U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell claims that he learned the value of honest communication from his stint in Vietnam. Even though the soldiers and commanders in the field knew, at some point, that the U.S. needed to pull out of the war, the top leadership wanted to keep up appearances. They didn’t want the opinions of those who were on the front lines. It was a disastrous decision.

Powell claims that the best way to make a major decision is to talk to the people closest to the problem. During Desert Storm, Powell would look to the soldiers in the field for their opinion. He even allowed subordinate officers to argue with him on major points. In this way, he gained the reputation of being honest and trustworthy. His officers were not afraid to tell him the truth.

– “Behind Open Doors” by Oren Harari, Modern Maturity, Jan./ Feb. 2002, p. 49

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