General U.S. Grant's Effective Use of the Leadership Triad in the Vicksburg Campaign
Abstract
General Ulysses S. Grant's victory at Vicksburg was a major turning point in the Union's war against the Confederacy. It is clear that Grant's successful operational leadership was the main reason the Union forces were victorious in this campaign. This paper examines General Grant's operational leadership during the Vicksburg campaign, focusing on three key traits: the Leadership Triad. The Leadership Triad consists of the following core leadership traits: Ingenuity, Teamwork, and Decisive Decision Making. The author defines these traits in detail, and then shows how General Grant exemplified them during the Vicksburg campaign. After analyzing the impact of these elements of operational leadership on Grant's operations, the author concludes that General Grant's effective use of them was the decisive factor in his success at Vicksburg. The paper clearly demonstrates that today's operational leaders must have the ability to think creatively, work as a team, and make decisive decisions. Today's leaders are assured of success if they follow the Leadership Triad.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 22, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA484430
Entities
People
- John O. Howard
Organizations
- Naval War College