The Habit of Excellence: Why British Army Leadership Works

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This very readable book uncovers the skills and qualities that have made Sandhurst a byword for effective leadership. I could not recommend this exceptional book more -- General The Lord David Richards, former Chief of the Defence Staff

Offers proven tools and strategies ... This excellent book challenges popular assumptions about British Army leadership, revealing what makes it the gold standard -- Matthew Syed, author of Rebel Ideas But personal development has been around for thousands of years. When a simple statement such as this one remains alive for centuries, it is a good idea to stop and recognize its truth. Take a minute to really understand the power and truth behind these words. A terrific book - one that is full of insights and lessons that will be of enormous value to leaders in all fields! General David Petraeus, former Director of the CIAA terrific book - one that is full of insights and lessons that will be of enormous value to leaders in all fields!' General David Petraeus, former Director of the CIA An extraordinary read for any leader. Truly brilliant -- General Stanley McChrystal, author of Team of Teams It takes effort to develop a habit, especially a healthy habit that will not result in immediate benefits or results. But, the more you work on it, the easier it will become. An extraordinary read for any leader. Truly brilliant General Stanley McChrystal, author of Team of Teams The bottom line? Consistent hard work leads to long-term results. The more consistent we are, the more progress we’ll make and, over time, the more successful we’ll become.

Mostly because people are afraid of failing and they feel compelled to do a perfect job, and they put it off because they feel they won’t achieve it. We tend to think procrastinators are lazy and some are. But most people are not lazy, they are fearful of falling below other people’s expectations.The Habit of Excellence is a unique insight into British Army leadership, explaining what makes it unique, what makes it so effective, and what civilians can take from it to become better leaders themselves. Developed in some of the most demanding situations imaginable over centuries of war and peace, Army leadership is a sophisticated endeavour that has kept pace with societal change and the challenges of the modern world. In the military, the stakes couldn't be higher, and exceptional leadership is crucial every day. Your life will only be as great as the work you put into it. If you don't put in a lot of work or effort, you won't get much in return. For example, if your goal is to get in shape, simply joining a gym is not going to lead you to excellence. You have to commit to actually going each day, and carve out time in your schedule to dedicate exclusively to exercising. This excellent book sustains an implied compliment to the reader. Instead of proposing a glib answer to the problem and challenge of leadership, The Habit of Excellence explores a series of fundamental tensions that all leaders must manage. But those tensions and balances can never be perfectly resolved. Langley Sharp, a lieutenant colonel in the British army, takes us not only into the heart of battle, but also into the heart of the matter: leadership is messy, never-ending and full of painful trade-offs. Indeed, if leadership doesn’t feel difficult, it probably isn’t happening at all.

One trait of effective leadership is giving due respect to different types of knowledge: what is learned in the abstract as well as what is acquired from experience. There should always be two-way traffic, with theory and practice challenging and refreshing each other. Appropriately, there are two statues above the famous steps of Old College at Sandhurst: Mars and Minerva, god of war and the goddess of wisdom. Given all that we have discussed, it’s quite clear that the pursuit of excellence is nothing more than a state of mind that leads to positive action. These actions over time turn into habits, and these habits turn into concrete results that separate you from the masses. However, this is a process. Habits are not developed overnight. It takes time to develop the habits that lead to a life of excellence. But it, of course, all starts with the right mindset.

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This book is so impactful. If you want to become a better leader, read this book -- Eddie Jones, Head Coach, England national rugby union team The British Army stands or falls on the quality of its leadership. The stakes couldn't be higher. In The Habit of Excellence, Lieutenant Colonel Langley Sharp MBE - head of the Centre for Army Leadership, part of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst - distils over three centuries of the Army's experience in the art, science and practice of leadership. The Habit of Excellence is a unique insight into British Army leadership, explaining what makes it unique, what makes it so effective and what civilians can take from it to become better leaders themselves. Drawing on the latest research in military history, business, sociology, psychology and behavioural science, and with compelling illustration from British Army operations across the centuries, Lt Col Langley Sharp MBE goes beyond the latest leadership fads to distil into one peerlessly authoritative work the essence of leading and leadership from one of the world's most revered institutions. Excellent. It's hard to see how any leader, whatever their field, wouldn't benefit from reading and rereading it Ed Smith, New Statesman

In reality, it's wonderful to realise that we are just human beings at the end of the day, with flaws as well. The Internet, technological advancements, and easier access to personal development resources have all contributed to this. We can now instantly share information with other parts of the world, whereas it used to take months. Schedule important habits into your day using an app like Todoist. Learn how to use Todoist to manage your to-do lists, break down big projects into smaller tasks, record ideas, collaborate with co-workers, and rank your priorities. After you have named your new habit and established its paradigm, you can think about the payoff. Why, exactly, are you doing all this? If nothing immediately comes to mind, think harder. If there’s no reward, you’re probably not going to be successful in establishing better habits.A habit isn’t something that you do consciously. It’s an automatic response to some kind of emotional trigger. We are what we repeatedly do. Visit a gym in the new year and one will notice the influx of ‘new year, new me’ recruits pounding the treadmills and lifting weights. But how many will still be there by the end of March, once motivation runs dry and there’s no sign of a miraculous transformation? Developed in some of the most demanding situations imaginable over centuries of war and peace, army leadership is a sophisticated endeavour that has kept pace with societal change and the challenges of the modern world. In the military, the stakes couldn't be higher, and exceptional leadership is crucial every day.