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Rumsfeld's Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War, and Life
The legendary leadership guide, distilled from a lifetime of wisdom and experience in government and business.
Throughout his long and distinguished career—as a naval aviator, a U.S. Congressman, a top aide to four American presidents, a high-level diplomat, a CEO of two Fortune 500 companies, and the only twice-serving Secretary of Defense in American history—Donald Rumsfeld has collected hundreds of pithy, compelling, and often humorous observations about leadership, business, and life. When President Gerald Ford ordered these aphorisms distributed to his White House staff in 1974, the collection became known as "Rumsfeld's Rules
First gathered as three-by-five cards in a shoebox and then typed up and circulated informally over the years, these eminently nonpartisan rules have amused and enlightened presidents, business executives, chiefs of staff, foreign officials, diplomats, and members of Congress. They earned praise from the Wall Street Journal as "Required reading," and from the New York Times which said: "Rumsfeld's Rules
Meanwhile, the collection continued to grow as Rumsfeld added new rules derived from things he read, heard, or observed in more than eight decades of a remarkable life. Now these legendary rules are made available for the first time to corporate executive. Rumsfeld has selected his most useful and important rules for effective leadership, enhanced with fresh insights and entertaining anecdotes, and discusses them in the blunt and witty style that made his Pentagon press conferences "must-see TV."
Distilled from a career of unusual breadth and accomplishment, and organized under practical topics like hiring people, running a meeting, and dealing with the press, Rumsfeld's Rules
The book provides unprecedented insight into leadership, management, strategy, and life—thinking that not only helped Donald Rumsfeld lead the Pentagon in wartime, but earned him a reputation as one of America's toughest and most effective CEOs.
Infantry Officer Recognized for Outstanding Leadership
The Lt. Col. William G. Leftwich Jr. Trophy for Outstanding Leadership is an honor awarded annually to an outstanding Marine officer serving with a ground combat unit.
The award is given in honor of Leftwich, a Navy Cross recipient, who died in 1970 when his helicopter crashed in Vietnam. He was the commander of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion.
| More: Newly commissioned lieutenant reflects on the honor of leading |
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos selected Capt. Benjamin M. Middendorf, the former commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, to receive the 2012 trophy.
Middendorf was nominated for the award last year by his fellow company commanders at the conclusion of their seven-month deployment to Helmand province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Capt. Benjamin M. Middendorf, the former commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, pauses a patrol to check their position during helicopter-borne operations in Afghanistan, May 27, 2012. Middendorf, a native of Rochester, Minn., was recognized for his tenacity and unselfish leadership in the awarding of the Leftwich trophy for leadership. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Timothy Lenzo)
“It’s very humbling just to know that it was my peers who recommended me to our battalion commander for the award,” said Middendorf, a native of Rochester, Minn. “I was privileged enough to be in charge of a great crew of guys; the phenomenal officers, staff noncommissioned officers, NCOs and junior Marines down there doing all the hard work in a pretty tough and dynamic combat deployment.”
As the company commander of infantry Marines, Middendorf was responsible for about 300 Marines and sailors as well as their weapons, gear and vehicles. From training and communication, to supply and logistics, Middendorf ensured that his Marines were continuously equipped and ready to fight.
Throughout Golf Co., Middendorf was known for his tenacity, knowledge of the enemy, and passion for his Marines’ well being, said Capt. Neal Jones, one of Middendorf’s platoon commanders during their 2012 deployment.
Jones recalled Middendorf’s tenacity during a firefight in Musa Qala District, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Two of Golf Co.’s rifle platoons and a section of gun trucks ran into a platoon-size element of enemy fighters. He immediately made his way to the forward line of troops and began to give direction to the Marines from an exposed area he knew gave him the best view of the battlefield.
“He knew how to be tough,” Jones said. “Not once would he complain of harsh conditions or the everyday grind that we all experienced in combat. In the face of adversity, he never backed down from the challenge. He was the ultimate example of a focused rifle company commander.
“Based solely off of his tenacity, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end in a firefight with a unit that he is in command of,” Jones added.
Middendorf’s ability to understand his enemy and his Marines’ capabilities allowed him to effectively and safely employ his Marines during a constantly evolving deployment, said Capt. David Marshall, the executive officer for Golf Co. during the deployment.
Middendorf and his company were tasked with a three-day helicopter-borne disruption operation in the Kajaki District at the end of July 2012, recalled Marshall.
Capt. Benjamin M. Middendorf, the commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, speaks to his platoon commanders about future patrols in Ganbum Rece, Afghanistan, July 18, 2012. Middendorf’s ability to understand the enemy and his Marines’ capabilities made him an effective leader while in Afghanistan. Middendorf is currently the commander of Headquarters and Service Co., 5th Marines. (Courtesy photo)
Following a successful insert, cordon and search of their primary objective, enemy forces began to surround and engage the Golf Co. Marines with machinegun fire, rocket propelled grenades and various types of indirect fires.
Middendorf’s Marines received continuous fire throughout the day, which only ceased at nightfall. Through a signal support team attached to the company, they learned of enemy forces establishing a cordon around them. The enemy planned to box the Marines in, to isolate and attack at first light.
“Understanding the capabilities of his Marines and having a deep knowledge of the enemy that we were facing, Middendorf chose to continue with our planned nighttime movement,” Marshall said. “We conducted the movement in pitch dark through the enemy lines and improvised explosive device (threats) without them ever knowing we were there.”
Middendorf says he believes that the most important aspects of leadership can be summed up in one word: trust.
“I worked hard to establish the trust between myself and my Marines,” Middendorf said. “I wanted them to trust me not to put them in bad situations, and that I would do everything I could to provide for them whenever we’re outside the wire. Marines have instant will and obedience to all orders, we have to do what we’re told to do. But if they trust the guy in charge of them, they’re going to want to do it.”
Middendorf continues to passionately lead Marines as the company of Headquarters and Service Co., 5th Marine Regiment. He is slated to receive the Leftwich Trophy later this year.
“It’s humbling. I don’t feel like I did anything different than any of the other company commanders that were out there,” Middendorf said. “The award is bigger than any one man. It represents what Marine officers are about. I just happen to be the guy they picked this year.”
Article By Sgt. Alfred V. Lopez
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Islands of Destiny: The Solomons Campaign and the Eclipse of the Rising Sun
Historians traditionally refer to the Battle of Midway as the point when Allied forces gained the advantage over the Japanese. In Islands of Destiny, Prados points out that the Japanese forces quickly regained strength after Midway and continued their assault undaunted. Taking this surprising fact as the start of his inquiry, he began to investigate how and when the Pacific tide turned in the Allies’ favor. His search led him to the decisive battles and strategic maneuvers in the fight for the Solomon Islands.
Beginning with the invasion of Guadalcanal in August 1942, the Solomons became a hotly contested battleground for over a year, culminating in the isolation of Rabaul by the Allies. As military forces fought over the strategically important islands, a secret war of intelligence was also being waged. For a total picture of the conflict, Prados integrates blow-by-blow action on the ground with the code breaking, aerial reconnaissance, secret spy posts, and submarine scouting that were vital to the Allied effort.
Small Unit Leaders - Issues of Garrison Ethics and Leadership
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The Admirals: Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea
Only four men in American history have been promoted to the five-star rank of Admiral of the Fleet: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. These four men were the best and the brightest the navy produced, and together they led the U.S. navy to victory in World War II, establishing the United States as the world's greatest fleet. In The ADMIRALS
, award-winning historian Walter R. Borneman tells their story in full detail for the first time. Drawing upon journals, ship logs, and other primary sources, he brings an incredible historical moment to life, showing us how the four admirals revolutionized naval warfare forever with submarines and aircraft carriers, and how these men-who were both friends and rivals-worked together to ensure that the Axis fleets lay destroyed on the ocean floor at the end of World War II.
The Swamp Fox: Lessons in Leadership from the Partisan Campaigns of Francis Marion
Known as 'The Swamp Fox,' Francis Marion employed a violent brand of guerrilla tactics against the British in the lowlands of South Carolina, where he and his irregular force are credited with preventing the colony from completely succumbing to the Crown after the capture of Charleston in May 1780.
Scott Aiken contends that Marion's call to action both militarily and politically stopped the momentum needed by the British to conquer the South. Aiken describes Marion's partisan actions as the forerunners of tactics common to today's global security environment. His book provides readers not only with a better understanding of tactics and strategies used during the American Revolution, but also with an understanding of how they apply to 21st century conflicts.
Hooked On Adrenaline - Gunnery Sergeant Brad Colbert
by Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright. His character is also extensively highlighted in the movie Generation Kill
. Wright was embedded and rode in the backseat of Colbert's vehicle during this time until his departure on May 4, 2003.
Colbert nicknamed "Iceman" by his fellow Marines, was a team leader in 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Recon Battalion during the initial invasion of Iraq (OIF).
The Generals: by Tom Ricks
is an epic history of the decline of American military leadership from World War II to Iraq.History has been kind to the American generals of World War II—Marshall, Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley—and less kind to the generals of the wars that followed. In The Generals
, Thomas E. Ricks sets out to explain why that is. In part it is the story of a widening gulf between performance and accountability. During the Second World War, scores of American generals were relieved of command simply for not being good enough. Today, as one American colonel said bitterly during the Iraq War, “As matters stand now, a private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war.” 
The Generals
But Korea also showed the first signs of an army leadership culture that neither punished mediocrity nor particularly rewarded daring. In the Vietnam War, the problem grew worse until, finally, American military leadership bottomed out. The My Lai massacre, Ricks shows us, is the emblematic event of this dark chapter of our history. In the wake of Vietnam a battle for the soul of the U.S. Army was waged with impressive success. It became a transformed institution, reinvigorated from the bottom up. But if the body was highly toned, its head still suffered from familiar problems, resulting in tactically savvy but strategically obtuse leadership that would win battles but end wars badly from the first Iraq War of 1990 through to the present.
Other books of interest to Marines by Tom Ricks
Making the Corps: 10th Anniversary Edition 
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2003 to 2005
The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008