LEADERSHIP
By Dr. John H. Clippinger
It is very true that I have said that I considered Napoleon’s presence in the field
equal to forty thousand men in the balance. —Duke of Wellington
One bad general does better than two good ones. —Napoleon
Introduction
During the early nineteenth century, Wellington’s and Napoleon’s1 observations made
sense. With the onset of battle, communications became muddled, artillery was
immobilized, and a commander’s ability to control his forces was limited. Consequently,
the leadership of a single general could prove decisive in battle by maintaining clarity of
command and control.
We are now at a totally different stage of warfare. This not to say that the fog of war has
completely lifted, but visibility and synchronized actions, and the speed, precision, and
lethality of response is beyond comparison to anything that has preceded i