A Passion for Leadership (28 page)

On the other hand, the business executives I know personally are men and women of strong character and high integrity, personally enormously generous to worthy causes, conscientious about the well-being and future prospects of their employees, concerned about what ails our society—and deeply involved in trying to find remedies. But again, that is not the broad public perception of the top rung in the private sector. And just like negative perceptions of politicians, that is a problem for our society, a leadership problem I believe the suggestions in this book can help address.

I conclude with a few words specifically addressed to public service. The columnist Walter Lippmann wrote long ago, “Those in high places are more than the administrators of government bureaus. They are more than the writers of laws. They are the custodians of a nation's ideals, of the beliefs it cherishes, of its permanent hopes, of the faith which makes a nation out of a mere aggregation of individuals.” If you scratch deeply enough, you will find that most of those in public service—“the custodians”—no matter how outwardly tough or jaded or egotistical, are in their heart of hearts romantics, idealists, and optimists. They actually believe it is possible to make the lives of their fellow citizens better and the world a safer place. But an important part of what makes America unique is that our nation's ideals, hopes, and faith are manifested not only in individuals but in our institutions.

Accordingly, we can only bring our ideals alive, fulfill our hopes, and strengthen our faith as a country by improving the institutions that are the instruments through which we can achieve those goals. I have loved each of the organizations I have led—the CIA, Texas A&M, the Defense Department, and now the Boy Scouts of America. But my love of and dedication to them have not blinded me to their shortcomings and need for change and reform. Most of the big changes I have led to improve those institutions have worked and often have endured because I applied the approaches and techniques described in these pages.

Bureaucratic reform can be accomplished even in rough political waters. Indeed, politics is just one of multiple obstacles facing a leader when it comes to challenging the status quo. Accordingly, there are no excuses for not starting today.

The question is whether new leaders, agents of change, are up to the challenge. Harry Truman once said, “Every great achievement is the story of a flaming heart.” The task of reforming institutions is a difficult one. A leader's heart must be on fire with belief in what she seeks to do. Changing institutions is a battle, and she must undertake it with courage, strength, and conviction. She must believe in it before she can persuade others to believe in it. She must be prepared to put her job on the line for it if she is to ask others to risk their careers and reputations to help her.

Woodrow Wilson wrote, “When you come into the presence of a leader of men, you know you have come into the presence of fire—that it is best not incautiously to touch that man—that there is something that makes it dangerous to cross him.” The reformer must be very tough and, from time to time, ruthless. She will sometimes stand absolutely alone in pressing for change. She must hold people accountable and be prepared to remove those who are opposed or who cannot do the job. She will encounter criticism—sometimes vicious and personal—along the way. The path of the reformer of institutions is never easy and rarely downhill.

I entered public service nearly fifty years ago because, when I was a college student, President Kennedy urged us to ask not what our country could do for us but what we could do for our country. I remained in public service because President George H. W. Bush reminded us that “public service is a noble calling.” And so, especially to young people, I would paraphrase John Adams's admonition to his son, quoted earlier: If the wise and honest among you refuse to serve, others will not. And we will all be the poorer for it.

The Nobel laureate Anatole France once wrote, “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” To those who believe our institutions can be better than they are, I say, Dream. Believe. Plan. Act.

In writing this book, I have drawn on memories and experiences stretching back to childhood. The lessons taught and example shown by my mother and father with respect to character and integrity, how to treat other people, and the joy of living have shaped my entire life.

How do I thank the countless men and women who, over the course of my professional life, have taught and influenced me, from my first CIA cubicle mate and lifelong friend, the late Barry Stevenson, to those in uniform who so inspired me as secretary of defense? I have been fortunate to have mentors, coaches, partners, and friends everywhere I have worked in government, universities, and on corporate boards. Their influence, collectively and individually, is reflected on every page of this book.

I asked several people to review this manuscript, and I want to thank them for making the time and effort to help me: Pete Chiarelli, Benton Cocanougher, Ryan McCarthy, Rodney McClendon, Geoff Morrell, Michael O'Quinn, Robert Rangel, Harry Rhoads, Thayer Scott, and Neal Wolin. Obviously, responsibility for any errors or mistakes is mine alone. Thanks also to my assistant, Keith Hensley, for his help in preparing this book and for managing my life and my time so I could actually get it done.

Both the CIA and the Department of Defense reviewed the manuscript to prevent the disclosure of classified information, and I thank both for their expeditious responses. Needless to say, all statements of fact, opinion, and analysis are mine and do not reflect official positions or views of the CIA or the Defense Department. Similarly, nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. government authentication of information or as endorsement of my views.

Special thanks to Wayne Kabak of WSK Management, who has represented me for more than twenty years and through three books. He is a very special friend. I also want to thank Jonathan Segal of Alfred A. Knopf, an always constructive and superbly gifted editor who has guided me through two books. Jon, I raise my martini glass to you. I also want to thank Sonny Mehta at Knopf for his confidence in me for both this book and
Duty,
as well as others at Knopf for their contribution.

Finally, I want to thank Becky, my wife of nearly fifty years, who has been my love, my companion, and my best friend through many trials and adventures. She has always kept me grounded and made home and a loving family a sanctuary for me from the pressures of some very stressful jobs. Her generosity and kindness toward others have set an example I have tried—not always successfully—to emulate. When I asked her to marry me so long ago, I promised our life together would never be boring. I believe I have kept that promise.

R
OBERT
M. G
ATES
was appointed the twenty-second secretary of defense (2006–11) by President George W. Bush and is the only secretary of defense in U.S. history to be asked to remain in that office by a newly elected president. President Barack Obama was the eighth president Gates served. President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor, on Gates's last day in office. Before becoming secretary of defense, Gates was president of Texas A&M University. Prior to that, he served as interim dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at the university from 1999 to 2001. Gates joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1966. In 1967, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He spent nearly nine years at the National Security Council, serving four presidents of both political parties. He served as deputy director of central intelligence from 1986 until 1989 and as assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991. Gates served as director of central intelligence from 1991 to 1993. A native of Kansas, Gates received his bachelor's degree from the College of William & Mary, his master's degree from Indiana University, and his doctorate in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University. He was installed as chancellor of the College of William & Mary in February 2012 and became national president of the Boy Scouts of America in May 2014. He is the author of
From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War
and
Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War.