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Wally Bock's Supervisory Leadership Tips Eisenhower Rule Number 1
Fifty-one years ago, 156,000 of American, British, and Canadian troops landed in Normandy to establish a foothold in France and begin the drive to Berlin and victory. From a half century later it’s easy to remember the victory and to praise the leaders and stand in awe of their confidence.
But on December 6, 1944 the success of the invasion was far from a sure thing. For most of the day, Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, waited for reports of how things were going. He hoped they would be going well, but he couldn’t be sure.
The Allied forces were well prepared and well supplied. But the Germans were a first-rate, battle-hardened army. The commander of their defenses was the legendary Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
So General Eisenhower faced the very real possibility that the invasion would fail and that thousands of Allied men would die without achieving victory. As he thought about that, General Eisenhower wrote out the message he would release if things went badly.
“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops.
My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame of fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”
There are many behaviors that go into great Supervisory Leadership and two of the most important are illustrated by that message. A great leader gives credit. A great leader takes the blame.
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