Everything goes up and down in leadership. I have always been interested in George S. Patton. Some attribute his work to winning World War II. Obviously, it was a great team effort to pull it off, but studying General Patton and his role as a leader is good for any inspiring leader.

Why is this important to me?

I always want to ask this question as if I am sitting in your shoes. I do not want to waste your time. Leadership is needed today more than ever. The post-World War II generations have seen good times. The coming storm of the debt crisis, terrorism and the implosion of the world economy may lead to very difficult times that will require determination and leadership.

The times hardened George Patton to become an excellent leader. He was born in 1885 and died in 1945. This means that he lived through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. Unfortunately, nowadays, if children have to turn off Xbox, they get angry because parents are not fair. This is a real problem and that is why leadership should be studied.

Timeless Leadership Principles is divided into three separate sections. Section one describes all of Patton’s accomplishments during World War II. I recommend you study Patton’s history, but simply put, he covered more ground with the Third Army and was instrumental in winning the war. For the sake of time, I will cover 5 main points from section two of the book. Note: Richard Stillman observed Patton for over a year when Patton commanded the Third Army, so he had first-hand knowledge of Patton’s leadership style.

1. Be in good physical shape; Be mentally positive; Be financially secure: the Third Army consisted of more than 400,000 soldiers. To lead an organization like that, your house must be in order. If you are unhealthy, in debt, or have a bad attitude, no one will follow you. In war, leaders know that their direction and decisions are life and death and they need to focus on the tasks and goals at hand. The last thing they need to consume is the three staples of daily concern regarding physical, mental, and financial health. A quote from Patton sums this up: “High fitness is vital to victory, fatigue makes cowards of us all. Fit men don’t tire.”

2. Lead by example; Go for the jugular; Be bold: Patton delegated authority better than anyone. He understood that to win the war he needed to be close to the troops and focus on the most important tasks at hand. This included being in the field and walking with the men in the combat zones. He was not an ivory tower administrator, but an effective leader. Going for the jugular and never paying twice for the same property won us the war. With Patton, there was no defense. He attacked all the time and never stopped. This is an excellent leadership quality because you are growing or dying, there is no stable state. These three principles require discipline. According to Patton: “Discipline is based on pride in the profession of arms, meticulous attention to detail, and mutual respect and trust. Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the emotion of battle or fear of death.”

3. Acquire Expertise in their Profession; Know your competition; Post his achievements: Patton was an excellent military student of the war. He studied history and understood why countries won and lost wars. He was also a student of his competition: the German commander Rommel. He read Rommel’s writings and knew how he did things. One of the greatest exploits of World War II was the lure of the Normandy invasion. The Germans respected Patton and were betting that he would lead any major offensive. Eisenhower knew this and used Patton as a decoy while the Americans stormed Normandy Beach. These are the benefits of publicizing his achievements. If he is a smart leader, he can use his achievements for the benefit of his team.

4. Patton’s Fatal Flaw – Know Your Achilles’ Heel – Patton made a few political mistakes throughout his WWII career. He was the target of media scrutiny after he slapped a battle-weary soldier in Italy. Patton was tough and did not want men wounded in battle to be disgraced. After this incident, he mistakenly insulted the Russians (not his intention) and it spread like wildfire which cost him his command. According to Patton: “GD’s stupid comment: I know better.” Do you know your Achilles heel? If not, learn it and otherwise it will affect you as a leader.

5. Be an effective writer and speaker. Most people don’t know this, but George S. Patton was dyslexic. Learning for him was a challenge, but he did it anyway. To be an effective leader, you must be a lifelong learner. Imagine controlling 400,000 lives in the greatest war in history. This requires dedication of oneself to the cause. This is much bigger and more difficult than just running a business.

General Patton’s Timeless Leadership Principles is a good book and should be read by all aspiring leaders. Great leaders don’t get fired in today’s world and if they do, it’s because of incompetent people. By committing to continuous improvement toward a leadership goal, you can secure your future. The world is short of great leadership.

I hope you have found this brief summary useful. The key to any new idea is to work it into your daily routine until it becomes a habit. Habits are formed in as little as 21 days. One thing you can take away from this book is discipline. Make discipline a daily goal around your true purpose in life. If you know what that purpose is, then establish discipline and create the clothing necessary to achieve your life’s ambitions.