The Way of the Shepherd: Leadership Lessons for the Military

Overview of The Way of the Shepherd

The Way of the Shepherd, authored by Kevin Leman and William Pentak, is a work of non-fiction pertaining to management in the world of business. The book was largely written as an interview conducted by Pentak, through which he was able to glean seven principles of management that Leman utilized — principles that had originally been passed down to Leman by one of his former professors. The reader is privy to the exchanges between these two men during the course of their interview, the most interesting aspect of which involved Leman tending to his sheep at a ranch.

Tending to sheep serves as both a visual and literal metaphor for a leader tending to his followers. This metaphor is sustained throughout the book, in which those working for an organization are likened to sheep and those leading it are likened to how a shepherd "interacts with his sheep."¹ The most salient points of this metaphor involve the shepherd guiding the sheep with his staff — akin to a leader providing direction for his organization to meet its goals — and the shepherd protecting and disciplining his sheep with his rod, akin to protecting and disciplining one's organization through the power of leadership.

Leman strongly advocates that a leader possess first-hand knowledge of his employees and their working conditions. This concept is not only the first of the seven principles discussed, but also the preeminent philosophy that permeates each of the other principles. Those additional principles include: discovering the shape of your employees, making them identify with their leader, keeping your organization a safe place, employing the staff of direction, employing the rod of correction, and leading with heart. Each of these mantras and their underlying principles corresponds to a different chapter in the book. The simple metaphor provides a succinct overview of Leman's leadership method.

Knowing the Condition of Your Flock

There are a number of ways in which the seven principles elucidated in this book pertain to the military. In fact, the metaphor of the shepherd and his sheep applies even more powerfully to the military than it does to the business world. Troops stationed in foreign places require the guidance of their leaders to move them correctly, protect them, and help them achieve goals that they would otherwise be at a loss to accomplish in an unfamiliar environment.

This concept is directly applicable to the first of the seven principles, in which a leader must be cognizant of the condition of his flock. Awareness of the different personalities within a unit and how they mesh with one another is critical to the kind of cohesion and unity required to keep personnel disciplined and focused on fulfilling objectives.

Discovering SHAPE and Leading by Example

This notion is intrinsically related to the second principle, found in the chapter entitled "Discover the SHAPE of Your Sheep." The letters in the acronym SHAPE refer to strengths, heart, attitude, personality, and experiences — all of which apply to the individuals a leader is managing. For practical purposes in the military, a leader should know these individual facets of his cadre so that he can leverage them to best advantage, account for weaknesses, and ensure that personnel are "a good fit."²

One of the most salient points Leman makes is his emphasis on the importance of having followers identify with their leaders — the third principle. This idea carries particular weight in a military context, especially given the hazardous situations in which military personnel regularly find themselves. Those who lead by example will always earn their subordinates' respect and inspire genuine identification with the leader's values and mission.