It is often possible to decide the issue of a battle merely by making an unexpected shift of one's main weight.
Erwin RommelRead
Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, but brains saves both.
Interpretation
Effort and intelligence are crucial in achieving success and saving lives.
This quote by Erwin Rommel emphasizes the importance of hard work and strategic thinking in both combat and life. While physical effort and sacrifice are necessary, it is ultimately the application of intelligence that determines the outcome and enhances the effectiveness of those efforts, suggesting that wise planning can prevent loss and lead to success.
In practice
This quote can be used in a speech about teamwork in a challenging project.
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.
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.
Training errors are recorded on paper. Tactical errors are etched in stone.
My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty... it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein.
If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you.
Turning a culture around is very difficult to do because it's based on a series of many, many decisions, and the organization is framed by those decisions.
With the situation as gray as it could be, no one was more conspicuous in his calm presence of mind than Washington. They must be "cool but determined" he had told the men before the battle, when spirits were high. Now, in the face of catastrophe, he was demonstrating what he meant by his own example. Whatever anger or torment or despair he felt, he kept to himself.
I worked with Congress on legislation, gave speeches to CEOs, military generals and Hollywood executives. But I also worked to ensure that my efforts would resonate with kids and families - and that meant doing things in a creative and unconventional way. So, yeah, I planted a garden and hula-hooped on the White House lawn with kids.
Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
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