---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing the military does far better…"
description: "\"One thing the military does far better than business is train its own leaders. I can't go to IBM and hire a battalion commander. They don't have any.\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg"
---

#  One thing the military does far better than business is…

![“One thing the military does far better than business is train its own leaders. I can't go to IBM and hire a battalion commander. They don't have any.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg)

> “One thing the military does far better than business is train its own leaders. I can't go to IBM and hire a battalion commander. They don't have any.”

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Military training builds leaders internally, unlike business which often hires externally without that depth.

**In simple terms:** Military trains its own leaders; business hires outsiders.

Key Takeaway

Invest in internal leadership development.

Themes

leadership training military vs business talent development

Mood

respectful inspirational

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- corporate hiring
- military academies
- team building
- succession planning

Key Concepts

organizational culture skill acquisition leadership pipelines

Questions to Reflect On

- How can businesses emulate military leadership development?
- What are the risks of hiring external leaders without internal training?

A Different Perspective

Business may lack comparable depth of leadership training.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Commanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commanders/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/)

## Related quotes

> [Tell the Truth, and speak from your pay-grade. Don't try to answer questions that would better be directed to the battalion commander or Gen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-moore/tell-the-truth-and-speak-from-your-pay-grade-don-t-try-to-answer/)

[Hal Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-moore/)

> [“And if I, as pastor, have failed to do my part to train my leaders to lead, what right do I have to complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/and-if-i-as-pastor-have-failed-to-do-my-part-to-train-my-leaders-to/)

[Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/)

> [The military does very well taking average people and making them very good leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/the-military-does-very-well-taking-average-people-and-making-them/)

[Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/)

> [The American people have no control over what the military does. We have no say in American foreign policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcgruder/the-american-people-have-no-control-over-what-the-military-does-we/)

[Aaron McGruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-mcgruder/)

> [ In the World War \[WW1\] nothing was more dreadful to witness than a chain of men starting with a battalion commander and ending with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-f-c-fuller/in-the-world-war-ww1-nothing-was-more-dreadful-to-witness-than-a/)

[J. F. C. Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-f-c-fuller/)

> [The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proved otherwise. In my experience, the people closest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-commander-in-the-field-is-always-right-and-the-rear-echelon-is-3/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [In the military we are always looking for ways to leverage up our forces. Having greater communications and command and control over your forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/in-the-military-we-are-always-looking-for-ways-to-leverage-up-our/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Let me just be candid: My party is full of racists. And the real reason a considerable portion of my party wants President Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/let-me-just-be-candid-my-party-is-full-of-racists-and-the-real-reason/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [I've been a Mac guy for almost my entire adult life. I wrote my first college papers on a typewriter, but by the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/i-ve-been-a-mac-guy-for-almost-my-entire-adult-life-i-wrote-my-first/)

[John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/)

> [IBM has taken our valuable trade secrets and given them away to Linux.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darl-mcbride/ibm-has-taken-our-valuable-trade-secrets-and-given-them-away-to-linux/)

[Darl McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darl-mcbride/)

> [And so when I moved to IBM, I moved because I thought I could apply technology. I didn't actually have to do my engineer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/and-so-when-i-moved-to-ibm-i-moved-because-i-thought-i-could-apply/)

[Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/)

> [IBM has research and development; so do Microsoft and Nike and even Jose Andres. But there hasn't been enough R&amp;D on feeding people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ibm-has-research-and-development-so-do-microsoft-and-nike-and-even/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&amp;T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-jensen/there-is-no-america-there-is-no-democracy-there-is-only-ibm-and-itt/)

[Arthur Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-jensen/)

> [I was going to visit IBM for six months as a visiting scientist. Now, six months is a lot of time, so I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wietse-venema/i-was-going-to-visit-ibm-for-six-months-as-a-visiting-scientist-now/)

[Wietse Venema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wietse-venema/)

> [My dream was to grow up and get a job at IBM, like my dad. That seemed like a logical dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/my-dream-was-to-grow-up-and-get-a-job-at-ibm-like-my-dad-that-seemed/)

[Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/)

## More by Colin Powell

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

[Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "One thing the military does far better than business is train its own leaders. I can't go to IBM and hire a battalion commander. They don't have any.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Colin Powell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-than-business-is-train-its-own/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-than-business-is-train-its-own/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/colin-powell-691_business_one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-t_888399.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One thing the military does far better than business is train its own leaders. I can't go to IBM and hire a…” — Colin Powell",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Colin Powell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One thing the military does far...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-than-business-is-train-its-own/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-thing-the-military-does-far-better-than-business-is-train-its-own/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
