It is often possible to decide the issue of a battle merely by making an unexpected shift of one's main weight.
Erwin RommelRead
The best form of welfare for the troops is first-rate training.
Interpretation
Proper training is essential for the success and well-being of military personnel.
Erwin Rommel emphasizes the importance of high-quality training for military troops as the most effective support they can receive. He suggests that investing in their skills and preparation not only prepares them for combat but also contributes to their overall welfare, indicating that competence can lead to confidence and better outcomes in challenging situations.
In practice
During a military conference, this quote can be used to underline the need for thorough training programs.
It is often possible to decide the issue of a battle merely by making an unexpected shift of one's main weight.
One must not judge everyone in the world by his qualities as a soldier: otherwise we should have no civilization.
The commander must be at constant pains to keep his troops abreast of all the latest tactical experience and developments, and must insist on their practical application. He must see to it that his subordinates are trained in accordance with the latest requirements. The best form of welfare for the troops is first-class training, for this saves unnecessary casualties.
War makes extremely heavy demands on the soldier's strength and nerves. For this reason, make heavy demands on your men in peacetime exercises.
Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, but brains saves both.
Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself, and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance of fatigue and privation. Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.
I've got the greatest job in the world. There's no other job in government where cause and effect is so tightly coupled where you can make a difference every day in so many different ways and in so many different people's lives. It's a great challenge.
Manners are the lubricating oil of an organization. It is a law of nature that two moving bodies in contact with each other create friction. This is as true for human beings as it is for inanimate objects.
In war, discipline can do more than fury.
Never boss people around. It's more important to click with people than to click the shutter.
The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.
I think a role model is a mentor - someone you see on a daily basis, and you learn from them.
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