Critical Lessons for Today's Executive Leaders
The United States military is recognized throughout the world for excellence in leader development. Now executives have an opportunity to learn, from stories of military leaders, how to be better leaders in better-run organizations.
The Normandy Leadership Experience brings participants to the site of one of the world's great military operations—the 1944 Allied liberation of France—to learn timeless lessons on leadership.
Executives gain new insights and new ideas on how to
- build flexible organizations that carry on in the midst of chaos and rapid change
- develop leaders who are creative thinkers
- communicate strategic intent so that everyone understands and takes responsibility for the mission
- earn the trust of subordinates
- build strong coalitions, across cultures and generations, for competition in the global marketplace
- prepare the next generation of leaders
| Key Points of Discussion |
The Map Is Not the Territory
An expression used in the military tells us, "The map is not the territory." This means junior leaders cannot sit in an office or a headquarters—far removed from the action—and make the best decisions. They have to get out and walk the ground, see what's in store for their troops, and plan for the world as it exists, not as they think it exists.Dwight Eisenhower
This adage has obvious application in business leadership. It is also the reason we study battlefield leadership on the battlefield.
The Normandy Leadership Experience is not just a visit to France to read historical markers. Executives learn the stories in context, with an eye to how the lessons from history can serve today's leaders in the corporate world.
We'll discuss the peculiar responsibilities of the Supreme Commander in this vast coalition. Ike's story shows us how a leader gets subordinates—even those not disposed to work well together—to create the best plan and work hard to see it carried out.Pegasus Bridge
Ike's behavior in those final hours before the assault is a testimony to the importance of the leader's character, both on the battlefield and in the corporate world.
The British needed control of the bridges on their extreme left flank in order to block German counterattacks. Glider-borne troops stormed the bridges in the first ground combat action on D-Day, seizing them intact and holding them until reinforcements arrived from the invasion beaches, which were miles away. The assault was beyond daring—it could easily be described as foolhardy—but it succeeded.La Fiere Bridge & Ste. Mere Eglise
Victory in this hard-fought small unit action depended on leadership, exceptional preparation, flexibility in execution and sheer determination on the part of the assault troops.
Finally, the story of Pegasus Bridge is about the inspirational leadership of Major John Howard, who led the assault force. His story shows us how exceptional leaders motivate subordinates so that every individual takes responsibility for the success of organization.
US paratroopers were to seize the causeways and road networks behind Utah Beach to stop expected German counterattacks and to hold the door open for US forces coming off the beach. Badly scattered on the drop, the troopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions patched together ad hoc units, located what weapons and equipment (also scattered in the drop) they could, and set out to accomplish their missions.Omaha Beach
In fighting around the important crossroads town of Ste. Mere Eglise, the paratroopers were creative, flexible and determined. In that, they were a reflection of their leaders and their unique training; and they showed the critical role played by culture in an organization's performance.
The story of La Fiere Bridge, where a few score men held their ground against multiple attacks by German armor, shows us the importance of a leader's presence and actions in a crisis.
The initial assault waves at Omaha were met by unimaginable violence that destroyed entire units and left thousands of wounded men struggling through the surf. All of the military might of the United States was powerless to move things along. Success came through the actions of a few junior leaders, most of whom were very young. They took charge of their little sectors of the war and by personal example—and sometimes at the cost of their lives—got their soldiers moving inland.
We will discuss the technical aspects of the assault: what were the key elements of the plan and why did it fail? We will also learn about the human dimension: what was it that kept some men moving forward? How do leaders create a culture that rewards action, initiative and imagination? What makes some people keep going in the face of setbacks and disappointment, and what actions can a leader take to develop that drive?
| Who We Are |
Ed Ruggero has been studying, practicing and teaching leadership for more than twenty-five years, helping organizations develop the kinds of leaders people want to follow. His client list includes the FBI, the New York City Police Department, CEO Conference Europe, the CIA, the Young Presidents Organization, Forbes, the SAS Institute, Hugo Boss USA, CitiFinancial, Bovis Lend Lease, and Time, among others. He has appeared on CNN, The History Channel, the Discovery Channel, CNBC and Fox and has spoken to audiences around the world on leadership, leader development and ethics.
Ed is the author of eleven books, including Duty First: West Point and the Making of American Leaders, a study of leader development at the US Military Academy, and Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault Into Fortress Europe, July 1943, which became a one-hour docu-drama on The History Channel. Ed is also the co-author of The Leader's Compass, a fictional story of how one leader developed a personal leadership philosophy. His most recent book is The First Men In: US Paratroopers and the Fight to Save D-Day.
Following graduation from West Point, Ed was commissioned in the United States Army and served as an infantry officer in a variety of leadership positions around the world, including an assignment teaching at West Point. Following his service, Ed pursued a career as an author, public speaker, and trainer. In 2007, Ed delivered a series of talks to business leaders in major cities throughout China. He also leads a Gettysburg and a Normandy Leadership Experience, where participants walk the ground of these great struggles to learn battle-tested leadership lessons that will help them meet their own challenges.
Dennis Haley is the Chief Executive Officer of Academy Leadership with more than 40 years of experience studying and practicing leadership. A 1967 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Dennis served on the U.S.S. Long Beach as a Nuclear Engineer. Following a tour of duty in Vietnam, he returned to Pennsylvania and joined the family business, eventually transforming it from a 5-man operation to multi-million dollar HVAC company with more than 40,000 customers. When the company was sold to a public utility in 1997, he turned to his passion of developing leaders of character and competence.
Dennis founded Academy Leadership based on the methods used by the Naval Academy and West Point leadership development programs. He combined these strategies with today's successful corporate philosophies to create the Lead2Succeed™ process that builds leaders who energize people, effectively communicate organizational goals, and instill smart work strategies throughout the company to achieve tangible results. Over the last ten years, Academy Leadership has helped numerous clients implement successful leader development programs.
He is the co-author of The Leader's Compass, 2nd Edition, A Personal Leadership Philosophy Is Your Key to Success which is being used by many Fortune 500 companies and academic institutions across the country. Dennis is also the co-author of The Corporate Compass: Providing Focus & Alignment to Stay the Course, and is an adjunct professor at Villanova University in the Leadership Studies Program where he developed the Villanova on-line leadership course, Strategic Organizational Leadership.
In addition to the Normandy Leadership Experience, Academy Leadership is proud to bring the Gettysburg and Concord Leadership Experiences to our alumni and subscribers. These are unique opportunities for executive teams to participate in both leadership and team building activities. Ed Ruggero brings the leadership lessons of the battlefield to life as he tells the stories of character and courage displayed by our leaders, providing an emotional connection which will be remembered for a lifetime.
