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About this quote

What does it mean?
Defeat leads to permanent loss of honor for a general.
In plain terms
A general who loses is shamed forever.
What can you take from it?
Failure in leadership carries heavy lasting costs.

Where it applies

  • military command
  • executive roles
  • public office

Putting it to work

  • prepare thoroughly
  • accept responsibility
  • maintain integrity

Questions to consider

  • Is failure truly permanent?
  • How do you handle public defeat?

Another view

It ignores the possibility of redemption or learning from loss.

More from Ferdinand Foch

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  2. There is but one means to extenuate the effects of enemy fire: it is to develop a more violent fire oneself.

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  3. One does simply what one can in order to apply what one knows.

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