A DAY FOR LEADERSHIP

Ungashick takes the story of Operation Overlord and the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France and maps its lessons about strategy and logistics onto the business world to highlight leadership principles. D-Day, the author writes, “was the greatest combined amphibious-airborne invasion in history and the most complex military operation ever executed”; analyzing that operation, he stresses “the importance of creating and applying sound processes to help organizations maximize their likelihood of sustained success and minimize risk and the potential for failure.” Looking at the event’s famous figures, from President Eisenhower to Generals Patton, Bradley, and Montgomery, Ungashick discusses the ways these leaders clashed and resolved their differences in the service of a larger goal. He’s frank about the failures of the players, particularly if those failures yield teachable moments, as when the famously hands-off Eisenhower briefly lost control of Montgomery’s actions: “Ike failed to maintain sufficient involvement during the situation and consequently surrendered his influence over the outcome.” The author has a tendency to use turgid business-speak, but his book is nevertheless very engaging—the frequent “For You History Buffs” elaborations on D-Day trivia are fascinating (on a diabolically effective British double agent codenamed “Garbo”: “For his perceived contribution to their war efforts, the Germans awarded Garbo their Iron Cross. The British also awarded Garbo the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), likely making him the only person to be recognized by both sides in the war.”) Ungashick’s examinations of the nuts and bolts of D-Day make for very compelling reading, regardless of the business world implications he draws from them; even readers not looking for corporate leadership tips will find this detailed account of D-Day completely involving reading. The leadership tips are, in fact, the book’s weakest aspect—the applicability of a massive military campaign is often unconvincing. Fortunately, the author is a very capable narrative historian.

Jun 3, 2025 - 05:46

Ungashick takes the story of Operation Overlord and the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France and maps its lessons about strategy and logistics onto the business world to highlight leadership principles. D-Day, the author writes, “was the greatest combined amphibious-airborne invasion in history and the most complex military operation ever executed”; analyzing that operation, he stresses “the importance of creating and applying sound processes to help organizations maximize their likelihood of sustained success and minimize risk and the potential for failure.” Looking at the event’s famous figures, from President Eisenhower to Generals Patton, Bradley, and Montgomery, Ungashick discusses the ways these leaders clashed and resolved their differences in the service of a larger goal. He’s frank about the failures of the players, particularly if those failures yield teachable moments, as when the famously hands-off Eisenhower briefly lost control of Montgomery’s actions: “Ike failed to maintain sufficient involvement during the situation and consequently surrendered his influence over the outcome.” The author has a tendency to use turgid business-speak, but his book is nevertheless very engaging—the frequent “For You History Buffs” elaborations on D-Day trivia are fascinating (on a diabolically effective British double agent codenamed “Garbo”: “For his perceived contribution to their war efforts, the Germans awarded Garbo their Iron Cross. The British also awarded Garbo the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), likely making him the only person to be recognized by both sides in the war.”) Ungashick’s examinations of the nuts and bolts of D-Day make for very compelling reading, regardless of the business world implications he draws from them; even readers not looking for corporate leadership tips will find this detailed account of D-Day completely involving reading. The leadership tips are, in fact, the book’s weakest aspect—the applicability of a massive military campaign is often unconvincing. Fortunately, the author is a very capable narrative historian.