George C. Marshall Strategic Leadership Competencies: Lessons for Today's Strategic Leaders

A visionary military and civilian leader, General George C. Marshall was an innovative strategic leader. The use of his well developed strategic leader competencies to influence key stakeholders through a detailed strategic communications plan and his ability to build consensus while synchronizing interagency capabilities are vital lessons for today's strategic leaders. The Marshall Plan was an in-depth and well articulated post World War II plan that fostered an interagency approach to reconstruction in Europe in support of American national interests resulting in a myriad of new military and economic alliances. In today's modern, global interconnected world, American strategy demands strategic leaders adept at developing and executing strategic communications that build consensus and leverage all the interagency capabilities. The 21st century threats and opportunities our nation faces span the spectrum of conflict and it's vital that today's leaders learn from a master like George C. Marshall. His display of the strategic leader competencies to strategically communicate and build consensus influencing a host of key stakeholders along with synchronizing our interagency capabilities are key tenants for future strategic success.