Collin Powells Leadership Lesssons

I added a few thoughts to some of Collin Powells stirring and inspiring leadership lessons.


General Colin Powell: Lessons from a very successful leader

Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.

Take George W Bush. He’s responsible for the War in Iraq and his approval ratings are at an all time low. That is a lot of pissed off people.



Don’t be buffaloed by experts and elites.

When weapons inspectors who have been searching for months, tell you Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction. Don’t believe them. They probably just aren’t doing their job.



Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted, the leader must be doubly vigilant.

When Bush was told a plane had hit the World Trade Centre he didn’t get distracted. He still managed to finish the story about the goat for the children in the Florida classroom.



Keep looking below surface appearances. Don’t shrink from doing so (just) because you might not like what you find.

If the weapons inspectors cant find the weapons of mass destruction and the intelligence agencies in other countries say there aren’t any. And you own people say there aren’t any. Don’t listen. Keep believing.



Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.

When the guy you send to find evidence that Iraq bought Yellow cake in Nigeria for Nukes cant find any evidence. Discredit him and leak to the press that his wife works for the CIA. That’ll show him.


Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing.

BUT, if you have to go to the UN and convince them Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, take some cool drawings of trucks that are mobile weapons labs.



Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

You get into Iraq but you can’t find those weapons of mass destruction? Get more forces to look for them. They’ll turn up.


Powell’s Rules for Picking People" – Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high-energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.

Or hire the people that used to work for your dad.


(Borrowed by Powell from Michael Korda): "Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.

Saudi Terrorists attacked the Twin Towers. America needs to invade Iraq.



The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proven otherwise.

Unless the rear echelon is Donald Rumsfeld and the commanders are invading Iraq in which case he calls the shots and says how many men will be needed to get the job done.



Have fun in your command. Don’t always run at a pace. Take leave when you’ve earned it: Spend time with your families.

George Bush has one of the highest records of holidays of any US President ever. Before 911 he had been at his Ranch in Texas for a month.