Thirteen Mistakes

In 1966, SLA Marshall, a General in the United States Army, wrote a groundbreaking book on military leadership titled The Officer As A Leader. His book, based on his experiences from the World War, examines the psychology of leadership and the traits a good leader must possess.

In the Book, General Marshall beautifully captures the key ideas of leadership in the form of Thirteen Mistakes Leaders Should Avoid. Even though the book is mainly about military leadership, the thirteen mistakes represent distilled wisdom from which we can all benefit.

1. To attempt to set up your own standard of right and wrong.
2. To try to measure the enjoyment of others by your own.
3. To expect uniformity of opinions in the world.
4. To fail to make allowance for inexperience.
5. To endeavor to mold all dispositions alike.
6. Not to yield on unimportant trifles.
7. To look for perfection in our own actions.
8. To worry ourselves and others about what can’t be remedied.
9. Not to help everybody wherever, however, whenever we can.
10. To consider impossible what we cannot ourselves perform.
11. To believe only what our finite minds can grasp.
12. Not to make allowances for the weaknesses of others.
13. To estimate by some outside quality, when it is that within which makes the man.

Post Script- Everytime I review this list, Mistakes 10 and 11 capture my attention always !!