Mcchrystal Leadership

What is a leader? Educators and scholars have a definition and recommended traits suitable for the academic arena. Every organization has their own perspective into this matter. The United States (U.S.) military has Field Manuals and Regulations which explicitly describe who and what a leader is. I propose the following description of a leader. A leader is servant to those around them and to the organization. A leader is grounded in morality and possesses a strong values base. A leader has the ability to make those him better and more confident in their abilities. A leader has continued influence inside and outside their organizations. Most importantly, a true leader leaves behind a legacy that stands the test of time. Retired (Ret.)

McChrystal was born into a family with a rich military history. As one journalist describes, “As a McChrystal, you either joined the military or you were married into it” (Editors, 2016). McChrystal began his Army career by graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division in 1976. In 1978, First Lieutenant McChrystal completed the Special Operations Officer Course and was assigned to 7th Special Forces Group. Between 1981 and 1999, he served in a variety of assignments from Intelligence to Operations, gained a Master’s of Science in International Relations, severed in Desert Storm, and serving as Commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment. These experiences ultimately groomed him to one day attain the rank of

Promoted to Brigadier General in 2001, McChrystal served as the Executive Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division and served as United States Central Commander. During his time in the General ranks, he served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander of Joint Special Operations Command, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and later Commander of U.S. and International Security Assistances Forces in Afghanistan. Some praise while others criticize McChrystal’s questionable actions in the Rolling Stones article “The Runaway General” (Hastings, 2010). The result of the article lead to McChrystal submitting his resignation to then President Obama.

After retiring from the U.S. Army, McChrystal join the prestigious Jackson Institute for Global Affairs at Yale University. McChrystal teaches a course entitled “Leadership”, a graduate-level seminar. He as author, co-authored, and sponsored several pieces of literature. Of note, his book entitled “Team of Teams”, serves as a piece of legacy left behind for future military members. In addition, McChrystal co-founded the McChrystal Group, a Virginia based consulting firm with the mission statement of developing leaders and organizations to operate effectively in an ever-changing global