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The Accidental Admiral: A Sailor Takes Command at NATO Hardcover – October 1, 2014

by James Stavridis (Author)

4.6 178 ratings

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After he was selected to be NATO's sixteenth Supreme Allied Commander, The New York Times described Jim Stavridis as a “Renaissance admiral.” A U. S. Naval Academy graduate with a master's degree and doctorate from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, conversant in both French and Spanish, this author of numerous books and articles impressed the Navy's leaders and senior Pentagon civilians with his wide range of interests, educational background, keen understanding of strategic doctrine, mastery of long-range planning, and command of international affairs. Since NATO had previously been led by generals, Stavridis saw his assignment as the first admiral to take command as somewhat “accidental.” As the American and NATO commander in Europe responsible for 120,000 coalition troops serving in fifty-one nations, on three continents and at sea he had come a long way since almost leaving the Navy for law school five years after receiving his commission. The Accidental Admiral offers an intimate look at the challenges of directing NATO operations in Afghanistan, military intervention in Libya, and preparation for possible war in Syria-as well as worrying about the Balkans, cyber threats, and piracy, all while cutting NATO by a third due to budget reductions by the twenty-eight nations of the alliance. More than just describing the history of the times, Stavridis also shares his insights into the personalities of President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretaries of Defense Robert Gates, Leon Panetta, and Chuck Hagel, Afghan President Hamid Karzai; Generals David Petraeus, Stanley McChrystal, John Allen, and many more. Known as an innovator and an early adopter of technology and social media, Stavridis' ability to think “outside the box” and sail in uncharted waters is unmatched. He shares his insights on leadership, strategic communications, planning, and the convergence of threats that will confront the United States and its allies in the near future. Stavridis is an advocate of the use of “Smart Power,” which he defines as the balance of hard and soft power. He explains that in creating security in the twenty-first century it is critical to build bridges, not walls, and stresses the need to connect international, interagency, and public-private actors to achieve security.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"His chapters on leadership, strategic communications, and innovation are useful words for all military leaders." —Parameters

"Coalition warfare, whether based on established alliances such as NATO, or so-called coalitions of the willing like that against the Islamic State (ISIS) group, continue to be the order of the day and appear to be Canada's preferred method for sending forces off to what we rightly or wrongly call 'war' these days. This highly engaging account of one man's approach to this type of generalship (or more accurately the art of the admiral) is both timely and a very worthwhile read." —Canadian Naval Review

"Stavridis says he wants to show the reader not what happened during his four years, but rather why it happened. He proceeds to take the reader on a tour of challenges: from the toppling of Qadhafi to the civil war in Syria, Israeli security, a resurgent Russia, the Balkans, and finally, of course, Afghanistan. Thus the first few chapters are a whirlwind of individuals, meetings, and events. Among all this, he often pauses within chapters to highlight some of the more important senior military and political officials that make up the NATO alliance. His new memoir is a refreshing dose of honesty, intelligence, and reflection–much needed in today's Navy and tomorrow's leaders." —Naval War College Review

"First, Stavridis provides valuable historical perspective of the major conflicts that occurred or were ongoing during his time at the helm of NATO/EUCOM. Second, he shares his views on strategic leadership to include the advantages and pitfalls that come with Twitter, Facebook, and the other tools of a more interconnected world. Fans of Admiral Stavridis's previous works are surely going to enjoy The Accidental Admiral. For new readers, it can serve as a valuable introduction that will then pull them toward his other works." —Naval Historical Foundation

"Stavridis' perspective on how he arrived as the first admiral to ever hold the senior position at NATO proves interesting. After taking command in 2009, he recounts in six chapters his most pressing challenges. He does this primarily through a geographical lens with chapters focused on Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the Balkans, Israel, and Russia. In each chapter he paints a candid picture from a strategic leader's viewpoint on how he approached the problems he encountered in each region. After the historical tour of challenges, he shifts to a discussion of leadership in a broader sense. There are five chapters on various aspects of leadership. Most of these leadership tents are valid, not just at the four-star military level, but to all leaders." —Military Review

"Stavridis writes with a career's worth of confidence in never being too concerned with rocking the boat. He continues to consider himself a 'disruptive innovator,' based on a career advanced with 'house money' and never expecting advancement. In The Accidental Admiral, he appeals to modern militaries to consign their traditional introspective and repetitive practices and instead develop akin to the modern technological world, which embraces risk and innovates rapidly." —Australian Defence Force Journal

"The Accidental Admiral is valuable, and perhaps even vital, for those seeking to understand the history and context of major foreign policy decisions during the Obama administration. On balance, Stavridis agreed with President Obama's decisions more often than he disagreed with them. But some of those disagreements were on hot-button issues. Most notably, the Admiral endorses a longer and firmer commitment to Afghanistan and associates himself with Senator McCain's interventionist position on Syria. Stavridis, however, does this without any of the buck-passing or back-biting that have featured prominently in many other recent foreign policy critiques. Accidental Admiral has many other strengths. The book offers rich lessons in the challenges of running too many headquarters, regularly interacting with dozens of foreign heads of state and senior defense officials, and overseeing major military operations in multiple hotspots. The book's 10th chapter on leadership should be mandatory reading for all military officers, and not just in the United States. 'Spend at least one-fourth of your disposable time on personnel matters, and 'Make mentorship a priority,' Stavridis intones. The Admiral clearly understands the human factor in everything as well as anyone – not least in the context of leadership." —War on the Rocks

"Adm. Stavridis, through his recollection of his friendship with Amb. Rogozin and others, demonstrates that he understands well the importance of partnerships and friendships in navigating global crises as part of the smart power agenda that he personally promotes. U.S. foreign policy–toward Russia and in general–would benefit if it remembered that isolating adversaries may feel moral, but resolving crises requires a foundation of personal engagement. The White House could learn a lot from Adm. Stavridis." —The Diplomatic Courier

"The Accidental Admiral covers only a short period of time but it is packed full of absorbing and fascinating stuff. His book is one of the best autobiographies of a senior officer to appear for many a year. Stavridis, who is a prolific reader of everything from social media to newspaper editorials in three languages, also writes extremely well and without a plethora of acronyms. After so many dry and dull military stories, the Stavridis story is like a cleansing gale of salt air. His autobiography is breathtaking and unputdownable." —Warships International Fleet Review

"Much of the strength of the book lies in its style and structure. The text is admirably succinct but retains warmth and candour throughout, which make for an engaging read. A good balance is struck between specific events during the author's command and general issues of concern to today's senior officer... In this concise and readable memoir, Admiral Stavridis has provided an insightful overview of NATO operations during his eventful command. More importantly, perhaps, he has made a well-informed contribution to the debate about the future of the Alliance."—The Naval Review "Admiral Jim Stavridis is one of the most forward-thinking military officers and enlightened leaders of his generation. Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, piracy and cyber threats were just a few of the enormous challenges he superbly handled as Supreme Allied Commander at NATO. The Accidental Admiral gives readers a window into what it is like to wrestle with the toughest 21st century problems of strategy and diplomacy." —Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense, 2008-11; author of Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War

"Admiral James Stavridis may be an 'accidental admiral' but he is no ordinary commander. He is equal parts thinker and doer, asking hard questions and continually challenging himself and the men and women under his command. His tour of duty as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe encompassed some of the most trying and important issues of our time in Europe and the Middle East. A rollicking and fun read." —Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of The New America Foundation; Director, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State, 2009-11

"Admiral James Stavridis is a military intellectual who has written an engaging, deeply thoughtful book about leadership in the crucible of great events. In particular, his arguments about the continued relevance of NATO are prescient given the crisis in Ukraine. His defense of Generals Stanley McChrystal, David Petraeus, and John Allen is both poignant and necessary. This book should be required reading for young officers." —Robert D. Kaplan, best-selling author of Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History and The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate

"Jim Stavridis is a unique breed of leader–at once both a seasoned practitioner, and a thoughtful, charismatic intellectual. He embodies the very definition of a 'renaissance man.' A generation of our leaders benefited from working for and with Jim–myself included. Readers of The Accidental Admiral will benefit from the insights of a proven leader's reflections of a pivotal time in history." —Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, USA (Ret.), Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, 2009-10; co-founder and partner of the McChrystal Group

"There was nothing accidental about Jim Stavridis becoming an Admiral or Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. He is one of the best of the new breed of military officers–equally proficient at waging war and waging peace, equally learned in military history and cultural history. Whether dealing with Afghanistan, Russia or the Middle East, Jim has always demonstrated an ability to find new ways to look at and try to resolve age-old problems. In The Accidental Admiral, he brilliantly shares hard won lessons learned on the application of 'smart power' in the modern world and also offers readers critical insights into leadership, innovation, planning and communication. After I got to know Jim and to appreciate the range of his intellect and interests, I regularly would ask, 'What are you reading Admiral?' The books he recommended were always great reads from which I learned a lot. The same will be true for anyone who reads The Accidental Admiral." —Joseph I. Lieberman, Senior Counsel, Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman; United States Senator, Retired

"Adm. Stavridis has been variously called a 'renaissance admiral,' 'a military intellectual,' 'the best of the new breed of military officers.' All appropriately laudatory, but I suspect he'd settle for something simpler–the son of a man who set a high standard by serving as a (naval) officer for more than 30 years, perhaps; a devoted husband and a proud father, who was chosen to speak to his daughter's NROTC graduating class; an accidental admiral, a sailor and a patriot, whose success and service to his country was no accident at all." —The Washington Times

About the Author

Adm. James Stavridis, USN (Ret.) is a 1976 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who spent over 35 years on active service in the Navy. He commanded destroyers and a carrier strike group in combat and served for seven years as a four-star admiral, including nearly four years as the first Navy officer chosen as Supreme Allied Commander for Global Operations at NATO. After retiring from the Navy, he was named the dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in 2013. In addition, he currently serves as the U.S. Naval Institute's Chair of the Board of Directors. He has written articles on global security issues for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Atlantic Magazine, Naval War College Review, and Proceedings and is the author or co-author of several books, including Command at Sea 6th Ed. and Destroyer Captain.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Naval Institute Press; First Edition (October 1, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1612517048
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1612517049
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.36 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,313,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #969 in United States Military Veterans History
- #3,009 in Naval Military History
- #9,956 in Military Leader Biographies

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Admiral James Stavridis USN

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Admiral James Stavridis, US Navy (Retired)

Vice Chair, Global Affairs, The Carlyle Group

Chair of the Board of Trustees, the Rockefeller Foundation

A South Florida native, Jim Stavridis attended the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, and spent over thirty five years in the Navy, rising to the rank of 4-star Admiral. Among his many commands were four years as the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, where he oversaw operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the Balkans, and piracy off the coast of Africa. He also commanded US Southern Command in Miami, charged with military operations through Latin America for nearly three years. He was the longest serving Combatant Commander in recent US history.

In the course of his career in the Navy, he served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense. He led the Navy’s premier operational think tank for innovation, Deep Blue, immediately after the 9/11 attacks.

He won the Battenberg Cup for commanding the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet, the Destroyer USS BARRY, and the Navy League John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational leadership as a Commodore. He holds more than 50 US and international medals and decorations, including 28 from foreign nations. He also commanded a Destroyer Squadron and a Carrier Strike Group, both in combat in the Middle East.

He earned a PhD from The Fletcher School at Tufts, winning the Gullion prize as outstanding student in his class in 1983, as well as academic honors from the National and Naval War Colleges as a distinguished student. He speaks Spanish and French.

Jim has published nine books on leadership, character, the world's oceans, command at sea, Latin America, ship handling, and innovation, as well as hundreds of articles in leading journals. His latest book is "2034: A Novel About the Next World War," which depicts a war with China. It hit #6 on the NYT bestseller list when it was released in early 2021.

An active user of social networks, he has over one hundred thousand followers on Twitter, friends on Facebook, and connections on Linked In. His TED talk on 21st century security in 2012 has had nearly a million views across all platforms. He tweeted the end of combat operations in the Libyan NATO intervention. His memoir of the NATO years, “The Accidental Admiral,” was released in October 2014, and he had two books out in 2017: "The Leader's Bookshelf," about fifty books that can make you a better leader; and "Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans." His latest non-fiction book is "Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character" in 2019. In all, his books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and are in print or under contract for publication in 20 countries.

Admiral Stavridis is also the Chair Emeritus of the Board of the US Naval Institute, the professional association of the Nation’s sea services: Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. He is also Dean Emeritus of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, a position he held from 2013-2018.He is a contributing editor for TIME Magazine and Chief International Security Analyst for NBC News.

He is happily married to Laura, and they have two daughters – one working at Google and the other a Nurse Practioner. Both are married to physicians and have small children. Jim enjoys competitive squash and tennis (he played on the varsity team at Annapolis), and cycling rather slowly.

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Customers find the book provides useful leadership principles and insights. They describe it as an engaging read from an insider. The book is a must-read for defense and international relations professionals, with a recommended reading list. Readers appreciate the author's candid perspective and diplomatic tone.

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28 customers mention "Information quality"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and insightful. They describe the author as a pragmatic visionary, strategist, and planner. The narration is described as humane, intelligent, and inspirational.

"...Erudite, thoughtful and both a strategic and tactical thinker and planner, he comes across as someone who would be both inspiring and enjoyable to..." Read more

"...defining himself variously (as I read him) as a pragmatist, unrepentant internationalist, collective action advocate, rational actor, and generally..." Read more

"This is a great read from an insider. One of the top thinkers and executors.A product of the USA political and Armed Forces establishment...." Read more

"Interesting series of insights. My mother was a civilian working for him when he was SACEUR and had lots of nice things to say about him...." Read more

22 customers mention "Readability"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They describe the author as erudite, thoughtful, and a strategic and tactical thinker. The book provides an up-close and personal account of military and international relations from an insider. It is described as a must-read for defense and international relations professionals.

"...Seeing the best in others is certainly an attribute of a leader. Erudite, thoughtful and both a strategic and tactical thinker and planner, he comes..." Read more

"...He shares a lot of level-headed detail about President Obama, Defense Secretaries Rumsfeld and Gates, and Generals Stan McChrystal, Dave Petraeus,..." Read more

"This is a great read from an insider. One of the top thinkers and executors.A product of the USA political and Armed Forces establishment...." Read more

"...Loved reading about NATO's inner workings. It is the best up close and personal book on the military/international relations I have read in a long..." Read more

6 customers mention "Reading level"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and recommend it for defence and international relations professionals. They say it provides an interesting perspective on many issues, including NATO and other significant ones. The author provides a list of suggested readings.

"...Here, he does provide an ongoing and intriguing perspective on many of the international stories that have and will continue to impact our national..." Read more

"...is an incredibly incisive book packed with meaning, history, and introspection...." Read more

"...An historic book sure to have a long life, especially as required reading for flag officers and senior state department officials." Read more

"...the qualities needed for good leadership and the author provides a list of suggested reading." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They appreciate the author's experience and diplomatic tone. The book provides an insightful look at the challenges faced by a combatant commander.

"...What’s most interesting here is Stavridis’s voice, clearly bearing diplomatic tonalities...." Read more

"...400 Airmen who were there today, the Admiral's book is not only a fascinating look at the challenges faced by a Combatant Commander, and at the..." Read more

"The admiral is a highly decorated officer with a distinguished career...." Read more

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ulysses4
Anything But Accidental
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2017
Verified Purchase

It is getting harder and harder to be a Renaissance man or woman in this complex world. At the same time, The American, and perhaps many other country's public, often have little or no real experience with military life and career military people. To be introduced to a high level career officer who transcends both stereotypes and traditional professional paths is both exhilarating and illuminating. Stavridis has held some very rarefied positions. His observations confirm his qualifications.

I am proud to have spent 25 years in the Naval Reserve and have great respect and appreciation for the sea service. Through this book, one doesn't learn how Stavridis reached the pinnacle of military and public office, but one does glean that he had the intellect, energy, discipline, political skills and imagination to handle the assignments with panache and diplomacy.

Throughout the book, he scarcely has a bad word for anyone, world leaders, fellow officers and subordinates. Seeing the best in others is certainly an attribute of a leader. Erudite, thoughtful and both a strategic and tactical thinker and planner, he comes across as someone who would be both inspiring and enjoyable to work for or with.

My personal disappointment is that there were only clues as to how he rose from 1 star to 4 stars so rapidly. The Reserves are or were a separate world, but as a Captain, I saw and worked, mostly at a distance, with a handful of 1 and 2 star Admirals. They were driven and mostly admirable officers. The full story of Stavridis' mettle will or will not be told elsewhere. Here, he does provide an ongoing and intriguing perspective on many of the international stories that have and will continue to impact our national security and our way of life.Lots of name dropping is not grating when you glean some further insight into the character and personality of the subjects.

While I appreciate his hopeful and positive approach, his characterization of the Libyan campaign as an overall success appears unrealistic. The military aspects of that campaign may have been highly competent, but the "strategic" and political components were not. His description of the anonymous expense account complaint and lengthy investigation which appear to have cost him the "next" job of CNO are bittersweet. His self-defense seems both fair and obsessive.Still, no one can fault a defense of one's good name.

The book changes course, from a description of the parameters of his SACEUR and NATO duties, to a treatise on both a blueprint for leadership and future challenges and opportunities for NATO. The book is worth your time and reflection.

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Michael Pocalyko
Essential Reading from the Finest Naval Officer of a Generation
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
Admiral James Stavridis is the finest naval officer of a generation and almost parenthetically a magnificently gifted writer. This memoir, his second, is an incredibly incisive book packed with meaning, history, and introspection. Published just after his retirement from active duty and taking the helm of The Fletcher School, THE ACCIDENTAL ADMIRAL is required reading for anyone seeking to understand the challenges and struggles of modern statecraft from a distinctly military vantage.

Stavridis employs a thematic rather than episodic structure, to highly effective advantage. His finest chapters are about Afghanistan and Libya, and he addresses frontally the US-NATO-Russia equation and enduring issues in the Balkans, Israel, and Syria—where he ventures boldly predictive and prescriptive. While probably not self-consciously intentional, the book’s style reflects Eisenhower’s CRUSADE IN EUROPE—quite fitting for a man who followed Ike by a few generations as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.

What’s most interesting here is Stavridis’s voice, clearly bearing diplomatic tonalities. He shares a lot of level-headed detail about President Obama, Defense Secretaries Rumsfeld and Gates, and Generals Stan McChrystal, Dave Petraeus, and John Allen (his Annapolis classmate and 40-year friend). But he refrains from overtly criticizing any of them, drawing instead multi-dimensional character studies with thoughtful, graceful differences. Frank assessments—you have to think about what you’re reading and work for them—are contained within nuanced, measured language, which is also a pretty good summary of the book as a whole.

The chapter endings, including the chapters on leadership, communications, and planning, are remarkable in their outlines of strategy, where Stavridis becomes less of an author and more of a participating cultural historian of the post-9/11 age. He takes notable risks by defining himself variously (as I read him) as a pragmatist, unrepentant internationalist, collective action advocate, rational actor, and generally an involved interventionist. That perspective puts him in very good stead as the US military leader of NATO, but makes him something of a voice in the wilderness in the American political midlands of 2014. He certainly didn’t write this book with an eye on a career in partisan politics.

His admiral’s stars were anything but accidental. And while he’s correct about being an unusual choice for SHAPE/SACEUR, Stavridis demonstrates once again, with alacrity, extraordinary gifts of command and story. They combine to make THE ACCIDENTAL ADMIRAL essential reading.

Michael Pocalyko, author of THE NAVIGATOR (2013) from Macmillan/Forge, CEO of Monticello Capital, former Navy pilot and strategist.

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Hotelsaremylife
great read. well planned and easy to read...and mentally stretching at times
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is a great read from an insider. One of the top thinkers and executors.A product of the USA political and Armed Forces establishment.

What is missing? After a great read.......with excellent book recomendations.

What is missing?........How he saved the taxpayer x million dollars by reducing the amount of uniforms Armed Forces use when out of ""combat".
How he saved money to drive the hospitals and schools in USA.
How he reduced the budget on Armed Forces by????????????

Data driven......but minimal examples.

Anon compliant dealt with with candor.This anon complaint must have really hurt such a professional.

What did his team and the teams who worked for him think of him? How often did he get a 360 completed? What did he learn from the feedback.?

Maybe he is still too politically correct in his communications and thinking.I get the feeling he had the perfect career and no real picture of the hurdles he faced and overcame.

This great leader clearly has many more books and stories for his readership and fans.

With the other ROCKSTARS in the USA military around the time he was at his peak powers...............his name has been in the background.

This was a great read.

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William H. Pickwell
Makes you think but connects the dots
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2014
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An easy book to read, but thought provoking. Makes you wonder how can big organisations work, although clearly they do. This book widens the mind to consider that question.

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The Accidental Admiral: A Sailor Takes Command at NATO Hardcover – October 1, 2014

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5.0 out of 5 stars Anything But Accidental

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading from the Finest Naval Officer of a Generation

5.0 out of 5 stars great read. well planned and easy to read...and mentally stretching at times

Top reviews from other countries

4.0 out of 5 stars Makes you think but connects the dots

Anything But Accidental

Essential Reading from the Finest Naval Officer of a Generation

great read. well planned and easy to read...and mentally stretching at times

Makes you think but connects the dots