{"id":27894,"date":"2020-03-06T19:28:20","date_gmt":"2020-03-06T19:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/03\/06\/review-seal-veteran-mark-devines-leadership-book\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:28:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:28:54","slug":"review-seal-veteran-mark-devines-leadership-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2020\/03\/06\/review-seal-veteran-mark-devines-leadership-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: SEAL veteran Mark Devine\u2019s leadership book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Safe to say that Navy SEALs are considered to be the most elite of special forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That heritage gives SEAL veteran Mark Divine<\/a>, author of \u201cStaring Down the Wolf: 7 Leadership Commitments That Forge Elite Teams<\/a>,\u201d a near-instant credibility and audience to explore how his seven commitments can help make a business team military-strong. Who would argue that infusions of courage, trust, respect, growth, excellence, resiliency and alignment wouldn\u2019t enhance any workplace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military culture and practices can be hard to transfer to civilian institutions, especially given the diminishing percentage of the population that claims some military service and therefore understands the military way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just 0.5 percent of the population has served in the armed forces since Sept. 11, 2001, compared with 9 percent who served during World War II. That means military culture is an abstraction rather than a reality to most Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Divine seems to be aware of that but his examples nonetheless often relate to his commando experiences and the book is punctuated with references such as \u201cbattle rhythm,\u201d \u201cdropping grenades of negativity\u201d and VUCA, an acronym for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No question, that’s our world but can SEAL values help civilian organizations?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Divine fervently believes they can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Americans do engage in “warrior envy,” which explains the nonstop flow of books striving to apply military values to the business world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent Pew Research Center survey found the military to be America\u2019s most respected institution and at least three of the lead characters on network television shows are Navy SEAL veterans and they portray their characters as tough, resourceful, daring, fit, calm, courteous and direct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how to weave the seven commitments and SEAL mentality into a business where no one likely claims any military experience or even knows anyone in the armed forces?<\/p>\n\n\n\t