Name: The Wisdom of the Bullfrog
Rating: 4.5 (232 reviews)
Author: Admiral William H. McRaven

What’s in it for me? Gain insights into leadership qualities.

The longest-serving frogman and Navy SEAL on duty is given the title the Bull Frog. Admiral William H. McRaven was anointed as the Bull Frog 34 years after he started BUD/S – Basic Underwater Demolition/Seal – training.

He’s learned a lot in nearly 40 years of service through being a frogman, leading both other frogmen and many others, including Marine Raiders, ship and submarine officers, Air Force Pilots, civil servants, doctors, and students.

Each day, week, month, and year brought him new leadership lessons – some easy, some painful. But even though leadership has been difficult at times, he maintains that it’s not complicated.

So what is leadership? He defines it as “accomplishing a task with the people and resources you have while maintaining the integrity of your institution.” Leaders, he says, should inspire the people who work for them, and manage the resources necessary to get the job done. But it’s not just about getting the job done – it’s also about maintaining the reputation of your organization in the process. Fail to do that, and you’ve failed, period, regardless of whether or not the job is successfully completed.

There are countless mottoes, creeds, stories, and parables that can provide motivation and guidance to aspiring leaders and their followers. They can also act as a memory prompt in times of uncertainty.

In this Blink, we’ll look at five of 18 sayings that guided Admiral William H. McRaven throughout his career. They’re not simply words – they’re the product of an outpouring of blood, sweat, and tears. Your road ahead may not be easy, but perhaps the wisdom in this Blink will make your journey a little clearer.

Death before dishonor

Honor is the foundation of great leadership. But what does it mean? The answer is clear: doing the right things for the right reasons. When you do things with honor, your colleagues will follow you through thick and thin.

The phrase “death before dishonor” probably originated with the Greek Stoics. Later, Julius Caesar is purported to have said, “I love the name of honor more than I fear death.” In more modern times, Marine Sergeant John Basilone, who was the only person to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross in World War II, had the motto tattooed on his left arm. In his honor, the United States Marine Corps has, unofficially, adopted the motto.

In 2014, when Admiral McRaven was giving a speech about leadership to cadets at the United States Military Academy, he told them that leadership is difficult. He explained that human interaction, especially during times of difficulty, is pretty daunting. Those who do it well earn respect – but, unfortunately, doing it badly is all too common.

The Cadet Honor Code reads, “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.” Based on this foundation, the United States Military Academy is able to produce “leaders of character,” people who will be principled, honorable, and honest.

If you want to be a great leader, you, too, need a code of conduct. This will provide you with a compass to guide your decisions and actions. You may sometimes make poor decisions or act stupidly, but you must always be honorable.

Sometimes people say that it can be hard to know what the right thing to do is. Admiral McRaven is here to tell you that no, it isn’t. You’re always going to know the right thing to do – it’s just that sometimes it will be hard to do it. Sometimes, it won’t be possible, and you’ll fail. Other times, it will be hard because of the way it will affect your colleagues or friends. But that’s what good leadership is about.

So follow that honor code. Remember always to treat others as you would have them treat you. Be honest in all your business dealings. Don’t lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. And when you do have a lapse in judgment, own it, correct it, and return to being the honorable person you are.

Who dares wins

In 1942, David Stirling, a British officer, conducted daring raids on German Panzer forces in North Africa with a small group of commandos. To conceal their true mission, the unit was known as the SAS – the Special Air Service. After several unsuccessful ground and parachute raids, Stirling devised a new strategy. He led 18 Jeeps mounted with machine guns in attacks on German airfields and fuel depots. The results were devastating. Throughout that year, Stirling and his commandos often struck behind enemy lines without detection. This earned Stirling a nickname, the Phantom Major, bestowed on him by Erwin Rommel.

Despite being captured, escaping, and being captured again, Stirling’s exploits continued. When tasked with creating a motto for the SAS, he chose Qui audet adipiscitur – Who Dares Wins.

A shepherd should smell like his sheep

It’s June 1974, and Admiral McRaven, then a midshipman third class, has been deployed to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii aboard the USS Ouellet for the next seven weeks. Having just arrived at midnight, he quietly slips off his shoes and starts to climb to his bunk – it’s the top one of three. In the darkness, he loses his footing and unintentionally steps on the person beneath. There’s a roar and a towering Samoan giant emerges. He’s clearly unamused. In the dim lighting, his eyes glimmer red.

The Samoan grabs McRaven’s shirt, pulls him in close, and demands to know who he is. McRaven introduces himself and apologizes profusely. “I’ve only got one face,” the Samoan responds, “and it’s pretty. The ladies like it this way.” He lets go of McRaven’s shirt and helps him stow it away for the night. He gives McRaven his name, Ricky, and tells him to get some sleep.

Communicate, communicate, communicate

A rugged island in the Pacific Ocean 80 miles west of San Diego is where the Third Phase of Navy SEAL training takes place. It’s on San Clemente that after six months of training, the remaining few trainees hope to complete the last three weeks. They’re dropped three miles off the coast and told to swim to shore. That’s followed by a 16-mile run and a five-mile swim, demolition and weapons work, physical training, and constant harassment to try to break your spirit. Grueling, indeed.

It’s also where officers are tested – especially their leadership skills. One of the trials of the officers’ command and control skills is the Ambush Drill. During the drill, an ambush is simulated by the instructors, using blank ammunition and grenades. The platoon leader must get the platoon out of the kill zone quickly.

Can you stand before the long green table?

In October 1925, General Billy Mitchell was court-martialed. He believed that war was coming and that the air force should be unified. It would be a force that would rival both the Army and Navy.

Mitchell had posited that a battleship could be destroyed by a bomber. The Navy, on the other hand, had rigged demonstrations of the survivability of battleships. Mitchell then went on to expose that deception. After a valid test, it was beyond doubt that Mitchell was correct. Yet still, the Army and Navy opposed the idea of a unified air force. Mitchell was court-martialed when he accused the leadership of “almost treasonable administration of the national defense.”

Key ideas in The Wisdom of the Bullfrog