It take 15,000 casualties to train a major general.
Interpretation
Leadership often requires difficult experiences and significant sacrifices to develop competence.
Ferdinand Foch's quote emphasizes that the journey to becoming a capable leader, particularly in a military context, is fraught with challenges and losses. It suggests that the experiences gained from facing and overcoming adversity, often through painful consequences, are essential for personal growth and effective leadership.
In practice
In a talk about resilience, one might quote Foch to illustrate the costs of leadership.
The military mind always imagines that the next war will be on the same lines as the last. That has never been the case and never will be. One of the great factors on the next war will be aircraft obviously. The potentialities of aircraft attack on a large scale are almost incalculable.
My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack.
A battle won is a battle which we will not acknowledge to be lost.
One is defeated only when one accepts defeat.
The topic of leadership is a touchy one. A lot of leaders fail because they don't have the bravery to touch that nerve or strike that chord. Throughout my years, I haven't had that fear.
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
I tread in the footsteps of illustrious men, whose superiors it is our happiness to believe are not found on the executive calendar of any country.
I hired top-notch people, trusted them to do their jobs, and then came to grips with the fact that I wouldn't be coaching as much.
If you have no opposition in the place you serve, you're serving in the wrong place.
Any commander who fails to exceed his authority is not of much use to his subordinates.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.