A Comparison of Leadership and Executive Decision Making in the Military and Private Sectors

Abstract

I have thought often of the similarities and dissimilarities of managing military and private-sector business organizations. Such thoughts arose while standing in front of 30 military officers, primarily Navy, four times a week for a few years. I was forced to reflect, under such circumstances, on the differences between my students at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California, and students elsewhere in public and private universities. I recognized the so-called cultural differences immediately: their being in uniform 1 day a week, complete with battle ribbons and service awards; a whole-hearted plunge into almost any kind of assignment that highlights thorough discipline; and finally, a deep respect for authority, including my being addressed constantly as "Sir."