Be the hunter, not the hunted: Never allow your unit to be caught with its guard down.
James MattisRead
In this age, I don't care how tactically or operationally brilliant you are, if you cannot create harmony - even vicious harmony - on the battlefield based on trust across service lines, across coalition and national lines, and across civilian/military lines, you need to go home, because your leadership is obsolete. We have got to have officers who can create harmony across all those lines.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Effective leadership requires the ability to foster trust and harmony among diverse groups.
James Mattis emphasizes that in modern warfare, mere tactical brilliance is insufficient for effective leadership. True leaders must cultivate a sense of trust and harmony across various groups, including different service branches, international coalitions, and civilian and military sectors, to succeed in achieving their objectives. If a leader cannot do this, their approach is outdated and ineffective in contemporary conflict environments.
Themes
LeadershipHarmonyTrustMilitaryCollaboration
In practice
Example use cases
During a military conference, when discussing the importance of joint operations, this quote could highlight the need for inter-agency trust.
More from James Mattis
All quotes →I would happily storm hell in the company of these troops ... how strongly they have demonstrated to the world that free men and women can fight like the dickens.
James MattisRead
For the mission's sake, our country's sake, and the sake of the men who carried the Division's colors in the past battles - who fought for life and never lost their nerve - carry out your mission and keep your honor clean. Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than a U.S. Marine.
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You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be bad.
James MattisRead
We've backed off in good faith to try and give you a chance to straighten this problem out. But I am going to beg with you for a minute. I'm going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.
James MattisRead
Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than a U.S. Marine.
James MattisRead
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