Monday, January 24, 2011

Schwarzkopf on Leadership

"Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without strategy." ~General Norman Schwarzkopf

~~~

12 comments:

DUTA said...

Leadership is certainly not rhetoric and signing bills only.

USA_Admiral said...

I like that quote.

Still working on Mel. ;-)

Susannah said...

Duta~ You are absolutely correct. One must actually READ the bills that one signs, no?

Great to see you!

USA~ It's a good one, right?

You let me know about Mel, okay?!

Anonymous said...

Stormin Norman is a great man

Susannah said...

In-deed, Fuzz!

Jim said...

While I admire Gen. Schwarzkopf, I think the quote makes about as much sense as:

"Water is a combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen. If you must do without one, do without Hydrogen."

Susannah said...

Hi Jim! Actually, when you break water down into its elements, you don't have water anymore, and neither element is more important than the other.

What the fine General is - ahem - obviously saying is that one can be a leader with both elements, or with only one. But CHARACTER is the primary, & ultimately the most important element.

C'mon, Jim; yer tryin' to start somethin' ain't-cha?

Jim said...

Not really trying to start something, but I stand by my point.

Character is an extremely important trait for a leader. But if you don't have a strategy, what exactly are you leading to or for? Aren't you just an honorable figurehead rather than a leader?

Susannah said...

Hi again, Jim~ "But if you don't have a strategy, what exactly are you leading to or for? Aren't you just an honorable figurehead rather than a leader?"

Excellent point. We saw a glaring example of this very thing addressing both Houses of Congress a few nights ago...minus the "character" element.

Jim said...

Alas, I was merely trying to point out what I thought was a weakness in a good man's quote and then you have to say something that is ugly and makes even less sense than Schwarzkopf.

Susannah said...

Makes less sense? Au contraire, mon ami!

Besides, you set me up perfectly. And after all you know me: always trying to start somethin'...

(Heh, heh.)

Jim said...

Well, let's give them something to talk about. :-)