These two articles from Harvard Business Review look at different areas of the same critical topic: the powerful, sometimes unintentional ways that leaders influence the intellectual capability of their organizations.
Maj. Kirby Robinson, chief planner, 1st ABCT, briefs a movement plan to convoy drivers prior to a key leader’s engagement April 24 at the tactical movement area at NTC, Fort Irwin, Calif. Photo by: US Army Images
In yesterday’s post, I revealed a few of the ways in which I thought becoming a parent would change me. I anticipated the obvious, like that a new baby would transform my daily routine and thrust me out of my comfort zone, and that I would instantly become a persistent example of right and wrong to this little being. I predicted that having a child would also influence how I interact with Soldiers and perform as a leader. Turns out, I was only scratching the surface of lessons that parenthood can teach a leader.
The 1177th MCT redeploys after nine months in Afghanistan. Photo by: US Army Public Images
Almost 3 years ago, I captured some thoughts about how I thought becoming a parent would change me. Of course I knew it would be a “crucible”…a test or trial that causes defining and lasting change…but how would it alter who I was as a military leader? Would I view my role differently? Would I react to deployment orders with less stoicism when I have little ones to leave behind? Would I treat Soldiers differently?
I was sure to get these answers (and plenty more) with the birth of our two daughters. Below are excerpts from what I predicted I’d learn as a new father. In the next post, I’ll elaborate on the myriad of other ways in which having children has changed me as a leader.
This article from the Huffington Post discusses seven traits that history and society has typically labeled as weak but that followers genuinely appreciate in a leader. Consider a few connections to military leadership:
Read the rest of the article here.
When was the last time you saw a military peer get fired from a position? Doesn’t happen too often, right? In the civilian world, the last several years has been characterized by high unemployment and a difficult job market even for new college graduates. In contrast, the military is intentionally difficult to enter, but also hard to be removed from. Why is that?
As a leader, you have mediocre performers on your team, the ones who fulfill their duty and not much more. They keep the organization running by learning just enough to progress in the military’s “up or out” system. They’re not destructive, they’re just there.
But how do you identify the bad apples, the ones who will have a corrosive, or even dangerous effect on your unit or another unit down the road? What subordinate traits are unacceptable and worth of dismissal?
Do you ever get to Friday and ask yourself, “Why does it feel like I didn’t get anything done this week?” The reality is that you probably didn’t get as much done as you could have. Which, is ok…as long as you’re committed to improving your productivity. (Hint…if you’re not in the mindset to regularly assess your work productivity, you need to start.)
This article from CamMi Pham Medium.com, 7 Things You Need to Stop Doing to be More Productive, Backed by Science, touches several topics that are routine challenges for military leaders:
Here are the bullets from the article:
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Counseling your team is a lot like creating a leader development program…if you overthink it, it’ll never get done. Plenty of leaders groan when we talk about counseling and typically cite any of the following reasons for not getting it done:
But most often, leaders don’t counsel because they’re uncomfortable with giving direct feedback. They also have difficulty telling subordinates that they’re doing an average job (it’s the best and the worst performers that are the easiest to give feedback to).
Leaders have to overcome these objections.
You’ll need to read this General George C. Marshall quote several times to absorb all the lessons hidden within it.
When you are commanding, leading [soldiers] under conditions where physical exhaustion and privations must be ignored, where the lives of [soldiers] may be sacrificed, then, the efficiency of your leadership will depend only to a minor degree on your tactical ability. It will primarily be determined by your character, your reputation, not much for courage—which will be accepted as a matter of course—but by the previous reputation you have established for fairness, for that high-minded patriotic purpose, that quality of unswerving determination to carry through any military task assigned to you.
General George C. Marshall, Speaking to officer candidates in September 1941
Here are a few of the takeaways: