Mission, Character, Service, and Getting the Job Done

“THE LEADER’S Code” is a unique book by a decorated US Marine Corps veteran Donovan Campbell. Campbell is a management and technology consultant and author of New York Times best selling “Joker One: A Marine Platoon’s Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood.” He has served three combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. In his latest book The Leader’s Code the author reveals virtues that hold up impressive leadership. The book, unlike other leadership guides, offers a practical action plan that can be used in day-to-day life where leadership skills are required. The author, in the book, covers professional as well as personal life of an individual. Taking cues from his life during olive green uniform the army veteran comprehensively narrates military servant-leader model. As per the model the first responsibility of a leader is his mission, followed by his team. He himself is a distant third. With this model he tries to explain the concept of self-sacrifice, which is lacking in today’s leadership. Talking about the foundation of servant-leadership, Campbell highlights six key attributes: humility, discipline, wisdom, excellence, kindness and courage. He has beautifully drawn lessons from his time in the army, history, scripture and business.The author narrates how to develop virtues in order to take leadership with confidence, conviction, and passion. Campbell states that true leaders foster fellow feelings for others and they act to achieve quality in whatever they do. They are the people who always know how and when to self-correct and are moderate in their behaviour. Campbell’s search for these essential attributes is diversified. He takes it from the office boardrooms of some of the world’s successful enterprises to the Infantry Officer Course. Some of the attributes are picked from the 12-week training that American Marines use to prepare their leaders to sacrifice for the welfare of others. Globally, including America people have little faith left in the political and business leaderships of the country. Most of them are seen as greedy, selfish, incompetent, hypocritical, criminal, shortsighted or all of the above. Due to this widespread breach of trust in leadership people have started losing faith in many of our basic institutions. The people, however, still respect Army for their commitment and willingness for sacrifice for their country. Campbell, no doubt has written a brilliant, profound, all-inclusive scrutiny of leadership and leaders. The key teachings can be well taken and well articulated, are relevant at home, within the ownership, and as well as in professional life. The Leader’s Code is an essential book for anyone worried about today’s leadership crisis in our country and communities.