“To Risk It All is a historical meditation on the nature of decision-making under stress, an examination of the evolution of the US Navy over the course of its 250-year voyage, and a resource for any reader who must make hard decisions in his or her work and life. It is also a chance for you to come to know nine extraordinary sailors, each of whom was placed in the crucible of decision. …
These nine sailors made the hard decisions that shaped their own lives and careers, resulted in a wide range of operational outcomes, and shifted the way our Navy looks at itself. They also provide a vivid tapestry of skills and instincts that comprise the essence of decision-making. All of us will face hard choices in the voyage of our lives—some in important and public ways, others in the quiet hours around the kitchen table. Business, finance, medicine, education, public policy, and a thousand other fields of endeavor all require the ability to decide quickly and well. I hope and believe that by spending some time with these nine sailors, your ability to make the hard choices in the crucible of life—whatever the circumstances—will improve.
Let’s get underway.”
~ Admiral James Stavridis from To Risk It All
Admiral James Stavridis is one of the great naval leaders of our time.
He spent more than thirty years in the US Navy, rising to the rank of four-star admiral. He was Supreme Allied Commander at NATO. He also holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he recently served five years as dean.
As per the inside flap of the front cover, this book is “a master class in decision-making under pressure through the stories of nine famous acts of leadership in battle, drawn from the history of the United States Navy, with outcomes both glorious and notorious.”
I got this book after reading Rear Admiral Mike Manazir’s great book Learn How to Lead to Win. It’s fantastic. (Get a copy here.)
It reminds me of a number of other books on leadership by former military leaders—especially General Stanley McChrystal’s great book, Leaders: Myth and Reality.
The “myth” of leadership? That leaders are perfect. The “reality” of leadership? Leadership is messy and complex and leaders are far from perfect.
Note: Other great books on leadership you may enjoy: Call Sign Chaos by General Jim Mattis, It Worked for Me by General Colin Powell, Lead Yourself First by Mike Erwin, Wisdom of the Bullfrog, Sea Stories, and The Hero Code by Admiral William H. McRaven.
Plus: Check out Leadership 101.
The book is packed with great stories and Big Ideas. I’m excited to share some of my favorites so let’s jump straight in!
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