What is successful leadership and why are some leaders more successful than others? Searching for the answer, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Blades, US Army---an experienced troop commander and scholar of leadership theory---has studied the performance of Army leaders and units for most of his career. This book reflects both his experience and extensive research. Literature on the subject of leadership contains divergent conclusions about how style, intelligence, ability, motivation, cohesion, and standards affect unit performance. Colonel Blades confirms the value of each of these elements and then explains the relationships among them. Most important, he presents practical rules leaders might apply in varying situations to improve the mission performance of their units. Richard D. Lawrence Lieutenant General, US Army President, National Defense University