Soldier, Statesman, Peacemaker: Leadership Lessons from George C. Marshall

One of the greatest men of the Twentieth Century - and I know nothing about him? I ran across references to General George C. Marshall on numerous occasions and I wondered why I knew so little about him - so, I found this book that coupled the biography of this great man with his leadership principles and ordered it - wow, was I glad I did! I was completely surprised by the character of this incredible man who has unfortunately fallen thru the cracks of history. Uldrich does an incredible job of giving you a great feel not only for the accomplishments of this mountain of a man, but also for his personality and character - which, in the case of Marshall, are what made the man. Uldrich also does a great job ending each chapter by summarizing the leadership principle demonstrated by Marshall and then giving modern examples from the world of business and industry so that this book is an easy cross-over for business and industry leaders and not merely relegated to history buffs.Marshall seems to embody all the great character qualities that I associate with that generation we've dubbed the "greatest generation" and Uldrich has brought those qualities to the forefront in this book - selflessness, a sense of duty, integrity, candor, preparation, a love for learning and teaching others, fairness, vision and caring for others. This is an amazing read for almost everyone - from the student who needs to know more about great men and women who sacrificed for the greater good, to the leader in almost any capacity who wants to know how to inspire others and get them to perform at a higher level - all will learn something from this book. While the names of his contemporaries are more familiar to many of us - Eisenhower, Truman, Roosevelt, Bradley, and Patton - after reading this book you'll appreciate the fact that much more is owed to Marshall than to maybe the rest of that list combined!

This book is a very informative account of the great General. A truly inspiring individual who put his nation first.It includes numerous anecdotes and does a good job of extracting meaning and actions from his life.Should be required reading for anyone with a eye on politics, government and nation building.Well written and flows smoothly from one theme to the next.

Routine information on Marshall from other sources which the author "compares and contrasts" with American corporate leadership and management practices. Treats Marshall as a model, but the book isn't really about him. Many of the comparisons and conclusions are subjective and "a stretch" in my opinion. Compare to David Brooks' The Road to Character, which devotes one chapter to Marshall, singling out his "dignity" as a desireable character trait.

Pithy review of key events in the leadership experience of George Caitlin Marshall. The author provides parallel examples in the business world, which, although the transitions are occasionally wooden, are relevant and enhance the book. Well-researched, this book provides numerous examples of the character of General Marshall of which I was previously unaware.

General George C. Marshall was an exemplary soldier whose leadership skills were early apparent. He rose in the ranks of the US Army in the first half of the Twentieth century to become the highest ranking soldier in the US Army. When he had successfully led the Allies to victory in Europe and the Pacific, he became a statesman entering the Truman cabinet as Secretary of State. He conceived and shepherded the Marshall Plan to rebuild European infrastructure, oversaw the Berlin Airlift and did his country ineffable service through the Cold War.He personally chose Dwight Eisenhower as Supreme Commander in Operation Overlord, elevated Omar Bradley to Chief of Staff after Bradley commanded in Korea, and did so many other things which make Marshall grow in stature as no other soldier or sailor in World War II would attain.I enjoyed this brief biography but will probably seek out the full-length bio as I am still intrigued by Marshall's myriad talents.