¶ … Worst Faults a Military Leader Can Exhibit:
Incompetence, selfishness, and living in the past
"If America is to meet the multiple challenges of the 21st century, it is crucial that we develop a system that places the right people in the right places in government at the right moment."[footnoteRef:1] But just as critical as being the 'right' type of leader is avoiding making some of the most typical mistakes of poor leaders of the past. Incompetence and disorganization; fighting the last war rather than the current conflict (i.e., living in the past); selfishness and a focus on the personal ego rather than the actual needs of the nation are the three worst faults a leader can exhibit. [1: J. McCausland, "Developing strategic leaders for the 21st century," Strategic Studies Institute, 2008. Available: http://www.StrategicStudiesInstitute.army.mil / (26 Sept 2013), xi]
On a very basic level, military leaders must have basic organizational skills. "In the entry on the Spanish-American War, 1898-99…the word most frequently chosen to describe the mobilization for and the conduct of this conflict is 'chaotic'"[footnoteRef:2] Even though the United States actually won this conflict, it is considered an 'unsuccessful' military campaign because of the fact that it could have been less costly both in men and in terms of money saved to the American government. Great leaders study previous and current military strategy; have a good awareness of their troops' capacity to fight; and understand the enemy. There have been great leaders on both losing and winning sides of all wars. In contrast, poor leaders do not exhibit such basic competency and understanding of military tactics and reality. They squander rather than capitalize upon their advantages. While it is true that sometimes natural gifts such as larger forces or better technology may give an army an edge, a leader should not be assessed in a black-and-white, win-loss fashion. Competent leaders seek to control their environment, not the other way around. "Leaders who believe that they can influence what happens in the world are generally more interested and active in the policy-making process. Those who are high in this trait...
174). McPherson also points out that following the Union victory at Laurel Hill, McClellan was given the responsibility of training the newly-named Army of the Potomac at Washington, D.C. Upon arriving in the city, McClellan "found no army to command, only a mere collection of regiments, perfectly raw and dispirited... " He then "took hold with a firm hand to reorganize and train these troops" which demonstrates his excellent skills
Those officials who did look at the question of Japanese intentions decided that Japan would never attack, because to do so would be irrational. Yet what might seem irrational to one country may seem perfectly logical to another country that has different goals, values, and traditions. (Kessler 98) The failures apparent in the onset of World War II and during the course of the war led indirectly to the creation
Joan of Arc Before Referencing Pernoud, Regine with Marie-Vbronique Clin. Joan of Arc, Her Story. Revised and translated by Jeremy du Quesnay Adams. Edited by Bonnie Wheeler. New York: Palgrave, 1999. pp336. $11.96. The young French girl Joan of Arc only lived to see her 19th birthday. She did not even attain the age of adulthood by the modest standards of her own era. Yet Joan's brief life has spawned many historical
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The lack of action over Rwanda should be the defining scandal of the presidency Bill Clinton. Yet in the slew of articles on the Clinton years that followed Clinton's departure from power, there was barely a mention of the genocide." The UN, pressured by the British and the U.S., and others, refused to use the word "genocide" during the event, or afterward when it issued its official statement of condemnation
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden. Specifically, it will contain a general book report on the book, with emphasis on the leadership qualities of the Rangers in Somalia. "Black Hawk Down" was first serialized in the "Philadelphia Enquirer" by the author, Mark Bowden. The book was made into a commercially successful film that chronicles one U.S. Army Ranger mission in Mogadishu, Somalia when a
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