James G. Stavridis > Quotes

“We seem to have lost our capacity for politeness and for genuine concern about the quality of our interactions in this hectic century.”
― James G. Stavridis, The Accidental Admiral: A Sailor Takes Command at NATO

“The character lesson, when you strip the centuries-old setting away, is that only a leader who is personally disciplined herself or himself can realistically apply significant discipline to an organization.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Sir Winston Churchill, one of the truly great writers ever to put pen to paper in the English language, often said that when he was stuck on a passage that just would not come out well in a draft, he would put aside the writing and pick up the King James Bible, letting its beautiful phrases and cadences wash over his mind. He would then return to drafting whatever he was working on and invariably found the correct “turn of phrase.”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“a strong leader reads but also processes what he or she is reading to create real thoughts. These should be more than just musings that pass along like shadows over a field; they must be considered and recorded. Good leaders write down their thoughts. Finally, it is necessary but insufficient to read, consider, and record your thoughts—they must be sent into the world to survive contact with friends, allies, critics, and enemies alike.”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“Character requires both conviction and flexibility.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Decisiveness without facts is madness; but you will never have all the facts. Finding that balance is at the heart not only of leadership, but of character as well, since in the end it is the inner voice to which you must answer for the choices you make.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“character is at all times at least as vital as intellect, and the main rewards go to him who can make other men feel toughened as well as elevated”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“Knowledge and understanding of enemy strategy, tactics, doctrine, and staff planning improve the detailed planning of adequate security measures.”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“Zumwalt was frequently and widely regarded as a sailor’s admiral. Extreme loyalty to subordinates was one of the hallmarks of his career. Particularly when he commanded at sea or in combat, Zumwalt drove his people hard but also did what he could to share their experience and make life a little easier on them. As commander of all US naval forces in Vietnam, he was a frequent visitor to both frontline combat units and hospitals, and his efforts to improve life for his sailors ran the gamut from delivering cases of beer in his personal helicopter to spending real time with wounded sailors in hospitals.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“These include: 1.Do the Right Thing—the principle of integrity. We see in George Marshall the endless determination to tell the truth and never to curry favor by thought, word, or deed. Every one of General Marshall’s actions was grounded in the highest sense of integrity, honesty, and fair play. 2.Master the Situation—the principle of action. Here we see the classic “know your stuff and take appropriate action” principle of leadership coupled with a determination to drive events and not be driven by them. Marshall knew that given the enormous challenges of World War II followed by the turbulent postwar era, action would be the heart of his remit. And he was right. 3.Serve the Greater Good—the principle of selflessness. In George Marshall we see a leader who always asked himself, “What is the morally correct course of action that does the greatest good for the greatest number?” as opposed to the careerist leader who asks “What’s in it for me?” and shades recommendations in a way that creates self-benefit. 4.Speak Your Mind—the principle of candor. Always happiest when speaking simple truth to power, General and Secretary Marshall never sugarcoated the message to the global leaders he served so well. 5.Lay the Groundwork—the principle of preparation. As is often said at the nation’s service academies, know the six Ps: Prior Preparation Prevents Particularly Poor Performance. 6.Share Knowledge—the principle of learning and teaching. Like Larry Bird on a basketball court, George Marshall made everyone on his team look better by collaborating and sharing information. 7.Choose and Reward the Right People—the principle of fairness. Unbiased, color- and religion-blind, George Marshall simply picked the very best people. 8.Focus on the Big Picture—the principle of vision. Marshall always kept himself at the strategic level, content to delegate to subordinates when necessary. 9.Support the Troops—the principle of caring. Deeply involved in ensuring that the men and women under his command prospered, General and Secretary Marshall taught that if we are loyal down the chain of command, that loyalty will be repaid not only in kind but in operational outcomes as well.”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“Strong leaders must follow the truth wherever it leads. Nothing is more dangerous than a subordinate who will shade or alter the truth in order to curry favor or impress the boss. Leadership must be built on teamwork, mutual respect, and above all a shared sense of a common objective. Adm. J. Stavridis”
― James G. Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“Sometimes the best lessons we can study are indeed those we should not repeat: that is the case with Sir Francis Drake. Not the legacy to be wished, and of all the admirals in this volume he would be the least admirable, pun intended.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Cassin and Downes.”
― James G. Stavridis, The Restless Wave: A Novel of the United States Navy

“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“As he said about responsibility, you can “share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance, or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“On Watch,”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“This quality of character—decisiveness—is a good example of the adage that so often an imperfect plan executed with determination and ferocity is better than cautiously waiting for everything to fall into place perfectly. In my own decision making, I’ve tried to take a 90 percent rule on the really big, dangerous decisions—especially in combat.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“None of this necessarily would require war. Indeed, he said, “force is never more operative than when it is known to exist but is not brandished,” which Roosevelt would recast as “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“clear, simple, and wrong.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans

“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on” (Ulysses S. Grant).”
― James Stavridis, The Leader's Bookshelf

“the military’s approach, which is to make decisions quickly, move out, and then adjust as necessary.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“ship could blow up at any moment, and be ready with a Plan B. Disbelief, whining, and weakness are unacceptable. Men and women of character display resilience in adversity. But there is another meaning to the painting for me, and it goes to the quality of honesty and”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Far better to keep your own counsel on personal opinions about others and be careful with secrets both professional and personal.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Finding the balance between determination and an open mind is one of the ongoing tests of character for us all.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“All leaders are in the business of dealing with human beings, but not all of them know it.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“It has always seemed to me the three most random things in the Navy appear to be early promotion, flag selection, and the awarding of medals.”
― James G. Stavridis, The Restless Wave: A Novel of the United States Navy

“David Foster Wallace, “This Is Water.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“Having thus worked on the exogenous variables to build a higher level of energy, we need to try to think of energy level as an internal quality of character that we can improve through a variety of means. Several ways to do this include mentally organizing tasks in a coherent, simple, prioritized way in our minds; reading and studying the stories of those who have lived particularly energetic lives (like Admiral Fisher); looking consciously for the good in the people we meet; focusing on the humor in difficult people and situations; accepting the things we cannot change; thinking about the long term and overcoming day-to-day frustrations by keeping them in perspective; and recognizing that the best end to a disagreement is the creation of a win-win outcome.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character

“all leaders need to be resilient, and resilience is most often developed by the experience of operating under pressure.”
― James G. Stavridis, Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character