Commanding Excellence

''Commanding Excellence accurately portrays an insider's view from someone who knows all the agony, pain, and triumph from living through the gyrations of a Stryker experience. It intimately relates how to be competitive and how to win.''
--John W. Brown, former chairman, president, and CEO Stryker Corporation 

''When I look back on those magical, almost mythical days, I obviously do so through my own personal memory reticle as does Gary Morton and every other man who served in that special combat unit. But what Gary does so beautifully in this book is combine all our reticles into one giant aperture, then analyze the reminiscences, and, finally, distill them down into a handful of precious categories. No one else I know has both the boots-on-the-ground expertise and the intellectual and literary skills to do that. Then he does the same thing with John Brown's Stryker.'' 
Col(Ret) Alfred L. Dibella Jr., former commander of undefeated Task Force 4-68 

''Commanding Excellence highlights three simple proven concepts that are critical to success of a unit in combat or a business in the marketplace. Gary Morton has captured them perfectly. If you want success as a leader in a complex environment read Commanding Excellence and follow it!''
--General Bryan ''Doug'' Brown, US Army, Retired; former commander of US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) 

''I've had the good fortune to experience the leadership impact of John Brown firsthand. Without question, Gary captures John's wisdom, clear direction, and unrelenting focus on results. Anyone who wants to understand the fundamentals of successful leadership needs to read this thought-provoking comparison of two inspiring leaders.''
--Jim ''Coach'' Heath, former President, Stryker Instruments 

''A compelling read. Based on his personal experience, Gary Morton has analyzed two remarkable organizations and two equally remarkable leaders and served up a timeless story of leadership and how to accomplish that which is seemingly out of reach. If you are a leader or want to be one, this is Leadership 101 and 102.''
--General Scott Wallace, US Army, Retired; former commander of US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and, in 2003, V Corps, which comprised the main axis of advance from Kuwait to Baghdad 

''Convincing a team to believe in a vision takes sponsorship, commitment, and strong leadership. Commanding Excellence demonstrates how to create a culture that everyone commits to from the boardroom to the battlefield. A must-read for anyone who works in a goal-oriented environment.''
--Dave Jones, former Sr Vice President for Holiday Inn, created and launched Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites, President and CEO of the Hospitality division for Gaylord Entertainment 

''Gary Morton hits the target in showing how two men took disparate, ordinary entities and lifted them to world-class excellence. Commanding Excellence is a primer on leadership. You'll see how these extraordinary men with vision, professionalism, charisma, intelligence, and integrity established operating environments that made their men and women buy into the established goals, take them as their own, and truly set the standards for their fields. Their personal dedication and drive coupled with their unquestioned respect for those who worked with and for them led to a tremendous force multiplier for one tank battalion and a medical manufacturing company. Teamwork is what made it all work, and Gary Morton, who saw it firsthand in both outfits, is the perfect one to tell the story of attained excellence. Read this outstanding story, and see how truly superb outfits can be formed and operate.''
--Lieutenant General Tom Griffin, US Army, Retired; former commander of Berlin Brigade and 3rd Armored Division

''Gary Morton delivers innovative leadership lessons with entertaining insider stories that I wish I had access to when I started Ensighten. If you want to win, read Commanding Excellence and see the power of human energy and creativity focused on a common goal.''
--Josh Manion, founder and CEO of Ensighten and FIDE chess International Master 

''Morton witnessed firsthand and has clearly described two examples of extraordinarily effective leadership in two entirely different types of organizations. The author captured specific examples of and portrayed keen insight into effective leaders solving common organizational problems and achieving unique results. The serious student of leadership will complete this entertaining and informative narrative with a handful of practical ideas and would gain even more with repeated study.''
--Major General Richard E. Davis, US Army, Retired 

''Many books have been penned about leadership. Commanding Excellence stands out as the best in its approach to define leadership skills and techniques. Morton parallels his experiences as a member of an extraordinary military unit as well as a successful company. His experiences as a team member gave him extraordinary examples of successful leaders. This book is a must-read and highly recommended for those seeking excellence in both personal and team leadership.''
--Lanny R. Copeland, MD, former President of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Chief Medical Officer for LifePoint Health 

''Commanding Excellence reveals the secret sauce to building an organizational passion that wholeheartedly supports those closest to the customer in a business or those on the front lines in a military unit. Such alignment drives astounding success. If you want to deliver exceptional results at any level in an organization, pick up and read this powerful book!''
--Paul Speigelman, author of New York Times bestseller Patients Come Second, 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, founder and CEO of BerylHealth