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STAFF COLLEGEI' 1STUDENT REPORTBOOK ANALYSIS OF:

TAKING CHARGE, A PRACTICALGUIDE FOR LEADERS

MAJOR TIMOTHY F. NALL 88-1950

L-"insights into tomorrow"

AA A

90 03 21

DISCLAIMER

The views and conclusions expressed in thisdocument are those of the author. They arenot intended and should not be thought torepresent official ideas, attitudes, orpolicies of any agency of the United StatesGovernment. The author has not had specialaccess to official information or ideas andhas employed only open-source materialavailable to any writer on this subject.

This document is the property of the UnitedStates Government. It is available fordistribution to the general public. A loancopy of the document may be obtained from theAir University Interlibrary Loan Service(AUL/LDEX, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, 36112-5564)or the Defense Technical Information Center.Request must include the author's name andcomplete title of the study.

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REPORT NUMBER 88-1950

TITLE BOOK ANALYSIS OF: TAKING CHARGE, A PRACTICAL GUIDEFOR LEADERS

AUTHOR(S) MAJOR TIMOTHY F. NALL, USAF

FACULTY ADVISOR LT COL JAY M. STEWART, ACSC/EDM

SPONSOR LT COL JAMES L. MALLETT, ACSC/EDM

Submitted to the faculty in partial fulfillment ofrequirements for graduation.

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Nall, Timothy F., Major, USAF

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This report analyzes Takinq CharQe: A Practical Guide for Leaders byGeneral Perry M. Smith (Retired). Specifically, this report examinesGeneral Smith's leadership fundamentals discussed in his book. Theseleadership fundamentals are compared to contemporary leadershipliterature for validation. A recommendation of the utility of GeneralSmith's discussions and checklists is also provided.

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PREFACE

Effective leadership in the United States Air Force is animportant and much debated aspect of military service at alllevels of the organization. This book analysis of TakingCharge, A Practical Guide for Leaders, by Major General PerryM. Smith (Ret), compares the book to other contemporaryleadership literature and makes a recommendation on theusefulness of the book to current and aspiring leaders.General Smith's primary leadership fundamentals are discussedafter a short synopsis of the book. Taking Charge is writtenin a clear and concise manner and is a valuable guide forleaders, in the author's opinion.

The author would like to acknowledge the assistance providedby Lieutenant Colonel Jay M. Stewart, USAF, for his effortsas advisor on this paper. In addition, the author would alsolike to extend a special thanks to his wife, Mindy, for herpatience and help.

This material is being submitted to the faculty of Troy StateUniversity in partial fulfillment of the requirements for theMaster of Science in Personnel Management degree.

iii

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Timothy F. Nall entered the Air Force through a ROTCcommissioning program after graduating from Texas TechUniversity with a Bachelors Degree in Business in 1973. Hereceived flying training as a pilot and has flown both F-4and F-16 fighter aircraft operationally for over elevenyears. As an Air Force officer he has commanded other flyingofficers at the squadron level as a Flight Commander and hasbeen responsible at the wing level for all Flying Trainingand Standardization/Evaluation duties. He attended SquadronOfficer School in residence and completed Air Command andStaff College by seminar. He is currently attending AirCommand and Staff College in residence and working toward aMaster of Science in Personnel Management degree.

Timothy F. Nall is married to the former Melinda Kilgore andhas two children, Camille and Brett.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS-

Preface................................................. iiiAbout the Author........................................ ivExecutive Summary....................................... vi

CHAPTER ONE--INTRODUCTION............................... 1

CHAPTER TWO--THE AUTHOR................................. 3

CHAPTER THREE--A SYNOPSIS............................... 5

CHAPTER FOUR--A COMPARISON.............................. 7

CHAPTER FIVE--ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION.................. 12

BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................ 15

V

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY APart of our College mission is distribution of thestudents' problem solving products to DoDsponsors and other interested agencies toenhance insight into contemporary, defenserelated issues. While the College has accepted thisproduct as meeting academic requirements forgraduation, the views and opinions expressed or

S Oimplied are solely those of the authot and shouldnot be construed as carrying official sanction.

"inaights into tomorrow"

REPORT NUMBER 88-1950

AUTHOR(S) MAJOR TIMOTHY F. NALL, USAF

TITLE BOOK ANALYSIS OF: TAKING CHARGE, A PRACTICAL GUIDEFOR LEADERS

I. Purpose: To provide an objective analysis of GeneralPerry M. Smith's book, Taking Charge, A Practical Guide forLeaders and make a recommendation of the book's usefulness foraspiring Air Force leaders.

II. Problem: Does General Smith's book, Taking charge, APractical Guide for Leaders, agree with contemporaryliterature on the basic leadership fundamentals required ofan effective leader? Due to the vast expanse of leadershipfundamentals which might be discussed in this paper, theauthor limits his analysis to four widely recognized keyleadership fundamentals specifically discussed by GeneralSmith. Are General Smith's viewpoints and checklistsappropriate, clearly stated, and useable for leaders?

III. Data: The number of leadership fundamentals which arevaluable for leaders to be familiar with are numerous. InTaking Charge, General Smith discusses those primaryleadership fundamentals which he believes are important forleaders to contemplate in order to make themselves more

vi

CONTINUED

effective. General Smith discusses, sometimes in questionstyle, why he believes a leader can and should make adifference in the organization that he leads. The overallleadership theme of each chapter is briefly commented on inthe analysis and four specific themes are examined. The fourspecific themes commented on are: the universal need forleadership integrity, the important aspect of counselling,the need for decentralization and feedback, and the necessityof planning and setting priorities for the organization.

IV. Conclusion: General Smith's book is valuable as apractical guide for leaders. The book is very easy to readand contains useful information and views, both for currentand aspiring leaders. The essential leadership elementsdiscussed by General Smith are substantiated by othercontemporary leadership literature.

V. Recommendations: General Smith's book Taking charge, APractical Guide for Leaders, is highly recommended for allleaders aspiring for the opportunity to command a successfulmilitary organization during their career.

vii

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest challenges facing the military todayis that of providing strong and effective leadership. Toprovide this leadership in the increasingly complex militaryorganization of today, a leader, must prepare himself toassume command. One method of preparation is that of readingabout leadership fundamentals and concepts. A recentlypublished book dealing with leadership purports to be apractical guide for leaders.

A book analysis of Taking Charge, A Practical Guide forLeaders by General Perry M. Smith (Retired), includes ananalysis of the overall content of the book as compared tocontemporary leadership writings. A judgement on theusefulness of the dialogue and checklists provided by GeneralSmith is drawn. Additionally, this book analysis addressesGeneral Smith's discussion of leadership fundamentals. Inconsidering leadership, many writers agree on the basic ideathat leadership is primarily an art which can be developedrather, than a quantifiable science which must be learned(11:21; 12:1). This idea of leadership being mostly an artis particularly noteworthy when reviewing General Smith'sbook as a practical guide for leaders.

Prior to analyzing General Smith's practical guide forleaders some representative definitions of leadership shouldbe considered. Leadership, as defined in Concepts of Air,Force Leadership, is "...the process of influencing theactivities of an individual or group in efforts toward goalachievement in a given situation" (10:4-1). Another morebusiness-like definition is "...the intrapersonalinteractions between a leader and one or, more subordinatesfor the purpose of increasing organizational effectiveness"(4:48). Both of these definitions are typical of thosecontained in most leadership writing. They both view aprocess of reactions between people to accomplish a missionor goal. The extent to which the leadership process isenforced through a command relationship versus being

1

voluntary is an aspect of leadership in which the militaryofficer is particularly involved.

The military officer of today must not only be concernedwith leading people, but, also, must manage items in order toaccomplish his required duties. For an officer toeffectively accomplish his duties, a quote by Lord Slim canbe compared to the quotes of leadership previously presented.Lord Slim, a highly regarded British military officer, said,"Management is of the mind, mure a matter of accuratecalculation, statistics, methods, timetables, and routines--it's practice is a science" (11:18). Therefore, it isevident that an effective leader must be primarily concernedwith the people he leads but, also, he must insure that thepractical or managerial side of command is accomplished. Itwill be assumed for the remainder of this discussion thatleadership is a art and deals primarily with people andmanagement deals with things and is primarily a science.

General Smith believes in the artful, people orientedapproach to the leadership challenge. This approach isevident throughout his book. He discusses actions a leadermust accomplish or consider to be effective. Theseleadership actions include communicating, planning, andteaching, as well as many others.

General Perry Smith's long association with the militaryallows him to discuss leadership challenges on a level whichis familiar to military officers. In the next chapterGeneral Smith's military association, credentials,background, and sources of possible bias will be reviewed.

Chapter Two

THE AUTHOR

General Perry Smith has been associated with the militarythroughout his life. This fact as well as the followingobservations are pointed out in "The Author" section of hisbook Taking Charge , A Practical Guide for Leaders (6:233-234).

General Smith was born into an Army family and graduatedfrom United States Military Academy at West Point. Heentered the Air Force following West Point, earned his winisas a pilot, and flew several types of operational fighteraircraft. General Smith has extensive teaching experience atthe Air Force Academy and the National War College andZcquired a Ph.D. in International Relations from ColumbiaUniversity.

While in the United States Air Force General Smith heldnumerous leadership positions. He was commander of atactical fighter- wing in Europe and served as the firstAmerican general in the Second Allied Tactical Force whilestationed in Germany. While assigned to the Pentagon inWashington DC, General Smith held several important positionssuch as the Director for Plans for the Air Force. GeneralSmith also served as the Commandant of the National WarCollege where he taught a number of courses includingleadership in large organizations.

General Smith's background and credentials in bothteaching and military leadership are noteworthy. His longassociation with the military, both as a commander and theleader of large organizations, attests to his leadershipcapabilities. General Smith's rise to significant levels ofcommand in the military educational field also suggest anextensive depth of knowledge in education. His practice ofleadership skills during a long and successful militarycareer, particularly as the commander of a Tactical FighterWing in Europe, make General Smith's leadership views notonly credible but noteworthy for aspiring leaders.

Although General Smith has had a long association withthe military, his commentary throughout the book suggests noparticular military bias in dealing with leadershipchallenges. Any possible bias present in General Smith'sbook is offset, in the author's opinion, by his educationalbackground and credentials.

General Smith deals with a variety of leadershipchallenges in Taking Charge and discusses many thata leader will face. Some of these important leadershipchallenges are reviewed in the following chapters.

4

Chapter Three

A SYNOPSIS

Taking Charge is divided into two sections in whichGeneral Smith writes of his fundamental premise that leaderscount and should make a difference in the organizations theylead (6:xvii). He provides a practical guide for the leadersof complex (one hundred or more people) and large (onethousand or more people) organizations. The first sectioncontains twenty chapters of assorted leadership problems andissues that a mid-level or senior leader is likely to face.The second section contains checklists for busy leaders andleadership case studies divided into three appendices.

The first chapter of Taking Charge deals with GeneralSmith's twenty fundamentals to remember; these fundamentalsform a basis for his philosophy of leadership (6:3). Heexamines such issues as trust, teaching, communication, timemanagement, people interactions, goals, insight, andintegrity. In the remaining nineteen chapters General Smithfurther develops some of these fundamentals and otherparticular challenges of leadership he feels are important.He states, "Leadership skills can be improved by reading,discussion, use of case studies, and wrestling with concepts"(6:xvii). Throughout this section many leadership actionsars discussed. These include, transitioning into leaderpositions, establishing standards of integrity, and aspectsof hiring and firing. Also, Takinq Charge discussesleadership requirements relating to the ability to beflexible and yet decisive, maintaining personal contact withsubordinates and superiors, encouraging innovation,establishing long-range planning goals, and ensuring missionaccomplishment. General Smith also includes many otherhints, rules, and techniques for leaders to consider in thefirst section of Taking Charge.

In the second section of Taking Charge, General Smithpresents memory jogging checklists for the busy leader(6:157). These checklists for busy leaders cover manyleadership actions and issues discussed in the first section

5

of the book. Additionally, issues such as promotion boards,phrases to avoid, and a congressional visit checklist areprovided. The second section also presents severalsituational leadership cases from his experiences and thoseof his colleagues (6:xix). These case studies are analyzedand critiqued to illustrate real life leadership problems,decisions, and outcomes.

General Smith's writin9 style includes askin9 questionsof the reader throughout the book which is written in apragmatic and logical manner. This style of writing allowsGeneral Smith to suggest many issues for the reader tocontemplate and at the same time maintain the reader'sinterest.

In order to draw a conclusion about General Smith'streatment of the many leadership issues he discusses, it isnecessary to compare Taking Charge to current recognizedliterature dealing with the many practical aspects and issuesof leadership. This comparison will be accomplished in thesubsequent chapter.

6

Chapter Four

A COMPARISON

General Smith begins Taking Charge with a look atleadership fundamentals he believes are important toremember. Next, he lists several checklists for leaders touse as quick memory joggers about leadership aspects, orsituations he believes a leader might find helpful.

General Smith's leadership fundamentals in chapter oneare fundamentals that can be found throughout leadershipliterature. General Smith also discusses traits and actionsthat a leader must take or be aware of to be effective. InGuidelines for Command, twenty-one responsibilities for aleader and ten points of advice are considered, theseinclude, honesty, self-sacrifice, setting standards,communicatin9, and the necessity of removing people; theseare very similar 4:o General Smith's twenty fundamentals toremember in chapter one (12:1-4). Also, leadershipfundamentals such as General Smith's are discussed inprofessor Gary Yukl's book, Leadership In Organizations(6:193-199). In Yukl's book specific leadership behaviorssuch as performance, delegation, goal setting, and trainingare discussed with their corresponding effect oneffectiveness. This is essentially what General Smith doesin the first chapter to his book Taking Charge, but in a muchmore readable fashion. After discussing leadershipfundamentals in chapter one, General Smith relates histhoughts about the first things a leader should be concernedwith when taking over an organization as a new leader.

Chapter two of Taking Charge discusses assuming commandof the organization and the establishment of rules to befollowed during the transition. The following chapterdiscusses the importance of establishing personal andinstitutional standards of integrity. General Smithemphasizes, in question style, many of the same challengesfacing the leader when taking command as does the Air Force,in its, Guidelines for Command publication. These transitionitems include, but are not limited to, having a plan by which

7

to take charge, setting the goals of the organization, andgetting to know your subordinates and superiors alike. Asfor integrity, General Smith discusses the need for bothpersonal and unit integrity. His views are echoed in suchsources as the US Military Academy's Leadership inOrganizations (7:20-21) and Jefferson Howell's discussionabout the need to establish integrity values in his article"The Principles of Leadership: A Personal View" (15:25-28).In this article Howell emphasizes that the leader must "setthe example" and that he must be "positive but honest" whendoing so (15:25-28). General Smith also relates severalunderstandable examples of both personal and institutionalintegrity situations and discusses the importance of ensuringindividual leadership credibility in Taking Charge.

Taking Charge then delves into the everyday necessitieswhich confront a leader of an organization. Such require-ments as hiring, firing, counselling, and complimenting arediscussed. General Smith's observations concerning theseleadership responsibilities are easily understood andsupported by such texts as Mondy and Noe's Personnel: TheManagement of Human Resources (5:220-230); and Goble'sExcellence in Leadership (3:43-48). Hiring is discussed byGeneral Smith particularly with an emphasis on putting theright people into the right job. Likewise, Gable states,"The ability to choose the right person for each job isclearly one of the most important characteristics of theexcellent leader" (3-43). The ultimate requirement andresponsibility for firing is also emphasized by GeneralSmith. He contends firing is very important and points outthat it is ultimately the leaders' responsibility to insurethe organization's success. Therefore, individuals whocannot assist in that success must be moved (6:49-53). Theimportance of firing is likewise emphasized in the Air Forcepublication Guidelines for Command, "Once people havedemonstrated... [the] inability to get the job done, you musthave the courage to terminate their assignment" (12:4).Next, General Smith's views on counselling come in thecontext of questions that might be asked of the subordinateand why these questions are important to ask. The importanceof counselling as a leader is recognized in many leadershippublications. One such publication is the US MilitaryAcademy's Leadership in Organizations (7:16-21). Itemphasizes that one of the most effective methods forteaching is through counselling (7:16-21). Besides the needof counselling, General Smith also discusses the need forcomplimenting. In discussing complimenting, General Smithemphasizes his ideas about using the compliment to reward andmotivate. This method of influencing behavior builds on the

8

ideas of praise and congruency discussed in Buck and Korb'sMilitary Leadership (2:74-93). General Smith's discussion ofhiring, firing, counselling, and complimenting as a leader9ives personal insight into these important aspects of theleadership problem.

Taking Chare next deals with situations such as leadingin crises, dealing with the down side, and the problem ofdecentralizin9 control while maintaining informationfeedback. General Smith emphasizes that the challenge ofleadin9 during a crisis is primarily a problem of innovationand flexibility (6:55). He also emphasizes the need topractice and train those whom might be called to step in andhandle a crisis situation should the normal leader beunavailable. His discussion of dealing with the down sideincorporates feedback and communication problems. Theseproblems are also emphasized as primarily communicationproblems in Hill's The Military Officer's Guide to BetterCommunication (4:4-6). The question of decentralization andfeedback requirements of a leader are emphasized in numerousother leadership books and articles; one such source is theAir Force's Guidelines for Command (12:7-10). Finally,General Smith states that management control systems must beused carefully to insure the large amount of feedback that ispossible with the system doesn't overload the organizationand the leader when using systems.

General Smith next turns his attention to the morepersonal side of leadership problems such asresponsibilities, personality traits, and introspection. Aleader's need and responsibility to not only reach upward tohis supervisors but outward to the sister organizations isemphasized. This understanding and positive attitudebuilding is also emphasized by Hill in The Military Officer'sGuide to Better Communication, where he states that theleader, and the group, both must understand the way the unitand the larger organization relate (4:82-88). Next, GeneralSmith's discussion of personality types is based on thepersonality theories developed by the Swiss psychologist CarlJung. These personality theories are common in variousleadership writings; one such example is York's article,"Managing Professional Relationships in the Modern Air Force:Communication and Influencing Skills" contained in Conceptsfor Air Force Leadership (10:3-32 - 3-39). Additionally,General Smith discusses introspection and emphasizes thatknowing yourself is extremely important to leaders. Theimportance of knowing yourself and your leadership style isechoed by many writers; one example of this is discussed byBlanchard in his book, Leadership and the One Minute Manager.

9

Blanchard states that your perception of your own leadershiptraits and qualities is probably different than what is seenby those who work for you, and to become an effective leaderyou must be aware and take into consideration, thesedifferent perceptions (1:20). Likewise, General Smithstates that a leader must be aware of the differentperceptions his subordinates may have of him and, "Leadersshould try to correct the worst of these [perception]distortions when possible" (6:95).

General Smith now deals with problems more external tothe organization itself, but which are still very importantto it's overall success. Problems such as dealing with themedia, the need for strategic planning, and challengesassociated with international organizations are included.General Smith states in chapter fourteen, "In general, themedia can be helpful", but, all leaders must handle thisopportunity wisely and carefully to ensure that informationcomes out when and how you wish it to (6:113). This attitudetoward the media is also held by Brooks Hill in his book TheMilitary Officer's Guide to Better Communication and statesthat a careful but cooperative working relationship with themedia can result in changing a negative public relationsepisode into a positive one for the military (4:111-113). Increating a strategic vision for his organization, GeneralSmith believes in the necessity of establishing a long-rangeplan and climate open to innovation. This belief in theimportance of planning and innovation is also shared by Goblein his book Excellence in Leadership, here, Goble says,creative success involves the willingness to make mistakes toachieve the goal and this requires the leader to encouragecreativity (3:22-23). Finally, in dealing with internationalorganizations, General Smith discusses the dilemma ofsupervising these units and their people in a broad efficientmanner. These problems include being sensitive to culturaldifferences and spending a majority of time with leaders fromother countries rather than their own (4:125-130). The basicideas of tact and social sensitivity are also discussed inYukl's book Leadership in Organizations (8:85-87). The toneof Taking Charge now changes from considering externalproblems and planning to those of mission accomplishment andtaking care of your people as a leader.

General Smith discusses his views concerningorganizational priorities and the need for ensuring potentialleaders have a chance in chapters 17 and 18. He reminds thereader that the most important priority of any leader is toensure mission accomplishment through commitment andplanning. These ideas of commitment, goals, and planning are

10

also discussed in Gable's Excellence in Leadership (3:18-23).General Smith's views on taking care of people and avoidingcronyism are valuable and simple. Gable, in his bookExcellence in Leadership, likewise believes in the importanceof findin9 the right person and promoting him (3:43).

General Smith completes section one of Taking Charge witha chapter emphasizin9 teachin9 and some 9eneral thoughtsdealin9 with leadership. In this last chapter he points outthat a 9ood leader should also be a 9ood teacher and shouldmaintain his own learning process while encouragin9 others toread, discuss, and contemplate leadership (6:145-150). Thesuccess of the organization, accordin9 to General Smith, isessentially a problem of developing and maximizin9 theindividual. The individual, in this view of leadership, isthe leader's 9reatest challenge; this position is shared byHill in The Military Officer's Guide to Better Communication(4:19-20).

The body of Taking Charge has been reviewed and comparedto other leadership literature. Next, four widely recognizedaspects of leadership discussed by General Smith will befurther examined and a conclusion on the overall usefulnessof Taking Charge will be drawn.

11

Chapter Five

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

General Smith states in the preface to Taking Charge thathis purpose is to provide a practical guide for leaders(6:xvii). He discusses many aspects of leadership which hebelieves are important. The number of aspects of effectiveleadership to be considered by a leader or writer, are vast.For the purpose of this analysis, four recognized aspects ofleadership specifically discussed by General Smith will bediscussed. These aspects will include the universal need forintegrity, the important aspect of counselling, the need fordecentralization and feedback, and the necessity of planningand setting priorities for the organization.

General Smith discusses the need for planning and settingpriorities in chapters 15 and 17 of his book where hestates that great leaders must be able to plan, set goals,and motivate people to accomplish these goals (6:119). Thisidea of the leader as a planner and motivator is evidentthroughout leadership literature. As stated in the bookMilitary Leadership by Buck and Korb, "the leadershipfunction involves the motivation and activation ofsubordinates, staffing, and training" (2:74). The importanceof this type of planning and motivation is particularlyimportant in the military world of shrinking resources(2:93). The author, as a military officer himself, agreeswith General Smith when he states, "a leader who is aflexible planner and who has a vision based on carefulthought and research can lead the organization to new heightsof performance and effectiveness" (6:124). Additionally,General Smith discusses in a separate chapter the need fororganizing priorities and maintaining the mission at the headof those priorities. This goal setting and establishment ofpriorities is a necessity, for as Goble says in his book,Excellence in Leadership, "professional leadership literallyrevolves around the establishment of goals and the effort toachieve them" (3:18). General Smith discusses both thenecessity for planning and the setting of priorities in avery understandable and appropriate manner for the military

12

person.

The important and complex military leadership issues ofdecentralization and feedback are discussed clearly byGeneral Smith in chapter 10. General Smith points out theneed to allow for authority and delegation at everyappropriate level while encouraging feedback from all levels.The problem of centralized control and decision making isevident throughout large organizations (9:15-12). Theleaders problem of maintaining communication and gettingfeedback is also emphasized by Hill in his book about bettercommunications, "as CaJ leader, [you] must open channels ofcommunication and discover blocks which obstruct the flow"(4:63). The author also feels that General Smith'sencouragement of feedback and discouragement of inappropriatecentralization are right on target.

In order to be effective a leader must be able tocommunicate, with his people (1:105). One of the prime waysto communicate according to General Smith is through thecounselling session. The counselling session must be regular,frank, and honest (6:39). This need for counselling andcommunication is emphasized by the Army in the, LeadershipMakes the Difference pamphlet, here the Army states that itis important to always be "talking with and listening tosubordinates, not simply talking at them" and that "teachingindividuals by counselling" is one of a leaders mostimportant tasks (13:28). In the authors opinion, GeneralSmith "hits the nail on the head" in his chapter dealing withcounselling because it is one of the most pressing leadershipproblems that the Air Force has; General Smith covers itwell.

Counselling is a necessity, but the importance ofleadership integrity cannot be overemphasized according toGeneral Smith. The leaders' need for individual integrity isuniversal in leadership writing. As General Smith states,"it is important for the leader to make clear the standardsof integrity that are to be adhered to" (6:27). GeneralSmith emphasizes the importance of the individual leaders'integrity on the organization when he states "the first andperhaps most important organizational influence on the moralbehavior of the organization members is the behavior oforganizational leaders" (6:21-20). General Smith alsoemphasizes that demonstrating this commitment to integrity isessential, and to set the example as a leader is vital. Thisexample of integrity must be human, but strict, according toJefferson Howell, because those under you will not quite liveup to your standards (15:25-28). General Smith and many

13

other military leaders such as General Russ, Commander ofTactical Air Command, believe that a leader must set personaland unit discipline, then enforce it, to be a truly effectiveleader (9:2). The Air Force, as an institution, states inthe pamphlet on leadership, "A leader must be honest andfair" (14:4). The importance of both an individual leader'sand the institution's integrity are obvious in GeneralSmith's mind.

Finally, General Smith's checklists in the appendix toTaking Charge mirror the highlights of his discussions aboutpractical leader-ship problems and challenges. Thesechecklists would be very helpful during the day-to-dayprocess of functioning as an effective leader. GeneralSmith's book is accurate and helpful to leaders' as apractical guide.

General Perry Smith has been honest and fair in his bookabout leadership. Taking Charge fills a literary gap as apractical guide for- militar-y leadership. The books clear andconcise style and questioning examples are very informativeand thought provoking. General Smith's book is highlyrecommended for all leaders aspiring for the opportunity tocommand a successful military or-ganization during theircareer. Gener-al Smith's book is accurate and helpful toleaders as a practical guide.

14

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. REFERENCES CITED

Books

1. Blanchard, Kenneth and others. Ledership and the OneMinute Manager. New York: William Morrow, 1985.

2. Buck, James H. and Lawrence J. Korb (ed). MilitaryLeadership. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications,1981.

3. Goble, Frank. Excellence In Leadership. USA: AmericanManagement Association, 1972.

4. Hill, Brooks L. The Military Officer's Guide to BetterCommunication. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman andCompany, 1984.

5. Mondy, Wayne R. and Robert M. Noe, Personnel: TheManagement of Human Resources. Newton, MA: Allynand Bacon, 1987.

6. Smith, Perry McCoy. Taking Charge: A Practical Guidefor Leaders. Washington: National DefenseUniversity Press, 1986.

7. US Military Academy. Leadership In Organizations.Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership.West Point, New York, 1985.

8. Yukl, Gary A. Leadership In Organizations. EnglewoodCliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1981.

Articles and Periodicals

9. Russ, General Robert D. "Tenets of Leadership." TIGBrief, 38-8, Sep-Oct 86.

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CONTINUED

Official Documents

10. Air University. Concepts for Air Force Leadership.Maxwell AFB, AL, 1983.

11. Air University. Dimensions of Leadership. Maxwell AFB,AL, 1987.

12. Air University. Guidelines for Command. Maxwell AFB,AL, 1984.

13. HQ Department of the Army. Leadership Makes theDifference. DA Pamphlet 600-50. Washington DC,1985.

14. US Department of the Air Force: HQ United States AirForce. Air Force Leadership. Washington DC, 1985.

Unpublished Materials

15. Howell, Jefferson D. "The Principles of Leadership: APersonal View." Air War College Research ReportProject. Maxwell AFB, AL, 1981.

B. RELATED SOURCES

Books

Flanagan, Edward M., Jr. Before The Battle. Novato, CA:Presidio Press, 1985.

Articles and Periodicals

Gabriel, General Charles A. "The Most Desirable LeadershipQualities." TIG Brief, 37-6, Jun-Jul 85.

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