General Patton’s Principles of Life and Leadership
General Patton’s Principles of Life and Leadership
Born November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California, General George Smith Patton, Jr. was one of the most complicated, yet greatest leaders in military history. On June 11, 1909, he attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for a year and then to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regiment. Growing up, Patton’s ultimate life goal was to become a hero and a successful leader. In Robert B. Williamson’s book, “General Patton’s Principles for Life & Leadership”, the author takes a personal account of Patton’s principles which he lived and fought for. These main principles consisted of the following: Leadership, Command & Management, Fitness, Pride-Courage-Confidence, Decisions, Success, Life & Death. Within these principles, the author includes several sub-principles which give a more in depth explanation and testimony of the events and how Patton applied these principles to his everyday life.
Patton chose to err on picking the right person to do the job as opposed to someone who would try to get on a commander’s good side by being overly generous with kind words. Patton was also kind but never afraid to congratulate someone for doing a good job and being angry with someone and making sure to set them straight if a mistake were made. He was also a fine leader because he showed humility if he was ever wrong about something. An example was such that one of his captains was sure they could not get their jeeps across a muddy stream. He insisted on driving his jeep through it and said to his troops, that all he needed was speed. He drove the jeep fifty feet back, only to have his jeep sink faster in the mud than the others before him. He got out of the car, sloshed through the mud, looked at his captain and said that he would make sure to listen to anyone who has something to say because it just may prove beneficial and to the overall
Born November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California, General George Smith Patton, Jr. was one of the most complicated, yet greatest leaders in military history. On June 11, 1909, he attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for a year and then to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regiment. Growing up, Patton’s ultimate life goal was to become a hero and a successful leader. In Robert B. Williamson’s book, “General Patton’s Principles for Life & Leadership”, the author takes a personal account of Patton’s principles which he lived and fought for. These main principles consisted of the following: Leadership, Command & Management, Fitness, Pride-Courage-Confidence, Decisions, Success, Life & Death. Within these principles, the author includes several sub-principles which give a more in depth explanation and testimony of the events and how Patton applied these principles to his everyday life.
Patton chose to err on picking the right person to do the job as opposed to someone who would try to get on a commander’s good side by being overly generous with kind words. Patton was also kind but never afraid to congratulate someone for doing a good job and being angry with someone and making sure to set them straight if a mistake were made. He was also a fine leader because he showed humility if he was ever wrong about something. An example was such that one of his captains was sure they could not get their jeeps across a muddy stream. He insisted on driving his jeep through it and said to his troops, that all he needed was speed. He drove the jeep fifty feet back, only to have his jeep sink faster in the mud than the others before him. He got out of the car, sloshed through the mud, looked at his captain and said that he would make sure to listen to anyone who has something to say because it just may prove beneficial and to the overall