General Patton and a Turtle

Wisdom From George Patton and a Turtle

OK, General George Patton has something to say in one of my newsletters? Whaaatttt? OK (Another OK). Truth time, I am named after General Patton. I’m Gary Patton Piles. And, I got my name from my Father who served under General Patton in WWII. (More of that story in another newsletter.)

I’m going to paraphrase the General’s and the Turtle’s perspectives and hopefully, you will see the business relates on your own.

General Patton had these pearls of wisdom:

“Leading from behind makes you a driver and not a leader. It is easier to “lead” your troops. Just as it is easier to pull a log chain, you cannot push a log chain. “Leading” consists of extending value and respect to your direct reports. Leading (“pulling” your staff forward) includes building trust with genuineness. This leads people to strive toward an objective willingly.

“ No army is better than its soldiers”. Wow, So much in so few words. Your capacity to be personally and professionally successful can be interpreted as “How good is the staff you go to “battle” with every day? What are you doing to make them better?

Patton had something to say about his Officers too. (Yea you would be an “officer”) Moral courage is the most valuable, and usually the most absent characteristic in people. How do you measure up?

“You will never know what is going on unless….. (you hear. the whistle of the bullets.”) Maybe working alongside your team, maybe just being seen out-on-the-floor and being seen by your staff. (Not real bullets.)

And then, there’s Leo Tolstoy and the Turtle who answered Three Questions: “When is the best time to do things?”, “Who is the most important one?”, and “What is the right thing to do?” Briefly, an aged turtle helps a young boy discover the answers. (I’ll let you read the book.) IKR.

Are you ready? “There is only one important time to do things, and that time is NOW. The most important One is…The Person You’re With. Give the person your attention and respect the value of the interaction. And, “The most important thing to do….is to “DO GOOD” for whoever is at your side. That includes your staff. “Do GOOD” for those you spend more time with than with family and friends. Think about it.

So, business advice and personal guidance from a famous General and an old Turtle. Go Figure!