No Time For Spectators: The Lessons That Mattered Most from West Point to the West Wing by General (R) Martin E. Dempsey is a refreshing read for all leaders. General Dempsey’s book is an excellent example of servant-leadership.

The majority of the book highlighted a lesson he learned from West Point and its application to his military career.

In No Time for Spectators, General Dempsey takes us into the halls of West Point as a cadet, what brought him there during the Vietnam War, and why he continued service afterward.

He candidly expressed his concerns he had and how he solved them. And most importantly, he teaches valuable lessons to his readers.

I’ll give a summary of the book then give some key takeaways.

Photo by Brett Sayles

Summary

His layout is familiar throughout the book. He’ll present a problem, how he solved it, and what he did to apply that lesson later in his career.

He begins the book with his pre-West Point days in New York near West Point when he wanted to attend the Naval academy. His family persuaded him to take a physical fitness test at West Point, and the rest was history.

General Dempsey talked about his time in command of a tank battalion. He had issues with tank maintenance and found a way to fix it by certifying his subordinates. He then related that lesson to his work at the Pentagon and how complex problems require creative solutions.

The ownership rests with the commander to foster a creative environment.

Most interestingly, he talked about a vulnerable time in his life when he had throat cancer. Following treatment and remission, General Dempsey received President Obama’s call for an interview for a high-level position.

General Dempsey was honored to have received an interview for a senior job. It never occurred to him that he would be in that position. But, President Obama had other ideas, as General Dempsey explains further.

General Dempsey’s clear message to his readers is that we are active participants in our lives. If you’re a spectator, then you need to get in the game.

He explains that life is about ownership and that your actions and words matter. We admit defeat when we allow ourselves to be spectators in our lives. It takes hard work, dedication, and confidence to lead an active life.

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Key Takeaways

The tone of the book was approachable. He’s articulate in his writing, coupled with a familiar and relatable candor in his book. His aptitude for writing allows him to be descriptive but not overbearing.

For example, then-Captain Dempsey described an experience he had when a general walked into Dempsey’s office.

While I was listening to his story (I got the audiobook), I didn’t need to refresh my memory of what occurred when I paused and returned to the book. I could feel the imposing presence of the general through General Dempsey’s writing.

I liked how General Dempsey laid out his book. Each chapter is a lesson he learned. He draws on his time as a cadet at West Point and as a tank battalion commander to demonstrate leadership ability. Afterward, he applied those lessons to his time in The Pentagon.

Because the structure was simple, I always knew where I was in his story, even if I had to stop listening. Also, it was easy to pick out lessons learned and how to apply them to my leadership style. It helped that he broke down complex topics.

“Disagreement isn’t disloyalty.” -Gen Dempsey.

Each story had a purpose in the book. Some authors will insert stories to emphasize points, but General Dempsey is good at integrating the experience with the lesson.

One experience he taught was about how leaders must learn to follow before leading. Not enough leaders talk about followership. I have read several leadership books thus far, and No Time For Spectators is the only one that has mentioned being a good follower.

I believe that being a good subordinate is critical to being a great leader.

General Dempsey used his lessons-learned as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I enjoyed how humble he was throughout the book. He told of an experience when President Obama corrected him during a meeting, and General Dempsey took it gracefully.

If you get the audiobook, General Dempsey ends his book with a song. I have never heard a general sing before. He’s no Josh Groban by any means, but it was a nice touch for the audiobook’s end.

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Conclusion

If you want to lead someday, read this book. If you’re a follower, read this book. No Time for Spectators is one book all leaders must-read.

It doesn’t get much better than this. General Dempsey talks to new and seasoned leaders alike in this book.

If you want to purchase this book, click here.

Have you read No Time For Spectators? If you have, what do you think was the most impactful lesson you learned from General Dempsey?

Photo Credit

1: Brett Sayles

2: Amazon.com

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