Guidelines for the Leader and the Commander

Originally published by Stackpole in 1963 and revised throughout the Vietnam War until its final edition in 1973, Guidelines for the Leader and Commander by Gen. Bruce C. Clarke makes its purpose plain with its prefatory dedication to the combat soldier who is charged with defending the freedoms of his country. What follows is no mere manual for those trusted with leading soldiers in combat. It is a wide-ranging collection of leadership principles and maxims—many of them general, applicable to civilians as well as soldiers—to guide the building and training of an army (or other organization) from the ground up, starting with the individual soldier. Thoughtful as well as concrete, pithy and often conversational, rooted in Clarke’s deep and long military experience, the book covers such topics as Command Responsibilities, Leadership versus Popularity, A Successful Manager, Training the Individual, Training the Unit, and Wasting Soldiers’ Time. The legendary and controversial David Hackworth required his officers and NCOs in Vietnam to carry Guidelines, and the book has become a cult classic.