Strategies for Decision Making in War: A creativity perspective
In the realm of decision-making and leadership, time is a precious commodity. To help leaders navigate this challenging landscape, retired Colonel Steve Leonard, a decorated British Army officer and leadership expert, has publicly recommended a selection of books that offer valuable insights. These books are often cited as important resources because they help leaders understand complexity, judgment under pressure, and the human factors critical to effective command.
One such book is Carl von Clausewitz's seminal work, "On War." This timeless exploration of the nature of war and strategy emphasises the fog of war and the importance of moral forces. Another valuable resource is Andrew Roberts' "Leadership in War," which offers case studies of historical leaders to examine decision-making under extreme pressure.
Harry G. Summers Jr.'s "The Art of Command" discusses principles of military leadership and the exercise of command. In a complex and uncertain environment, General Stanley McChrystal's "Team of Teams" focuses on adaptive leadership and decentralised decision-making. Lastly, while not military-specific, Annie Duke's "Thinking in Bets" addresses decision-making under uncertainty, a key challenge for leaders.
Dan Heath, author of "Upstream," is a prolific writer on issues of strategy, leadership, and problem-solving. His book advocates for a proactive approach to decision-making, emphasising the importance of acting "left of boom." Another book that explores the flaws in human thinking that contribute to decision-making errors is Dietrich Dorner's "The Logic of Failure."
To teach leaders to be better decision-makers, one should start by understanding mental models, cognitive structures that shape decisions. Gary Klein's book, "Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions," explores the art of decision-making through the science of human behaviour and reveals how decisions are made and why.
Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Paul van Riper leveraged "rapid cognition" to defeat the Millennium Challenge 2002 scenario, a debacle that is discussed in Malcolm Gladwell's book, "Blink." Gladwell's book also discusses the concept of "thin slicing" and the potential for analysis paralysis in decision-making.
Effective leaders must embrace risk, forge intuition, and seek experiences that fuel judgment. Steve Leonard, a senior fellow at the West Point website, co-founder of Divergent Options, and a prolific military author and cartoonist, has written the guiding principles for the Army Design Methodology and is the author, co-author, or editor of four books.
Steve Leonard led the interagency team that authored the US Army's first stability operations doctrine and spearheaded the reintroduction of operational art into capstone doctrine. He is also a member of the editorial review board of the Arthur D. Simons Center's Interagency Journal.
If you want precise details on Steve Leonard’s five specific recommended books and his explanation for their importance, additional direct sources such as his interviews, lectures, or writings focused on leadership and decision-making would be necessary, as they were not included in the current search results. The premise is that leaders must make qualitatively better decisions faster than their opponent or the situation around them.
- Retired Colonel Steve Leonard, a leadership expert, has recommended "On War" by Carl von Clausewitz, a book that delves into the nature of war and strategy, stressing the importance of moral forces and the "fog of war."
- In the realm of decision-making, leaders can learn from historical case studies in Andrew Roberts' "Leadership in War," a resource that highlights decision-making under extreme pressure.
- For leaders seeking principles of military leadership and command, Harry G. Summers Jr.'s "The Art of Command" offers valuable insights.
- When it comes to adaptive leadership and decentralized decision-making, General Stanley McChrystal's "Team of Teams" is a recommended read, especially in complex and uncertain environments.
