James Mattis
James Mattis is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as commander of U.S. Central Command and as the 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense. He is also the co-author of the leadership memoir Call Sign Chaos.
4 quotes in this collection. Read them below, share your favourites, or follow the related links to explore similar voices.
All quotes by James Mattis
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“You don't always control your circumstances, but you can always control your response.”
Meaning: Mattis wrote this in Call Sign Chaos (2019), his memoir on leadership, reflecting on situations that were messy and out of his hands. Leaders are judged by how they react, not by the hand they were dealt. When plans collapse, pause, then choose one calm next action. -
“I think the rewards for moral courage are promotion.”
Meaning: Mattis made this remark in his 2019 C-SPAN interview, arguing that institutions should advance people who tell hard truths rather than those who go along. A practical step: when a colleague raises an uncomfortable problem, thank them publicly and act on it, so speaking up feels safe. -
“Any institution gets the behavior it rewards.”
Meaning: In a 2019 C-SPAN interview with David Brooks, Mattis explained that organizations drift toward whatever they promote and praise, whatever their mission statement says. If you lead a team, check who actually gets the credit and raises; then reward the behavior you want to see more of. -
“We have got to have officers who can create harmony across all those lines.”
Meaning: Mattis spoke at a 2010 Joint Forces Command conference about leaders who must bridge services, nations and agencies working together. Harmony here means building trust across differences, not erasing them. At work, introduce people from different teams to one another early, before a crisis forces them to cooperate.