Radical Inclusion

What the Post-9/11 World Should Have Taught Us About Leadership

By: Martin Dempsey, Ori Brafman

Narrated by: Alex Hyde-White

Named by The Washington Post as one of the 11 Leadership Books to Read in 2018

Forty-one-year Army veteran General (Ret.) Martin Dempsey and 41-year-old UC Berkeley associate professor Ori Brafman have been friends for almost 10 years. Though they have almost nothing in common, their collaboration has produced a powerful message. Their new book, Radical Inclusion, examines today’s leadership landscape and describes the change it demands of leaders.

Dempsey and Brafman persuasively explain that today’s leaders are in competition for the trust and confidence of those they lead more than ever before. They assert that the nature of power is changing and should not be measured by degree of control alone. They offer principles for adaptation and bring them to life with examples from business, academia, government, and the military.

In building their argument, Dempsey and Brafman introduce several concepts that illuminate both the vulnerability and the opportunity in leading today:

• Radical Inclusion. Fear of losing control in our fast-paced, complex, highly scrutinized environment is pushing us toward exclusion - exactly the wrong direction. Leaders should instead develop an instinct for inclusion. The word “radical” emphasizes the urgency of doing so.
• The Era of the Digital Echo. The speed and accessibility of information create “digital echoes” that make facts vulnerable, eroding the trust between leader and follower.
• Relinquishing Control to Preserve Power. Power and control once went hand in hand, but no longer. In today’s environment, control is seductive but unlikely to produce optimum, affordable, sustainable solutions. Leaders must relinquish and share control to build and preserve power.

The principles discussed in Radical Inclusion are memorable and the book is full of engaging stories.

©2018 Martin Dempsey, Ori Brafman (P)2018 Missionday

Mind blowing

Had to read this book for our leadership developmental course and I absolutely enjoyed it, had a rough start but after the first chapter I couldn’t put it down. I’ve learned some great lessons from it.

Essence of Effective Leadership a Complex World

Marty and Ori do a great job of explaining through examples from GEN Dempsey's impressive career, the keys to effective leadership in the Military, as well as in Industry. I recall a Speech Marty gave upon his return to Heidelberg, Germany in 2004, where he explained that "My Division in Baghdad was assigned 20 Brigades - normally a Division Commander leads just four or five Brigades. No way I could direct the actions of that many units. I saw my role as providing a vision and guidance, enabling my Team to get the Job done, and then protecting them from that 6,000 mile screwdriver emanating from DC." This Book explains why old autocratic leadership models won't work in the information age, and why "Radical Inclusion" is the most effective approach to leading a modern organization.

the future of leadership in a digital world

this book is a treasure of ideas on the future of leadership in the digital era

Short. Worth reading. Not as good as No Time For Spectators

There are some good take aways, but I don’t think it feels like a complete work. Things seem a bit forced.

The tools of future societies

Great chef d'oeuvre perfectly concocted to address the cracks and the failures of what used to be known as Leadership ( static for the most part). This is a great tool for our societies for many years to come, it is fitting for the diversity ( cultural, generational, technological) we are experiencing around us.
Great work overall.