summary ofCall Sign ChaosBook by Jim Mattis, Bing West

first KEY POINT

Every leader starts as a direct leader

Direct leadership is a type of leadership in which you deal directly with a small group of people you already know or can easily get acquainted with. It’s the most basic form of leadership and the point where every leader starts. In every organization, your success as a direct leader will determine if you'll get promoted to higher levels of leadership and influence.As a direct leader, you most likely won’t have skills and experience in leading others in your field; hence it's vital to learn from people who have gone ahead of you. The same is also true for leaders at higher levels of leadership. Finding and following mentors is so important. You’ll gain so much wisdom from their experience, and as a result, avoid many mistakes you would naturally have made along the line.If you can't get a committed mentor, just make sure there is a boss whom you look up to, one you can trust to provide the right answers to your questions.

In addition to having a mentor or boss, something else you can do is learn from authors and speakers with proven experience. That's the sort of thing you’ll be getting in this summary. In the chapters that follow, we’ll treat different aspects of leadership and principles that have proven to work both in the military and in business. Cut away all distractions as you go through this summary because it promises to be educational and eye–opening.

This summary is not just for direct leaders but for leaders at all levels who want to perform better.Did you know? Former Defense Secretary James Mattis’ nickname CHAOS isn't just a nickname. It's an acronym for “Colonel Has An (Another) Outstanding Solution.”