Leadership from the Darkside: There’s Nothing More Instructive than a Bad Example

How do you train people to become better leaders? Almost 200,000 books exist on the topic, and American companies spend almost $14 billion annually on the pursuit of leadership training, but so far no one has come up with the definitive answer. The U.S. military spends more on leadership training than most organizations, and it should: its officers run a business with millions of employees in hundreds of countries across the planet, and at any moment its leaders might have to order their subordinates to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Military leadership training teaches 11 behaviors that the services believe are the key to creating effective leaders. The problem with this training, though, is that most adult learners forget nearly 50% of what they learn within two weeks. How can a leadership trainer increase retention and create better leaders?

Stories. Research has shown our brains become more active when we tell stories. We are wired for storytelling, and we learn better when information is presented through stories.

Leadership from the Darkside illustrates leadership principles with fascinating true stories of military leadership gone wrong, from every branch of the military. No matter whether you are a CEO leading a diverse multinational business or a novice filling your first decision-making position, this book will change the way you view leadership and help you become the leader you want to be.