"In the World War nothing was more dreadful to witness than a chain of men starting with a battalion commander and ending with an army commander sitting in telephone boxes, improvised or actual, talking, talking, talking, in place of leading, leading, leading"

This quote by J. F. C. Fuller is a commentary on the absence of leadership during World War I. He is suggesting that instead of leading their soldiers, leaders were investing too much time talking on the phone. This is a criticism of the absence of decisive action taken by the commanders, as they were more focused on talking than leading. Fuller is suggesting that the pecking order, from the battalion leader to the army leader, was not taking the effort to lead their troops, but rather were stuck in telephone boxes, talking. This lack of management was destructive to the war effort, as it prevented the soldiers from being able to take definitive action. Fuller's quote is a suggestion of the value of strong leadership in times of war, and the requirement for commanders to take the initiative and lead their soldiers.