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I asked a whole lot of my friends who were generals and colonels and majors, who served over General Clark and under General Clark and every last one of them said to me that this is a good man, and if he were leading our nation they would be proud. [He is a] son of the South capable of making a dangerous world a safer place for everybody. A man we are going to make the next president of the United States.

Wesley Clark#47

PoliticsLeadershipMilitaryCharacterServicePublic serviceReviewSafety

About this quote

What does it mean?
Friends who served under General Clark describe him as a good man and a potential future leader who can make the world safer.
In plain terms
Other officers say Clark is a good leader who can make the world safer.
What can you take from it?
Peer validation is strong for leadership candidacy.

Where it applies

  • leadership selection
  • character reference

Putting it to work

  • seek peer endorsements for candidates

Questions to consider

  • How much should peer opinion weigh?
  • What makes a leader 'good'?

Another view

The claim relies on anecdotal testimonials rather than broader data.

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