Lewis “Chesty” Puller and Servant Leadership: A Case Study
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Department
Leadership and Organizational Studies
Abstract
For nearly 40 years Lewis Burwell Puller, or Chesty as he was better known, served in the United States Marine Corps. Puller’s exploits and fondness for embellishment led to him becoming a legend in the Marine Corps. Puller was a no-nonsense, lead-from-the-front officer and his men respected him for that. Puller remains the most decorated Marine Corps officer in history, earning the Navy Cross five times. While his heroic exploits made Puller a role model for all Marines, it was his willingness to place their needs and concerns as a priority that sealed his reputation. Puller believed that having junior Marine’s prepared and taken care of was the best way to achieve strategic and operational goals. His role was always to serve others (Hoffman, 2001), which is the base of servant leadership. This study identifies the servant leadership characteristics that Chesty Puller embodied throughout his military service and explores whether his leadership style played a key role in his success. Exploring the impact of Puller’s leadership during his service demonstrates the effects of servant leadership in a practical application.
Lewis “Chesty” Puller and Servant Leadership: A Case Study
For nearly 40 years Lewis Burwell Puller, or Chesty as he was better known, served in the United States Marine Corps. Puller’s exploits and fondness for embellishment led to him becoming a legend in the Marine Corps. Puller was a no-nonsense, lead-from-the-front officer and his men respected him for that. Puller remains the most decorated Marine Corps officer in history, earning the Navy Cross five times. While his heroic exploits made Puller a role model for all Marines, it was his willingness to place their needs and concerns as a priority that sealed his reputation. Puller believed that having junior Marine’s prepared and taken care of was the best way to achieve strategic and operational goals. His role was always to serve others (Hoffman, 2001), which is the base of servant leadership. This study identifies the servant leadership characteristics that Chesty Puller embodied throughout his military service and explores whether his leadership style played a key role in his success. Exploring the impact of Puller’s leadership during his service demonstrates the effects of servant leadership in a practical application.
