West Point Woman

Book excerpt: The best leaders in the world have come out of West Point -- the likes of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, General George S. Patton, and corporate leaders, such as Marsh Carter, former Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, and Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson. In many ways, the United States Military Academy (USMA) -- West Point -- is synonymous with leadership. Notably, the names that most people associate with this venerable institution have included only men. The first few classes of women at West Point faced numerous obstacles to graduate, yet through the cauldron of that experience they developed a formidable hardiness that firmly places them among the best of the best.Discover How Character is Created and Leadership is LearnedWest Point Woman is a leadership memoir for readers at all levels of organizational leadership, and applicable across industries, genders and professional expertise.-- What are the LEADERSHIP SKILLS that the first women at West Point learned, which helped them succeed in an often-hostile environment?-- What are the LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES that make a West Point woman resilient and extraordinary, and how might you incorporate those tenets into your own leadership repertoire?As an exceptional storyteller and leadership practitioner, Sara will arm you and your organization with the essential leadership skills needed to fight the "battles" of your current experience. Topics explored in the book include:-Doing the right thing, no matter the cost-Why building camaraderie matters-Why humble leadership works-Finding solutions through innovation-The power of humor and laughter-Failing fast and moving ahead more quickly-The role of love in leading-Surviving death and loss in the midst of leading-Thriving in spite of "the system"-Leaving a leadership legacy through sponsorship and mentorship