When it comes to effective leadership, the devil is in the details, according to former Admiral James Stavridis.
“As we try to sort out, for example, a cease-fire in Ukraine, the challenge is not in the strategic—the challenge is the detail,” Stavridis said.
Stavridis shared his assessment of major geopolitical conflicts and their implications for the United States while discussing leadership lessons at the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics’ Clough Colloquium on Thursday afternoon.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stavridis served in the Navy for 37 years and reached the rank of four-star admiral. He was commander of the United States Southern Command and later the NATO Supreme Allied Commander.
Stavridis encouraged the audience to look to the past for lessons on leadership, particularly to Franklin D. Roosevelt—one of the three best U.S. presidents, in his view.
In addition to being an effective communicator through his fireside chats and speeches, Stavridis highlighted Roosevelt’s ability to collaborate and lead through teamwork.
“Who else could put together on one team and have a coherent outcome when your teammates are Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, and Joseph Stalin?” Stavridis said. “That’s a rough crowd.”
But one of Roosevelt’s most underappreciated qualities, Stavridis said, was his eye for detail.
According to Stavridis, after Roosevelt finished dinner with guests, he often unrolled a map of the United States and handed them a pen, asking them to draw a line across the country in whatever direction they wanted. Regardless of the path they chose, Roosevelt could discuss individual counties.
“We think of Roosevelt—as we should—as a grand strategic thinker, but he was a master of detail,” Stavridis said.
Leaders should take a page out of Roosevelt’s book and apply that same attention to detail to resolve current conflicts, especially the Russia-Ukraine war, Stavridis said.
Stavridis estimated there is a 60 percent chance Ukraine and Russia will sign a cease-fire agreement by the end of the year.
As part of a potential deal, Stravidis said Western sanctions against Russia could be lifted, and Russia would likely retain all the territory it currently occupies, amounting to approximately 20 percent of Ukraine’s total land area.
Additionally, Stavridis said both nations would need to agree on a new border, with a demilitarized zone—similar to the one between North and South Korea—dividing them. They would also need to determine who would be responsible for guarding it, Stavridis added.
“It’s not a happy picture, but I think we can start to see the end game, and it will look a lot like the end of the Korean War,” Stavridis said.
If the war drags on for another year or two, Ukraine’s path to victory will be fraught with challenges, Stavridis said.
“It’s not mission impossible, but it is mission really, really hard,” Stavridis said. “My advice if I were advising President Zelensky? Take the deal. Europe will stand with you. The U.S., I think, ultimately will stand with you.”
Meanwhile, China has quietly laid claim to the South China Sea—a body of water roughly half the size of the United States.
“China claims it in its entirety, as sovereign territory, as internal waters of China,” Stavridis said. “It’s a preposterous claim. The United States—like almost every other country—we claim 12 miles of sovereign territory off the shore.”
To strengthen its presence and military strength in the region, China has built artificial islands in the South China Sea, according to Stavridis. This threatens both Taiwan and the Philippines, with which the United States has entered into an alliance and agreed to protect if an attack occurs.
Stavridis said Taiwan has emerged as a microchip hub and strong democracy, but investment in its military has not kept pace, leaving it vulnerable to Chinese aggression.
“Their military is kind of in the 20th century,” Stavridis said. “They have not invested sufficiently to create a military that can deter China, and China has options.”
The solution, Stavridis said, lies in Taiwan making itself like a porcupine—difficult for China to confront.
“Taiwan needs to become that indigestible porcupine,” Stavridis said. “In order to do it—it’s a rich country—they can buy cruise missiles, air-defense systems, advanced mines that go in the sea.”
Even as tensions with China remain high, Stavridis said he is hopeful the two powers can find common ground.
“We can avoid [conflict] if we apply diplomacy, deterrence, and if we are smart,” Stavridis said.
Stavridis closed his talk by encouraging the audience to recognize and thank not only veterans but everyone who works to make their community a better place.
“Let’s celebrate all who serve, not just our troops,” Stavridis said. “Let’s celebrate our public safety defenders. Let’s celebrate our teachers and educators. Let’s celebrate our medical personnel.”
