Words to live by

As taken from About Face by COL David H. Hackworth, USA Ret. who was quoting from one of his commanding officers during a change of command ceremony (Col Johns). May be found on page 402-403.

-Strive to do the small things well.
-Be a do-er and a self-starter - aggressiveness and initiative are two most admired qualities of a leader - but you must put your feet up and think.
-Strive for self improvement through constant self-evaluation.
-Don't overinspect or oversupervise. Allow your leaders to make mistakes in training, so they can profit from the erros and not make them in combat.
-Keep the troops informed; telling them "what, how and why" builds their confidence.
-The harder the training, the more the troops will brag.
-Enthusiasm, fairness and moral and physical courage - four of the most important aspects of leadership
-Showmanship - a vital technique of leadership.
-The ability to speak and write well-two essential tools of leadership.
There is a salient difference between profanity and obscenity; while a leader employs profanity (tempered with discretion), he never uses obscenities.
-Have consideration for others
-Yelling detracts from your dignity; take men aside to counsel them.
-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.
-Stay ahead of your boss.