Military Bookshelf: Leadership Lessons

Military.com Tom Miller

Leadership Lessons from the Tip of the Spear

The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander, by Pete Blaber.
Berkley Caliber, $25.95 (336p) ISBN 978-0-425-22372-7

A veteran of campaigns from the Balkans to Iraq and Afghanistan, Blaber distills his experience into a set of principles to inform decision-makers in the military and corporate arenas in this practical, common-sense guide. 

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Drawing on real-world experiences -- including 2002's Operation Anaconda to trap al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan -- the former Delta Force commander begins with the most important -- but often overlooked or ignored -- principle of leadership: the 3 Ms of the title.  The Mission comes first and is followed by the welfare of the Men.  The leader -- and his/her welfare, promotion, career -- comes last. 

Blaber is not dazzled by technology and sets out some of its limitations on the battlefield.  The "most effective weapon on any battlefield," he argues, "is our mind's ability to recognize life's underlying patterns."  Victory depends more than anything on "the ability to out-think and out-imagine the enemy." 

Among the author's most powerful guiding principles are admonitions to develop the situation when in doubt and to always listen to the guy with boots on the ground. 

If not checked, Blaber notes, doubt begets risk aversion and argues for inaction.  But, leaders don't need perfect information to take action to develop the situation.  The key is to be adaptable and react to new requirements as the situation unfolds. 

In the same vein, he warns against becoming a prisoner to "the plan."  When new information becomes available or conditions change, adaptable leaders change the plan or scrap it if necessary.  They don't cling to it like a lifeline.

Never forget, Blaber warns, that the guy on the ground -- the guy with the most skin in the game -- is the best source for "reality-revealing context."  Listen to him.  It sounds simple, but as Blaber's examples demonstrate, the farther away from the point of the spear -- and the higher up the chain of command -- the more likely this and other  principles are to be honored more in theory than in practice. 

One of his most sobering -- and maddening -- examples has a general officer back in North Carolina watching blurry images from a Predator and overruling special operators on the ground and under fire in Afghanistan.  And, yes, it ends badly for the boys on the ground. 

Blaber has written an essential guide to decision-making that has universal application.  His examples, drawn from his career as a warrior under the most challenging circumstances, are compelling and instructive.  Most leaders and aspiring leaders could learn from his instruction. 

I have only a couple concerns.  Phrases like "smiling with self-actualized satisfaction" and "operationalizing the concept" sound more like a frustrated staff officer than a grizzled warrior, and a little more humility on the author's part would go a long way. 

Quotable:

**Blaber: "Speedy, your dying is none of my concern . . . You're uniquely qualified to execute this mission.  This is your destiny."
Speedy: "Thanks, sir!"
Blaber: "For what?"
Speedy: "For letting me fulfill my destiny."

***Navy SEAL to Blaber before Operation Anaconda: "Sir, I'll make it to my OP [Observation Post] come hell or high water.  If we're hurting on time, we'll drop our rucks.  If we're still having problems, we'll keep dropping gear until five naked guys with guns are standing on the OP at H-hour."

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Copyright 2009 by Tom Miller