A NATIONAL BESTSELLER
The U.S. Marines Corps is the greatest fighting force on the planet, but it’s so much more than that: it’s a factory for producing first-rate leaders, problem-solvers, and innovators.
In 2006, John Warren and John Thompson led Marines into combat in the world’s most dangerous city: Ramadi, Iraq. But when they got home, employers didn’t understand what they had to offer. Undeterred, they founded their own specialty mortgage company, growing it from scratch into a national powerhouse over the course of a decade.
When the two decorated veterans applied the values and training of the U.S. Marine Corps to build a thriving business, they defied corporate America’s expectations. That’s because they realized that, far from producing mindless drones, the Corps trains its warriors in adaptability, initiative, and courage—ideal traits for anyone in leadership.
In Lead Like a Marine, Warren and Thompson lay out the simple, universal rules that helped them succeed, from valuing grit and potential over pedigree, to condensing large groups into resilient “fireteams,” to cross-training team members so that anyone can step up to the plate in a crisis. While the corporate world is mired in maintaining the status quo, respecting status, and flattering ego, Warren and Thompson stripped away the fat that prevents organizations from innovating and excelling.
Full of smart, actionable advice, gripping combat stories, and entrepreneurial lessons, this book will give you the tools and the training you need to truly lead like a Marine.
Two decorated Marine combat veterans turned successful entrepreneurs show how they applied Marine Corps training and values to build thriving businesses, and how readers can apply the same leadership strategies at any organization.
In 2006, Platoon Commander John Warren and Company Gunnery Sergeant John ?Top? Thompson led Marines into combat against al-Qaeda in the world's most dangerous city: Ramadi, Iraq. But when they returned home, they found that corporate America didn't appreciate how their skills and values could translate to the business world. So they founded their own real estate lending company, growing it from scratch into a national powerhouse over the course of a decade.
Far from producing mindless drones, the U.S. Marine Corps trains its warriors in creative problem solving, adaptability, focus, and courage?ideal traits for anyone in a leadership position at a big company, startup, or nonprofit. In Lead Like a Marine, Warren and Thompson reveal how they applied Marine strategies such as:
- Do Everything for a Reason
- Train for Culture First
- Be Blunt and Direct
- Avoid Comfort-Based Decisions
- Think Long-Term
- Eat Last
The authors distill these and other mindsets, tools, and values into practical advice for anyone in civilian leadership or aspiring to leadership. Lead Like a Marine blends smart, actionable advice with gripping stories of combat as well as tales of entrepreneurial challenges. It offers a counterintuitive guide to leading, innovating, and excelling in any organization.
