--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If every soldier is authorized to make…" description: "\"If every soldier is authorized to make one mistake, then we lose the war.\" — Stanley A. McChrystal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/stanley-a-mcchrystal-5088_lose_if-every-soldier-is-authorized-to-make-o_2145572.png" --- # If every soldier is authorized to make one mistake, then… ![“If every soldier is authorized to make one mistake, then we lose the war.” quote by Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/stanley-a-mcchrystal-5088_lose_if-every-soldier-is-authorized-to-make-o_2145572.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/stanley-a-mcchrystal-5088_lose_if-every-soldier-is-authorized-to-make-o_2145572.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/stanley-a-mcchrystal-5088_lose_if-every-soldier-is-authorized-to-make-o_2145572.png) > “If every soldier is authorized to make one mistake, then we lose the war.” [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Allowing even one mistake erodes discipline, leading to collective failure in high‑stakes environments. **In simple terms:** One error can cause a total loss. Key Takeaway Maintain strict standards to avoid costly errors. Themes discipline risk leadership teamwork Mood cautionary strategic Type military leadership When to use this quote - combat operations - high‑risk projects - critical decision making Key Concepts error tolerance military strategy collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can teams balance accountability with learning? - What safeguards prevent single errors from cascading? A Different Perspective Zero‑tolerance may stifle learning and adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes, I wonder what mistake I made to lose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estefany-ambrosio/sometimes-i-wonder-what-mistake-i-made-to-lose-you/) Estefany Ambrosio > [“You don't want to make mistakes with people. Sometimes when you make a mistake you lose a human soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/you-don-t-want-to-make-mistakes-with-people-sometimes-when-you-make-a/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“In short, your grace, we’ll lose the war. Without Pythus we’ll lose, but we won’t be the only ones losing.” Now. The final threat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-e-carter/in-short-your-grace-we-ll-lose-the-war-without-pythus-we-ll-lose-but/) [Rachel E. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-e-carter/) > [My dad was always the soldier I wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/my-dad-was-always-the-soldier-i-wanted-to-be/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [Don't use your children as weapons in your war with your ex spouse, you might win some battles but in the end you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-use-your-children-as-weapons-in-your-war-with-your-ex-spouse/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/america-loves-a-winner-and-will-not-tolerate-a-loser-this-is-why/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-should-lose-a-battle-in-his-youth-so-he-does-not-lose-a-war/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/hitler-knows-that-he-will-have-to-break-us-in-this-island-or-lose-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [What can I say? If I knew in 1934 what I know now, I would have remained in the navy. I didn't know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-pohl/what-can-i-say-if-i-knew-in-1934-what-i-know-now-i-would-have/) [Oswald Pohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-pohl/) > [The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. Therefore our supreme effort must be to gain overwhelming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-navy-can-lose-us-the-war-but-only-the-air-force-can-win-it/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [If we lose the war in the air we lose the war and we lose it quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/if-we-lose-the-war-in-the-air-we-lose-the-war-and-we-lose-it-quickly/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [Choose youre battles wisely even if you win the batle you still lose the war, sometimes silence is the greatest victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julandie/choose-youre-battles-wisely-even-if-you-win-the-batle-you-still-lose/) [Julandie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julandie/) > [The Navy can lose us the war, but only the Air Force can win it. The fighters are our salvation, but the bombers alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-navy-can-lose-us-the-war-but-only-the-air-force-can-win-it-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“I mean, remember what the Vietnam War was fought for, after all. The Vietnam War was fought to prevent Vietnam from becoming a successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-mean-remember-what-the-vietnam-war-was-fought-for-after-all-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) Joseph Joffre ## More by Stanley A. McChrystal > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [President Obama had voiced strong support for the effort in Afghanistan during his campaign, pledging to add two brigades, which he did. But since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/president-obama-had-voiced-strong-support-for-the-effort-in/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [I came to believe that a leader isn't good because they're right; they're good because they're willing to learn and to trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/i-came-to-believe-that-a-leader-isn-t-good-because-they-re-right-they/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [My dad was always the soldier I wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/my-dad-was-always-the-soldier-i-wanted-to-be/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [In our society, I see public media as a lever. It pushes people by elevating them and their sights. It brings them into more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/in-our-society-i-see-public-media-as-a-lever-it-pushes-people-by/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [America needs a restart. It has long devoted its energies to solving its many big problems - unequal opportunity, crumbling infrastructure, lagging education, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/america-needs-a-restart-it-has-long-devoted-its-energies-to-solving/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [When you go through some controversy and you see your face on the news in a negative way for 48 hours... you doubt yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/when-you-go-through-some-controversy-and-you-see-your-face-on-the/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [If who you were was entirely based upon the position you were in or the headlines you got in the newspaper, or you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/if-who-you-were-was-entirely-based-upon-the-position-you-were-in-or/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [I think every war certainly wears on national will and national patience, particularly a counterinsurgency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/i-think-every-war-certainly-wears-on-national-will-and-national/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [There's an art to asking questions. Briefings are valuable but normally communicate primarily what the subordinate leader wants you to know, and often the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/there-s-an-art-to-asking-questions-briefings-are-valuable-but/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [Many leaders are tempted to lead like a chess master, striving to control every move, when they should be leading like gardeners, creating and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/many-leaders-are-tempted-to-lead-like-a-chess-master-striving-to/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [How we present ourselves matters a lot, and that's every American, not just at the senior levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/how-we-present-ourselves-matters-a-lot-and-that-s-every-american-not/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [I want the American people to understand, we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda in Pakistan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/i-want-the-american-people-to-understand-we-have-a-clear-and-focused/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [What I'm trying to do is teach people how to actually get individuals in organizations to do the kinds of things to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-teach-people-how-to-actually-get-individuals/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [By nature, I tended to trust people and was typically open and transparent... But such transparency would go astray when others saw us out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/by-nature-i-tended-to-trust-people-and-was-typically-open-and/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) [Explore all 103 Stanley A. McChrystal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) ## More Lose quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I still have to unify my division and basically become the undefeated welterweight champion of the world. I can't lose. It is more added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-spence-jr/i-still-have-to-unify-my-division-and-basically-become-the-undefeated/) [Errol Spence Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-spence-jr/) > [“Do you fear to lose me? Have I become so essential to you that you will treasure me always and never take me for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dokey/do-you-fear-to-lose-me-have-i-become-so-essential-to-you-that-you/) [Cameron Dokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dokey/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Lose one friend, lose all friend, lose yourself. A little manifesto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/lose-one-friend-lose-all-friend-lose-yourself-a-little-manifesto/) Uknown > [When you lose a person you love so much, surviving the loss is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/when-you-lose-a-person-you-love-so-much-surviving-the-loss-is/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [Win or lose or draw, you always go back and critique your performance and say you could have done things better. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/win-or-lose-or-draw-you-always-go-back-and-critique-your-performance/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [When You Lose Someone You Love, You Never Get Over It. You Just Get Used To It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-you-lose-someone-you-love-you-never-get-over-it-you-just-get/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [Some things are sacred. Until you act like they're not. Then you lose them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/some-things-are-sacred-until-you-act-like-they-re-not-then-you-lose/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) Browse all 6,442 Lose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If every soldier is authorized to make one mistake, then we lose the war.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stanley A. 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