Collection of Military Quotations :: The Intelligence Officer

"There are many brave and strong-minded people whom one wouldn't follow on any account - because one doesn't know what they stand for, or where they are going."

"The beginning of leadership is a battle for the hearts and minds of men."

"A leader must be one who can be looked up to, whose personal judgment is trusted, who can inspire those he leads, gaining their trust and confidence."

"The intellectual definition of leadership is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which will inspire confidence."

"There is no point in having the capacity if you haven't got the will to use it."

"Leadership can be developed by training. Soldiers are more likely to follow those in whose military knowledge they have confidence, rather than one with much greater personality but not with the same obvious knowledge of his job. Responsibility brings courage; one has less time to think of one's own fears and thus a greater degree of resolution. Training received from superiors gives confidence in one's ability to deal with any situation."

[Paraphrased] "Leadership is based on truth and character. A leader must have the force of character necessary to inspire others to follow him with confidence. Character is knowing what you want to do and having the determination to do it, in a way which will inspire confidence in those around you or for whom you are responsible."

"The final test is how you feel when leaving an interview or conference with him. Have you a feeling of uplift and confidence? Are you clear as to what is to be done, and what is your part of the task? Are you determined to pull your weight in achieving the object?"

"Get your major purpose clear, take off your plate all which hinders that purpose and hold hard to all which helps it, and then go ahead with a clear conscience, courage, sincerity and selflessness."

"The ability to concentrate is essential in a leader; the constant exercise of this ability makes him a disciplined human being, enabling him to simplify a problem, to discover the essentials upon which all action must be based and the details which are unimportant."

"A leader's private life must be above all reproach. The most powerful factor is the sincerity of the man, his example and influence. If a man's private life is not above reproach, those he leads will cease to respect him, will withdraw their confidence so that his leadership loses its effectiveness."

"It is always a good thing to persuade the soldier that what you want him to do is right."

"Military command has always required technical skill and spiritual power and quality. Great commanders have had a profound knowledge of the mechanics of war and the stage-management of battle."

Notes from "The Path to Leadership" by Montgomery

There are many brave and strong-minded people whom one wouldn't follow on any account - because one doesn't know what they stand for, or where they are going.

Leadership should be properly exercised by people in authority. When they have no power to enforce their will, [] much will depend on their personality.

A leader must be one who can be looked up to, whose personal judgemental is trusted, who can inspire those he leads, gaining their trust and confidence.

Intellectual definition of leadership is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which will inspire confidence.

Leadership can be developed by training. Soldiers are more likely to follow those in whose military knowledge they have confidence, rather than one with much greater personality but not with the same obvious knowledge of his job. Responsibility brings courage; one has less time to think of one's own fears and thus a greater degree of resolution. Training received from superiors gives confidence in one's ability to deal with any situation.

Leadership is based on truth and character. A leader must have the force of character necessary to inspire others to follow him with confidence.
Character is knowing what you want to do and having the determination to do it, in a way which will inspire confidence in those around you or for whom you are responsible.

A leader must :
   · have infectious optimism,
   · show determination to persevere in the face of difficulties,
   · radiate confidence, relying on principles and resources to work out rightly even when he himself is not too certain of the material outcome,
   · possess sound judgement in which others will have confidence,
   · have a good knowledge of human nature,
   · be able to see his problems truly and whole,
   · have self-control,
   · be a good judge of character, a picker of men,
[ · pre-eminence in sport is in no way a necessity. There is no need to be a gladiator in sport to be a leader ]
   · be able to dominate and finally to master the events which surround him.

The final test is how you feel when leaving an interview or conference with him. Have you feeling of uplift and confidence? Are you clear as to what is to be done, and what is your part of the task? Are you determined to pull your weight in achieving the object?

The ability to concentrate is essential in a leader; the constant exercise of this ability makes him a disciplined human being, enabling him to simplify a problem, to discover the essentials upon which all action must be based and the details which are unimportant.

A leader's private life must be above all reproach. The most powerful factor is the sincerity of the man, his example and influence. If a man's private life is not above reproach, those he leads will cease to respect him, will withdraw their confidence so that his leadership loses its effectiveness.

   · genuine sincerity - natural, not conscious sincerity.
   · selflessness. Absolute devotion to the cause he serves, with no though of personal reward.
   · the ability to dominate events and master events which encompass him.
   · the power of decision. "captaincy".
   · a bit of luck.
   · a genuine interest in and real knowledge of humanity - the raw material of his trade.

It is always a good thing to persuade the soldier that what you want him to do is right.

Military command is much easier when the final decision, political and military, lies in one hand - that of the military commander himself. Today, the higher direction of war is in political hands. The Service Chief has to learn the techniques of politics - appeal, persuasion, manoeuvre (intrigue) and compromise - and the foibles and phobias of his political chief in whom lies the overall and final responsibility.
The soldier and the politician have got to learn to understand each other.

Military command has always required technical skill and spiritual power and quality. Great commanders have had a profound knowledge of the mechanics of war and the stage-management of battle.

War must have a political objective, it must result in a more peaceful world. If it does not, we merely substitute one enemy for another.

"Military command is, fundamentally, a great human problem and no good results will follow unless there is mutual confidence and sympathy between the known commander and the regimental officers and men - the former being seen frequently in the forward area by the soldiery. If follow that the technique of command today demands that the general who is in overall control of the battle must direct operations with a very small staff from a Tactical headquarters well forward in the battle area - and not 'Plaza Toro-it' behind with his large staff, the bulk of whom have of necessity to be well to the rear."

[notes from an indeterminate source appended because of similarity in subject]
Leadership is about motivating human resources. Management is utilising resources to their most efficient, desired output. But the human labour stock needs to be motivated, convinced of its work, and this is what leadership is about.

One can be a very good manager with very little leadership ability. A leader can have excitement, vision and emotion, but lack the management abilities to carry out his vision. Leadership is motivation to create business, management the skill to retain it. You manage things, you lead people.