David H. Hackworth

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I would like to share a few stories about a Man who we both admired (and still do). Col. Johns was the commadant at VMI my first three years and although he was not physically imposing he was a "stud" nontheless as this story will illustrate.-- Van Langdon VMI ' 61 more

Colonel Glover Johns
Basic Philosophy of Soldiering

1. Strive to do small things well.

2. Be a doer and a self-starter-aggressiveness and initiative are two most admired qualities in a leader-but you must also put your feet up and THINK.

3. Strive for self-improvement through constant self-evaluation.

4. Never be satisfied. Ask of any project, How can it be done better?

5. Don't over-inspect or over-supervise. Allow your leaders to make mistakes in training, so they can profit from the errors and not make them in combat.

6. Keep the troops informed; telling them "what, how, and why" builds their confidence.

7. The harder the training, the more troops will brag.

8. Enthusiasm, fairness, and moral and physical courage - four of the most important aspects of leadership.

9. Showmanship-a vital technique of leadership.

10. The ability to speak and write well-two essential tools of leadership.

11. There is a salient difference between profanity and obscenity; while a leader employs profanity (tempered with discretion), he never uses obscenities.

12. Have consideration for others.

13. Yelling detracts from your dignity; take men aside to counsel them.

14. Understand and use judgement; know when to stop fighting for something you believe is right. Discuss and argue your point of view until a decision is made, and then support the decision wholeheartedly.

15. Stay ahead of your boss.

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