Be the hunter, not the hunted: Never allow your unit to be caught with its guard down.
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of diplomacy and the consequences of betrayal in leadership situations.
James Mattis's quote highlights the delicate balance of leadership, where good faith and attempts at resolution can be met with ultimatums. It reflects on the seriousness of actions taken in high-stakes situations, suggesting that while efforts may be made to avoid conflict, there are severe consequences for crossing those who hold power, hinting at the lasting legacy of decisions made during such crises.
Themes
LeadershipDiplomacyConflictConsequencesPower
In practice
Example use cases
During a company meeting where tensions are rising between departments.
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.
James MattisRead
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
Demonstrate to the world there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than a U.S. Marine.
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across coalition and national lines, and across civilian/military lines, you need to go home, because your leadership is obsolete.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.
James MattisRead
Similar quotes
American influence in the world depends on the ability to act with real capacity and set an example that others will want to follow. This all takes resources.
Richard N. HaassRead
I appoint the laziest person to do the hardest job as they'll find the easiest way to do it
Bill GatesRead
When I think of the most valuable coach, I definitely think of a coach like Geno Auriemma, and the things I learned from him that stick out in my mind are his passion for the game, competing at all the little things and doing it at a high level.
Maya MooreRead
We must not let ourselves be seen as rushing around the world looking for arguments... Nor should we let ourselves be seen as ignoring allies, disillusioning friends, thinking only of ourselves in the most narrow terms. That is not how we survived the 20th century. Nor will it serve in the 21st.
Daniel Patrick MoynihanRead
If I had to pick my greatest strength as a football coach, I say it would be innovation.
Tom LandryRead
Teamwork remains a sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped because it is hard to measure (teamwork impacts the outcome of an organization in such comprehensive and invasive ways that it's virtually impossible to isolate it as a single variable) and because it is extremely hard to achieve (it requires levels of courage and discipline that few executives possess) - ironically, building a strong team is very simple (it doesn't require masterful insights or tactics).
Patrick LencioniRead