My wife recently listened to an online interview in which Admiral (retired) William McRaven discussed his new book, Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons To Learn Before You Need Them. She thought that I would like the book - she knows me very well! I've posted about Admiral McRaven in the past (see "If you want to change the world, don't ever, ever ring the bell!" and "Early morning brain teasers?!?!"). Both posts were based upon a commencement speech that Admiral McRaven delivered at his alma mater, the University of Texas, on May 17, 2014.
Admiral McRaven graduated from the University of Texas before joining the U.S. Navy and becoming a Navy SEAL. Admiral McRaven had an incredible career, even before organizing and overseeing the mission that led to the death of the international terrorist, Osama bin Laden (Operation Neptune Spear). Upon his retirement from active duty, he served as the Chancellor at the University of Texas from 2015 to 2018. He was reportedly considered by President Joe Biden for potential appointment as Secretary of Defense and by Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential running mate in her failed 2024 Presidential election campaign. He wrote in a 2020 editorial in the Wall Street Journal, "Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government, strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative." My wife asked if he was going to run for President in 2028 - we can only hope!
Back to Admiral McRaven's most recent book release. I've ordered it at our local library, and of course there is a waiting list. So instead, I decided to check out some of his other books on leadership. There is Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World, which is based upon his 2014 commencement speech. It's a quick read (I finished it during my train commute to and from work last week), but Admiral McRaven makes some excellent points on leadership. It's well worth checking out!
I am just finished reading The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy). The title “Bullfrog” is given to the Navy SEAL who has served the longest on active duty. Admiral McRaven received this honor in 2011 when he took charge of the United States Special Operations Command. By the time he retired from active duty service in 2014, Admiral McRaven had 37 years as a Navy SEAL under his belt, leading men and women from all of the armed forces in and out of the special operations community at one point or another. He distilled some of the most important leadership lessons he learned in The Wisdom of the Bullfrog. Similar to Make Your Bed, it's a quick read!
Just to finish things off, I started reading his book Hero Code: Lessons Learned From Lives Well Lived. So far, so good. It's very similar to the other two books above, but it's still holding my attention and filled with useful insights on leadership and life, in general. His latest book Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons To Learn Before You Need Them is still on hold at the library, but I am confident that it will be a great read as well!
Stay tuned for more insights from Admiral McRaven in future posts!
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