Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Yep

Rose42

This may not be a good time to have a career military man as president. It was different during Eisenhower’s era and Mattis is no Eisenhower though I do think highly of him.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

https://www.leanblog.org/2019/09/general-jim-mattis-on-leadership-mistakes-and-defining-problems/

Also, apart from the above link....

4 Leadership Principles From General 'Mad Dog' Mattis That Aren't So Mad After All

Jeff Boss...I write about leadership, adaptability and high performing teams.

You don’t get a nickname like “mad dog” from playing with bunny rabbits. Nor do you get appointed as Secretary of Defense if you’re truly “mad.”

The dichotomy between the “mad” moniker and the calculated, deliberate decision making process required to make complex decisions at the General level speaks volumes about the leadership principles we can expect from General Mattis. Here are four:

1) Expect failure, but don’t accept it.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, General Mattis made the following remark regarding his nickname “Mad dog”: “Senator, I assure you that nickname was given to me by the press and some [of] you have experienced similar occasions with the press where perhaps they didn't get it quite right."

The takeaway here is this: people, teams and organizations make mistakes. Hey, it happens. Learn from it and move on. Failure only exists when you choose to stop learning; when you tolerate shortcomings, errors or mishaps and take no corrective action--that's when you fail, when you accept the status quo and do nothing to question or improve it.

2) Look rearward to move forward.

Generals are, by default, students of history. They must be. To make the strategic decisions that govern military assets across the sea, air and land--not to mention impact a nation--requires a keen understanding of what has worked in the past, what hasn’t and the context that explains why not.

The military regularly conducts after action reviews which are post-event assessments designed to learn from errors, successes and assumptions. Now, there’s good news and bad news if learning has yet to be institutionalized in your company. The good news is that you’re not dead yet (but you are dying a slow death). The bad news is you’re already obsolete because now everybody has to play catch up to learn what worked, what didn't and why.

True learning organizations due just that—they ingrain learning into their DNA by asking difficult questions that challenge previously held assumptions. They deliberately question whether they're doing things right and if they're doing the right things. If the answer isn’t a resounding “yes” to either of these (one doesn’t suffice), then the next question is, “How might we?”

3) Intimidate and inspire.

Force is, by nature, intimidating. It must be, since the application of force serves two fundamental purposes: a) To achieve what influence thus far has not and b) To dissuade similar behavior from occurring in the future.

However, intimidation alone isn’t enough because once that force disappears then so too does the intimidation factor--or ability to influence--which is why intimidation must be accompanied by inspiration. The push/pull effect here is important because too much of any one thing is just that—too much.
“America has two fundamental powers,” according to Mattis. “One is the power of intimidation. I was part of it and America will defend herself and our idea, this experiment that we call America. And that's all it is, is an experiment in democracy. But the other power I think that perhaps we have used less in recent years, last 20 years maybe, is the power of inspiration. And I think that the power of inspiration of America at times has got to be employed just as strongly."

4) Live your ethos.

War is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for the mentally weak, spiritually broken, physically unfit, or emotionally unstable. And you know what? Albeit on a different scale, neither is business. To move ahead--in anything--requires a strong belief in oneself, each other and the purpose you are serving. The criteria for success are industry agnostic.

What I’ve personally found after leaving the military is that different industries may define success differently but the means by which they go about succeeding are always the same. They all require leadership, teamwork, communication and decision making at all levels to move the ball forward. And that’s what we can and should expect not only from General Mattis, but also from each other.

Rose42

The best leaders I've ever known didn't mollycoddle. They dressed down when needed in order to build up. That is a sk**l very few have anymore. The modern 'coach and encourage' style does not build as much strength. Not from what I've seen.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

It would be a surprise if 'MadDog' has/had ever been described as a 'mollycoddle(r).'

mollycoddle [ˈmälēˌkädl]

VERB; to treat (someone) in an indulgent or overprotective way. synonyms: pamper · cosset · coddle · spoil - indulge · overindulge · pet · baby · [more]
NOUN; an effeminate or ineffectual man or boy. synonyms: coward · weakling · namby-pamby · mouse · drip · sissy · weed · snowflake · [more]

Rose42

I know what it means and it describes some of the way the regular forces are treated. And I wasn't talking about Mattis.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Rose, I did not doubt you knew the meaning of the word, but I wasn't sure if you were talking of Mattis or not. I wanted to be clear with my thoughts on the man.

Why do Marines revere 'MadDog' Mattis?

"His walk, and his talk. He walks how he talks. He is well known as a single mission, non-compromising man of very high standards. He is NOT afraid to say what is real, for a fighting man, trained in combat, to feel, do, believe, and want to see done. He reveres his troops, and he expects them to perform even higher than he sets for their standards. He is dev**ed. He is not afraid to be a boss, and yet he does not bask in the glory or comforts that come with being the boss. He likes being a Marine, and his JOB is being a General. But he relates to the troops like a troop leader, like a troop relates to other troops. He tells the t***h. His mission is to finish, and do so with the least amount of damage to HIS (our) people. He does not have much to say about what will happen to the other side, or a statement about what damages they will have - other than it will be wh**ever it takes to win, and get the enemy to submit, quit, and surrender.
That kind of leadership, and p***e and talk and true commitment to your people, makes your people love you. Giving them the support and the backing to let them DO THEIR JOB, is something many leaders of warriors have not done. Asking a Marine, or other soldier to hold back, don’t attack, don’t take out the enemy when you see them is a corruption of their training and their inherent goal that carriers their reward for good work. They like him, since he’s unleashed them, to a large extent to do their jobs, and when finished, stop, and return, and stay prepared to do it again, somewhere else. Its style, management and leadership...that’s why they love him."

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Great additions to the thread slatts..

I knew very little about Mattis when he was appointed and with the many poor appointments made, I had some concern.. but every thing I have heard or seen him do, respect for him keep on growing..

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

SEMPER FI, Frosty

I would v**e for Mattis as President under any political banner.

Lt. Rob Polans ret.

Generals, good Generals like him live and breath the battlefield and there's another side to Mattis. On Christmas he takes cookies that his wife bakes to the men stuck on duty. He simply was never trained for diplomacy. That isn't a good or bad thing it just is.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

There is a major flaw in your cookie story, Rob. James Mattis has never been married nor has he any children. Because he hasn't ever married, he has a history of filling in for junior officers during holidays so they could be with their families. Legend has it he hasn't even owned a television set.

He is known not only as 'MadDog,' but also as 'The Warrior Monk.' Read a prior post by me as to his knack for diplomacy.

https://www.historyguy.com/james_mattis_warrior_monk.htm

promilitary

Trump came across as a total ignorant i***t here.

nwtk2007 Loc: Texas

I, personally, never liked Mattis. he did some good things and had his good points but I found him to be disingenuous. F**e. No doubt he was a formidable foe to his enemies, but his reverse wasn't good.