Valuing Leadership in an Era of Prophets, Politicians, and Pugilists

摘要

Gen. Ira Eaker suggested that a leader possesses strength of integrity, wisdom,and courage and that these characteristics alone provide the focus to keep one on the proper course in life. Carl von Clausewitz also struggled with the attributes of leadership before outlining the qualities consistent with a military genius: (1) courage (both moral 'COURAGE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY' and physical 'COURAGE IN THE FACE OF PERSONAL DANGER') and (2) power of intellect ('War is. . . wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty. A sensitive and discriminating judgment is called for'). From these characteristics, Clausewitz derived two others: (1) coup d'oeil (the inner eye or the 'quick recognition of a truth that the mind would ordinarily miss or would perceive only after long study and reflection') and (2) determination ('the capacity, having taken a decision, to stick to it').