17 06 Dick Winters on Following Order That He Didn't Think Made Sense, with Commentary from Jocko

Jocko Podcast 17 - 00:42:38 - 00:50:40

Full List of Book from the Jocko Podcast:

[terrytrentham]

Because of Major Winter`s actions on D-Day disabling the 105`s that were trained on Utah Beach, I was able to grow up with a father, who landed on that beach on that day with the 4th Infantry.

[NSResponder]

Let us all be thankful that men like Major Winters stood up to do the right thing when we needed them to.

[HistoryCity]

Maj. Winters spent the entire war looking out for his men, leading them with the utmost professionalism. He was a guy you followed into combat knowing he was going to make sound decisions. Thanks for sharing the video.

[gusmancuso]

I learned an early lesson as a new Platoon leader from my Company commander about "selective compliance". Never disobey an order. Never tell a subordinate to disobey an order. But you don't do stupid things. Selective compliance.

[raymondjoseph]

My buddy who recently passed disobeyed an a direct order. He directed his convoy off route for a distress call. His convoy was closer than any other. Was told help was on the way and stay on route. A few minutes later the call comes out again on the BFT. He adjusts route and saves another unit in convoy. He's a CPT at the time and gets his ass chewed by his MAJ. Put in for a CM. When the paperwork got to BDE the COL came down, fired the MAJ . This is all a 2nd hand story and i was not there. But i have no doubt about it. His CAB and 2 bronze stars with v device convinced me. Sometimes you have to do what's right. Hard but lives matter.

[mash]

Winters seemed like he was the perfect infantry officer. Someone who gets the job done, extremely intelligent and his men would go to hell and back for him.

[cobrakai]

It's very interesting how Dick Winters noted in his book just how RARE good leadership is in the world. We aren't just talking about the military either, which is shocking to hear enough especially about the WWII generation which we all look up to, but everyone in every field and profession. I carry his words with me all the time in my professional life. I see on a daily basis just how bad people are at leadership, they get a leadership position and expect things to just go their way with a snap of a finger, but things often fail for them and they dont get it. Dick Winters knew it was earned and it takes a special man to truly grasp how to lead, and his men realized that thoroughly. I strive to live my life in a way Winters would appreciate.

[choosesomethingfun]

There is a HUGE difference between a true leader and a soldier who's main interest is their military career.

[andrewpoderis]

My favorite leader is Major Dick Winters. I visited his grave in Ephrata PA on memorial day

[ericdcbrown]

Dick Winters should have a statue, and the military should have a Hall of Fame. If you dropped into an unknown LZ in France behind Hitler's front lines, winter in Europe with no cold weather gear, liberate a concentration camp, and march all the way to Hitler's house; you're 1st ballot. 🇺🇸

[shawnchief]

Dick Winters was one if not the greatest of military leaders. He knew both sides of the command. He knew how to support his men but he also knew how to follow the top brass.

[xraydelta]

Only a proven, decorated, Battlefield promoted, savvy combat officer would dare trying to get away with that! Major Winters was quite a man!

[luckyer]

this exact reason our military is so effective. I was told by one of my drill sgts "we are training you to take action without thought, but we don't want people without common sense. learn from your superiors and your experienced peers so you are a more effective leader because that day will likely come when you are suddenly in charge. common sense is what will make you a better leader". we weren't taught this specific tactic but it was pretty easy to figure out on my own. not to this level but when things are going well, command is happy. suddenly, one day, they aren't happy and want to change everything. you say "check rog, i got it" and keep doing what you're doing to get the mission completed. command comes back happy and proud like they did something amazing but nothing actually changed. also a great a way to determine if your command is worth a damn or not.

[stevennatale]

Spot On! This is the type of leadership you cant just READ and learn. You have to understand the broader concepts and the areas BETWEEN....you can call them the "gray areas" if that makes sense. But it is an AREA to work within and you have to feel confident in yourself to manage that as you OWN the consequences. Only true Leaders ever make it to that level of managing their sphere of influence.

[captwrecked]

We were tasked with semi-regular "Ethics discussions" in our unit on training days. I used this specific example and it generated some lively discussion.

[wvb]

It’s the “tell ‘em what they want to hear” technique. Poor leaders are often more concerned about being questioned or challenged than they are with disastrous mission outcomes.

[gregshock]

Dick Winters was an incredibly rare man, an extraordinary man who had more backbone than a dozen regular guys. My opinion.

[stevehowell]

I was a infantry platoon sgt. in Iraq in 2005.I was given a mission that I thought was stupid and would have been dangerous to my guys for no reason. My response: Roger that. My action: drove about 5 klicks away. set up in a security halt till daybreak then continued on with a counter-mortar patrol. Regret doing it my way ? Not one damn bit

[stealth]

Many men value things like integrity above all else, but in this particular circumstance the righteous act is to proceed with honor above honesty. Honoring the lives of his men as more important than a pointless objective.

[greebo]

I can easily see it from Winters point of view... disobey a direct order and risk court martial, enact the order to your best ability and you will take a few casualties, say no, get replaced and the team takes multiple more casualties