Alan Axelrod on George S. Patton

“He was tough. War is tough. Leaders have to be tough. He drove his army hard, yes, and he made many enemies among colleagues and subordinates, but he also produced results. He was indeed arrogant, but sometimes a good leader has to be larger than life. … But the fact is: again typically, Patton's admirers are no more specific in their praise than are his disparagers in their criticism.”

“For Patton, leadership was never simply about making plans and giving orders, it was about transforming oneself into a symbol.”