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Legend has it that during a conversation with Admiral "Bull" Halsey, Nimitz confessed his apprehension. The weight of the decision about Midway was o… - William H. McRaven
" "Legend has it that during a conversation with Admiral "Bull" Halsey, Nimitz confessed his apprehension. The weight of the decision about Midway was overwhelming him. Halsey, blunt as ever, reminded the admiral of Nimitz's own personal conviction. "You once old me," Halsey began, "that when in command, command."
It was the clarion call that Nimitz needed. He understood that commanders are expected to make the tough decision. To act with purpose. To be confident and lead from the front. To accept the challenge and steel yourself for the rough waters ahead. A commander must command. Command the situation. Command the troops. Command your fears. Take command.
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About William H. McRaven
William Harry McRaven (born 6 November 1955) is a retired United States Navy admiral who last served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command from August 8, 2011, to August 28, 2014. Since January 2015, he has served as the chancellor of The University of Texas System.
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William Harry McRaven
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William McRaven
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Additional quotes by William H. McRaven
I saw this level of initiative time and again during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps understood that the nature of the fight required the generals and admirals allow the junior officers and enlisted to make tough combat decisions. We had to delegate responsibility because there just weren't enough senior officers to oversee all the tactical operations. We had to trust the rank and file to do the right thing.
It is always difficult for senior leaders to trust their subordinates with important decisions, decisions that invariably affect the reputation of the unit and that of the senior leader. But if you don't create a culture that allows the rank and file to act on their own, they will be mired in indecisiveness and that will stall any forward momentum. However, leadership is not always defined by the man or the woman at the top of the chain of command, and you don't have to be in command to lead.
On May 17, 2014, I was honored to give the commencement speech for the graduating class from the University of Texas at Austin. Even though the university was my alma mater, I was concerned that a military officer, whose career had been defined by war, might not find a welcoming audience among college students. But to my great surprise, the graduating class embraced the speech. The ten lessons I learned from Navy SEAL training, which were the basis for my remarks, seemed to have a universal appeal. They were simple lessons that deal with overcoming the trials of SEAL training, but the ten lessons were equally important in dealing with the challenges of life- no matter who you are.
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