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Call Sign Chaos

Learning to Lead

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Call Sign Chaos

By: Jim Mattis, Bing West
Narrated by: Danny Campbell
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About this listen

 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A clear-eyed account of learning how to lead in a chaotic world, by General Jim Mattis—the former Secretary of Defense and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of our time—and Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine.

“A four-star general’s five-star memoir.”—The Wall Street Journal

Call Sign Chaos is the account of Jim Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas—and short-sighted thinking—now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars.

Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In the first part, Mattis recalls his early experiences leading Marines into battle, when he knew his troops as well as his own brothers. In the second part, he explores what it means to command thousands of troops and how to adapt your leadership style to ensure your intent is understood by your most junior troops so that they can own their mission. In the third part, Mattis describes the challenges and techniques of leadership at the strategic level, where military leaders reconcile war’s grim realities with political leaders’ human aspirations, where complexity reigns and the consequences of imprudence are severe, even catastrophic.

Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all. Leadership Management & Leadership Military & War Military War Middle East Business Biography Military Leadership American Politics
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I am a General Mattis fan so a lot of this book i am familiar with. However this is a very good summary of Gen Mathis’s leadership journey in both military and public service.

Great listen and easy to follow

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After being an admirer of Jim Mattis for many years now I was happy to find he decided to write a book and share his hard earned wisdom with the world. I'm sure you're aware of his approach to reading history and applying it the modern warfare, you won't be disappointed in the story he has to tell here.

Glad to see he wrote his story

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A detailed and thoughtful account of how one of the most influential modern leaders(well...maybe not in the White House) mastered his craft and provided steadfast leadership at every level. Principled, self-disciplined and delivered with honourable integrity and; great examples. All of this complimented by Danny Campbell's narration which, I found soothing and engaging. Off to get myself a hard copy.

Diamond in the rough! A standout for me.

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I loved the insight Jim shares in this well considered and well written reflection from a lifetime spent in Military Leadership.

Best Military Biography I’ve Read

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An absolute must read for anyone with an interesting in military strategy, leadership, or organization.

an insight into one of the USMCs greats

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