many others are only 1 page.  These are shorter musing that jump right into the details and he does not waste any time in dancing around the topic.  When you get this book, please read it with a specific situation in mind -- could be professional or personal life.  My advice is offered so that the tenets within can make a difference.  We, far too often, read a book just to read and the application is what creates the change that can produce success.

Here is a critique that I do have though -- pages 16 and 17 deal with lots of "I've" done this or "I'm" still doing this or "I've" used this or "I've watched" this happen.  This part is referenced particularly due to the section the author had on humility.  He says on pages 100 and 101 that "precious few details of my many SEAL adventures" have been omitted from the book  and "that's by design."  He goes on to say that SEALs are not "braggarts or glory hounds."  The two sections just seemed to lack cohesion.  Stop.  I am NOT saying that this guy is prideful or a braggadocio.  The lack of congruence was troubling to me and cutting that information in the introduction would have removed any sort of question from my mind.

It's a good read and an enjoyable one.  Remember,  "the first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.  The second is to look things in the fact and know them for what they are." 


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.