| Summary: |
The epic Battle of the Little Bighorn, "Custer's Last Stand," was the most catastrophic defeat ever suffered by the U.S. military. Today, over 100 years later, America's economic forces have come dangerously close to a similar humiliation at the hands of well-armed and capable worldwide competitors. Will our country triumph? Bringing to light the strategic and tactical brilliance of a long-unheralded leader, Emmett C. Murphy shows how business leaders can follow Sitting Bull's heroic model to win victory in the global economy. Tracking each fateful move of both the Federal Army and Indian forces at the Little Bighorn, Murphy shows that the historic showdown holds the blueprint for re-energizing organizations; rightsizing forces; renewing employees' trust, commitment; and regaining competitiveness in any market. He lays bare the folly of Custer's ruthless, "winner-take-all" egotism as compared to Sitting Bull's noble, heroic focus on commitment, teamwork, and trust. Though faced with a dispirited, ravaged nation and betrayal by allies and enemies alike, Sitting Bull succeeded in rallying the various proud, independent Sioux tribes around a single banner. Through the craft of heroic leadership, he rekindled the greatness of his people. Murphy shows us how these lessons can be applied to leadership today. Learn to master the thirteen heroic strategies of a great leader through three key phases. Phase One: Assembly and Integration of Forces. The leader creates commitment, builds trust, increases power, lives the experience of the people, acts as a healer - and communicates on many levels, committing followers to a shared vision. Phase Two: Projection and Application. The leader thinks strategically, respects the competition, redefines the rules of battle, knows the terrain, rightsizes forces - overcoming obstacles and creating opportunity. Phase Three: Adjustment and Reflection. The leader welcomes crisis, and measures results - continuously seeking improvement necessary for long-term success. Each chapter focuses on one of the thirteen leadership strategies as it was played out in the drama of the Little Bighorn, and illustrates clearly how to take advantage of these skills to solve organizational problems. Plus, numerous case studies of heroic managers in today's organizations exemplify the kind of leadership that will get America back on top. Drawing on research actually guided by representatives of the Lakota Sioux tribes, The Genius of Sitting Bull is unique and uplifting. It cuts through to the basic underpinnings of effective leadership, and also provides specific tactics for running an organization. You'll find its powerful core heroic strategy strengthens every manager's ability to: increase responsibility. inspire confidence, exercise authority, develop loyalty, build teamwork, communicate effectively, manage crisis, satisfy customers, and build a world-class organization. At a time when American role models are in short supply, the heroic example of Sitting Bull points the way to rediscovering the lost craft of authentic American leadership. |
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