Chapter 17. Unify Command
The foundational lesson of inspirational leadership is that there must be a clear leader. Committees and management teams are rarely charismatic; they do not easily inspire the energy and loyalty of followers. Further, management-by-committee has some inherent dangers, not the least of which is a lumbering bureaucracy that excels at discussion but impedes speed and flexibility.
MacArthur's father told him, “Doug, councils of war breed timidity and defeatism.” The son always heeded the warning and held fast to the principle of unity of command. Whenever possible, MacArthur insisted on a formal chain of command leading to a clearly identified and empowered leader.
In the Pacific Theater during most of WWII, leadership ...
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