Scribd
Upload
591 views1 page

Moltke's Four Types of Mil Officer

Field Marshal Moltke developed a matrix to categorize officers into four types: 1) Smart and lazy officers, who are best suited for command positions as they get the job done efficiently. 2) Smart and energetic officers, who are best for staff positions as they make intelligent, thorough plans. 3) Dumb and lazy officers, who can handle menial tasks without causing issues. 4) Dumb and energetic officers, who cause problems and should be eliminated, as they make things happen but the wrong things.

Uploaded by

Jose Nepomuceno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
591 views1 page

Moltke's Four Types of Mil Officer

Field Marshal Moltke developed a matrix to categorize officers into four types: 1) Smart and lazy officers, who are best suited for command positions as they get the job done efficiently. 2) Smart and energetic officers, who are best for staff positions as they make intelligent, thorough plans. 3) Dumb and lazy officers, who can handle menial tasks without causing issues. 4) Dumb and energetic officers, who cause problems and should be eliminated, as they make things happen but the wrong things.

Uploaded by

Jose Nepomuceno
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

Field Marshal Moltkes Four Types of Military Officer

Prussian Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke (1800-1891) developed this
interesting Value Matrix to categorize his officer corps.

Smart & Lazy: I make them my Commanders because they make the right thing happen but
find the easiest way to accomplish the mission.
Smart & Energetic: I make them my General Staff Officers because they make intelligent plans
that make the right things happen.
Dumb & Lazy: There are menial tasks that require an officer to perform that they can
accomplish and they follow orders without causing much harm
Dumb & Energetic: These are dangerous and must be eliminated. They cause thing to happen
but the wrong things so cause trouble.

Later Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein (1887-1973), arguably the Wehrmacht's best World War
II military strategists who was dismissed from service by the Fuhrer in March 1944 due to
frequent clashes with him over military strategy, later articulated Field Marshal Moltkes model
in the following quote:

There are only four types of officer. First, there are the lazy, stupid ones. Leave them alone, they
do no harmSecond, there are the hard- working, intelligent ones. They make excellent staff
officers, ensuring that every detail is properly considered. Third, there are the hard- working,
stupid ones. These people are a menace and must be fired at once. They create irrelevant work
for everybody. Finally, there are the intelligent, lazy ones. They are suited for the highest office.

I would suggest that both Field Marshals have correctly identified the four types of officers but
would respectfully disagree about who is best suited for highest office, especially in todays
highly competitive environment. Smart & Energetic wins every time and only the truly driven or
exceptionally lucky succeed.

You might also like