S8 Ep297: EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE COURAGE TO PIVOT Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. The Admiral emphasizes emotional detachment in leadership, using The Godfather as an analogy for not letting hatred cloud judgment. He critiques Bill Halsey for letting a riv

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John Batchelor

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🗓️ 11 January 2026

⏱️ 11 minutes

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Summary

EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE COURAGE TO PIVOT Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. The Admiral emphasizes emotional detachment in leadership, using The Godfather as an analogy for not letting hatred cloud judgment. He critiques Bill Halsey for letting a rivalry with Spruance drive him into a trap at Leyte Gulf. Stavridis also explores the willingness to change plans, illustrating this with Stephen Decatur, who intended to steal the Philadelphiabut burned it when discovered. He reiterates that rational decision-making is vital even when it resembles surrender, as with Lloyd Bucher, challenging "Old Navy" views by asserting there is no shame in surrendering when resistance is impossible. STAVRIDIS NUMBER 3
1945 USS ANZIO AT SHANGHAI TO TRANSPORT LIBERATED US MILITARY TO HOME.

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0:34.4	with Indeed.
0:40.3	This is CBSI in the world.
0:42.3	I'm John Batchel with Admiral James Stavridis.
0:45.0	United States Navy retired.
0:46.9	His new book is To Risk It All, nine conflicts in the crucible of decision.
0:52.1	We're taking lessons learned.
0:54.2	We go now to lesson five.
0:56.5	Do not get emotionally involved.
0:59.2	I jest with Jim, this seems to be a filter that admiral's have to go through when they,
1:05.4	because the examples in his book are Farragut and then Dewey learning from Farragut.
1:10.4	And then Halsey in the
1:13.8	Lady Golf and actually through his career, the raid on the marshals in 42 and certainly the
1:20.4	doolittle raid. And then Michelle Howard, not get emotionally involved. What does that mean as an
1:25.8	admiral knowing you're going to be blamed if something goes wrong? Well, let's start with the point that all of these stories
1:33.0	give us any of us good lessons because everyone sooner or later faces a moment where you must risk
1:41.6	at all, be it at a mass shooting, be it standing on a beach when someone's
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