“Monty,” as the British general Bernard Montgomery was known, was an insufferable little bloke.
Monty loved a good battle.
Even more, he loved the hero worship and publicity that came along with winning. And he had no qualms about political maneuvering around the other Allied armies so his own army was positioned for the win and the glory.
He also loved to talk about himself. And his ideas. If the idea wasn’t his, it wasn’t worth considering. If it was a good idea, he would soon claim it as his own.
Bombastic U.S. general George S. Patton, often the one being sidelined, had some particularly creative and colorful language for describing Monty.
Yes, Monty was insufferable. But he was also often right.
Such as when it came to the planned Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943.
The Allies had just routed the Germans and Italians from Northern Africa and it was time to move north into Europe.
The plan was for a massive amphibious landing on Sicily. Conquer Sicily and then plow ahead up into Italy from the toe.
“The original plan had been drawn up by the British chiefs of staff in London. The strategic objective was not merely to occupy Sicily but to destroy the German and Italian forces holding the island.
It was anticipated that as the Allies advanced, enemy troops would fall back on Messina in the northeast corner of the island, only three miles across the strait from mainland Italy. The aim was to take Messina before those troops could be ferried to safety.
Monty’s British Army would land on the southeast coast and take the port of Syracuse, while Patton’s U.S. Army landed on the northwest coast and took the port of Palermo. The British would then move north and the Americans east to take Messina.
Monty felt the plan didn’t have a chance. He argued that the whole American landing should be moved and concentrated in the south, right beside the British landing. That way the Allies would benefit from concentrating their forces against the Germans.
“Once a bridgehead had been established in the southeast corner of the island the two armies could separate to advance on Messina by different routes. Monty would thrust immediately north… Patton, on his left flank… would thrust inland to take three crucial airfields…”
– Quotes from Patton, Montgomery, Rommel: Masters of War by Terry Brighton
Monty’s plan was the right one.
The landing on the Southeast of Sicily was the largest ever in history up to that point. And it taught the Allies many lessons they would later use on D-Day. (Monty would later plan the D-Day landings.)
It’s a simple idea: Apply force and concentration to create a breakthrough. Then you can afford to spread a bit and ‘clean up.’
It’s the strategy we teach our Plenty of Clients Mastery Program clients.
Whereas others are running after this tactic and that shiny object, our Plenty of Clients members concentrate. Focus. Until they breakthrough.
And then they ‘clean up.’
If you’re ready to concentrate and create your own steady, consistent, predictable flow of ideal clients, then request a free 15 minute “Consistent Flow of Clients” strategy chat with me.
It’s an opportunity for us to begin to get to know each other. And together we’ll decide where to go from there.
Dov Gordon
