Hal moore on leadership: winning when outgunned and outmanned by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (USA, Ret) and Mike Guardia

My introduction to Hal Moore was a short video of his leadership principles being read while set to images of U.S troops in combat. It’s still on YouTube all these years later, and I revisit it every few months. Deputy Chief Bill Smith was the one that exposed it to me (he used to play it at the beginning of meetings), and while I enjoyed it, I was always a little dubious about whether the quotes attributed to Moore were actually his, or if they were actually Morgan Freemen (the internet, right?)

I’m glad to find out after reading that everything I loved about that video is all Hal Moore. I was also happy that as with most things, there was more to the story. This book is a pretty damned good primer for all leaders; new leaders and established leaders who may need to be reminded periodically what it’s always all about: the people.

I read this book in two days. It’s short, a very easy read, and jam-packed with good advice. He was quite a man and only recently passed away in 2017. I wish I could have gotten to meet him, and I couldn’t think of a better compliment than if I were to have somehow gotten “the nod” from him.

Recommended for all ranks