Old Blood and Guts George S. Patton, Jr. was one of the most colorful generals of World War II. Patton went to the Virginia Military Institute and to West Point, where he was an undistinguished student but a remarkable athlete. A cavalryman and swordsman in the U.S. Army, he served on the staff of General John J. Pershing during the 1916 pursuit of Pancho Villa in Mexico, and during World War I Patton fought in Europe and became an early expert in a radical new form of battle machine: tanks(Infoplease, 2010).
GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR. QUOTATIONS
“A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.”
“I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight.”
“America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war.”
“A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.”
“By perseverance, study, and eternal desire, any man can become great.”(generalpatton,2010).
Early Life
George S Patton spent his childhood listening to stories of military heroes. Both his father and grandfather, Col. George S. Patton, had attended Virginia Military Institute, where Patton’s favorite hero, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson had taught. George S. Patton decided when he was 10 years old that he wanted to grow up to be a famous general. He spent most of the remainder of his childhood teaching himself things that he felt a general needed to know. This drive towards a goal, very evident during his childhood, would continue throughout his life (freeinfosociety,2010).
Purpose of the assignment
Purpose of this assignment is to provide an argument, based on research and briefly discuss about General George S. Patton’s leadership Qualities.
Area’s I intended to cover in this assignment includes:
1. A brief introduction on George s Patton
2. The leadership Traits shown by George s Patton
3. The leadership Principles adopted by George s Patton
4. The leadership Styles shown by George S Patton
5. Discussion
6. The Lessons which I learned according to the research of George S Patton
7. Conclusion
Analysis
Leadership Traits shown by George s Patton
Bearing, courage, decisiveness, dependability, endurance, enthusiasm, initiative, integrity, judgment, justice, knowledge, loyalty, tact, unselfishness; these are the fourteen written leadership traits by George S Patton. Patton always stayed true to his word and men and never left their side. Even though he called them cowards, maggots, and just about every insulting thing that you could tell a soldier, they still followed him. He motivated these men, gave them confidence, and boosted. Patton says In order for you to be a good leader you must be technically and tactically proficient. “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way,” Patton is most known for saying. He wanted his men to wear their ties into battle. Develop a sense of responsibility among subordinates. There was pressure from some superiors in Washington and an ignorant public to have Patton relieved of duty. Know your men, look out for their welfare, and keep them informed. In the end, Patton made a courageous public apology for the incident. Another example of Patton’s determination as a leader was when he found himself in trouble with military leaders after he slapped a soldier who he considered a coward and a malingerer. These two examples show many of Patton’s leadership traits(megaessays,2010).
Leadership Principles adopted by the leader
Here are some leadership principles that he stood for:
1. Commanders must lead and they must have the authority to match their responsibility.
2. Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.
3. Leaders always protect their followers first.
4. Leaders always do what they ask their followers to do.
5. Do not go to war when you gain nothing by winning.
6. Always, have something in reserve.
7 Good tactics can save even the worst strategy. Bad tactics will destroy even the best strategy.
8. A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.
9. Communications must be quick and effective.
10. Know what you know and what you do not know!
11. Be timely with yourdecisions, never too early or too late.
12. Live for something rather than die for nothing(Bergeth,2007).
Example:
Gen.George S. Patton’s leadership principles are emotional and curious that his subordinates’ valued and accept whole-heartedly those principles accordingly. The flamboyant Patton applies these principles to motivate his soldiers towards imposing the necessity of their job, how important the soldiers are and always force them readiness and alertness in their reaction, to any unforeseen adverse condition.
Leadership Styles shown by the leader
Patton’s simple plan of attack was to, “Hold the enemy by the nose and kick him in the pants.” Probably the greatest aspect of his leadership qualities was the ability to motivate his troops via masterful speeches. This involved talking to his troops like they all were vital to operational success; “The soldier is the army. No army is better than its soldiers.” A lesson many big companies should recognize, it could only better their working relationship with their employees. Patton talked in a language that could easily be understood by his men and respected everyone’s role in making the American fighting men winners (navaleadership.blogspot,2010).
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This colorful hero and general of world War II was a chief proponent of the adoption of armored weapons and mobile tactics, whose career climaxed in 1944-45 when, after the Allied Normandy invasion, Patton’s Third Army swept across France and into Germany. One of the world’s ablest tank commanders, he played a pivotal role in helping to halt the German counterattack in the Battle of the Bulge (Dec. 1944-Jan. 1945) . Patton was relentless leader, and incurred favorable publicity for slapping a combat exhausted soldier in a hospital, although he later apologized publicly for the incident. He himself was fatally injured, ironically, in an automobile accident near Mannheim, Germany, and is remembered as amongst the most capable as well as tempestuous generals of World War I1.1 This incident was reflective of not just the leadership style of Gen. Patton, but of his controversial persona as well. George Patton displayed an ability(ezwrite,2010)
Example:
Stickler, Patton’s leadership styles shows that he was a completely Authoritarian. But he always look after his soldiers their well-being he always depend upon his soldiers. He always use to motivate soldiers by giving them various extraordinary speeches to achieve his goals.
Significant leadership moment displayed by the leader
Patton always knew exactly what he wanted to say to his soldiers and he never needed notes. He always spoke to his troops extemporaneously. As a general rule of thumb, it is safe to say that Patton usually told his men some of his basic thoughts and concepts regarding his ideas of war and tactics. Instead of the empty, generalized rhetoric of no substance often used by Eisenhower, Patton spoke to his men in simple, down to earth language that they understood. He told them truthful lessons he had learned that would keep them alive. As he traveled throughout battle areas, he always took the time to speak to individual soldiers, squads, platoons, companies, regiments, divisions or whatever size group could be collected. About the only difference in the context of these talks was that the smaller the unit, the more “tactical” the talk would be. Often he would just give his men some sound, common sense advice that they could follow in order to keep from being killed or maimed(pattonhq,2010).
Patton was the first soldier in the tank corps. He created the training procedures, the regulations and the methods of instruction. At that time the American public saw Patton as an arrogant man who enraged Americans because he slapped a soldier who was hospitalized for post traumatic stress disorder, which at that time was called combat fatigue(123helpme,2010).
Example:
Patton himself is a self motivated high morality person, he has the will to win and he also express those feeling to his subordinates with sound knowledge, he says if there is a will there is a way, and the best thing is he encourage his soldiers by guts. His decisions of achievement are known as do or die. He didn’t except loosing the battle by showing cowardness.
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Discussion
General George S Patton is a great incredible commander who had born to America. His dream and the ambitions determined while his childhood, to become a hero of the battle to serve as a army professional commander. to serve his nation as a combatant . After his determination he attempted to achieve the goal according to his dream until success. Looking to an overview of this great brilliant person, and the fabulous leadership qualities, I can say he is a brave commander; he has got the guts to fight until blood comes, against the enemies in any conditions to protect his beloved Nation. His leadership shows that he is an all-weather combat fighter. His quotes are great, incredible beneficence that provide to develop a winning attitude for people like us. Now we as a Non Commissioned Officers who are serving likewise as a combatant in Maldives National Defense Force we are pleased to accept those practical traits which proven by General George S Patton. The 14 traits now we are using in our leadership courses. Those traits can are very important to us and if we follow those traits. Each and every subordinate will have the confidence with their leaders. Take a look to his styles again its freak to apply among us even in a adverse condition. Basically, Patton’s leadership philosophy is to keep moving and use offensive tactics against enemies. He always reminds his soldiers that Wars are not won by defensive tactics. Therefore the soldiers have to keep moving towards the enemy and the enemy cannot hit you. If anyone stay behind or get backward during the confrontation. He can be known as a coward, without having the guts to confront in the battle. And for that person it’s good to dig a grave on his own. The good thing which I found from this leader can be mention about his vigorous speeches to motivate his soldiers in all vital conditions and if I say something bad about the leader there will be very few things to say but with respect and fond to him I would like to say the split personality is also important to a good leader, often I couldn’t find this Quality by him and in return I found authoritative style at all times.
Lessons Learned
Regarding the lesson which I learned from this leader can be stated without a end. But the most priority and reason given to fight against enemies I mean the every single war fought against them is to defend their nation from the enemies or any terrorist act he loved his country and also emphasize others to love their nation. Attain the vigorous courage from our past fathers. Don’t leave even a piece of land area from our nation to any selfish enemy.
I learned as a lesson from this leader that if we hold our hands together to achieve something ( goal or mission ) then it will not face us a difficulty to win. Especially we, the defense forces must know who we are and to whom we are for,
The more he declaim his speeches to his subordinates before the confrontation to any adverse condition or person nevertheless enhancing their courage will result ultimately, in several ways of his goal achievement.
Conclusion
General George s Patton’s leadership is sometimes harsh and to the point, but nevertheless it’s very effective. Generally he applies an autocratic leadership style also he himself is a very serious person. People cannot bluff him while doing their job because he knows his soldiers very well. Patton’s leadership methods are very much feasible and surely it can be implemented into today’s business environment too, throughout his leadership we could derive experience and also these people could work best in their companies with, having a very aggressive business stance and attack their given market share. Therefore eventually I would wholeheartedly embrace his potential and greatest leadership methods. Gen.George s Patton had been proved efficient and effectiveness by showing his vigorous performance in accomplishments during world war 2 and his own life. As a non commission officer in MNDF my ambition is to adopt some of his good leadership Qualities to my behavior and apply these leadership in every appropriate condition.
Reference page
Bergeth,2007 viewed on 31 March 2010
http://www.articopia.com/pdf/article-18702.pdf
ezwrite,2010 viewed 1April 2010
freeinfosociety,2010 view 1 April 2010
generalpatton,2010 viewed on 31-03-2010
Infoplease, 2010 viewed on 31-03-2010
megaessays,2010 view 1 April 2010
navaleadership.blogspot,2010 viewed on 31 March 2010
pattonhq,2010 viewed on 31 March 2010
Wikipedia, 2010 viewed on 31-03-2010
123helpme,2010 viewed 31 March 2010
SERGEANT COURSE – 01
MALDIVES NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE
I Hereby, declare the contents which I included in this assignment was written by myself based on the Research of the given Leader. Therefore, I can assure you, there would be no Plagiarized pretended act taken by, during the accomplishment of this Assignment. I do except that some parts of this assignment include sentences/information, extracted through the Internet. But I’ve been never attempted/intended to adopt those hard works done by the author to as my work.
4 April 2010
NON-COMISSIONED OFFICERS ACADEMY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND AGREEMENT
Signiture:
Ssgt Ahmed Shinan
Military Police
Maldives National Defense Force
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