Category Archives: Leadership

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You Are Being Watched – A Lesson in Example

Years ago, as I approached my commissioning as a Second Lieutenant, a mentor was describing Army life to me and said something memorable about example. He pointed out,

“You will pass probably a hundred Soldiers throughout each day…and you’re gonna have to salute each one of them…and it will start to feel routine and unimportant, almost an annoyance. But don’t get sloppy and don’t take it for granted. You won’t remember each one of those Soldiers, but they will remember you. You may be the only officer a Soldier sees that day…the only salute he sees in return. So execute each interaction as if it were the most important of the day.”

Always on Parade

There is clearly the “professional bearing and appearance” side of my mentor’s lesson, the idea that a leader, whether she likes it or not, is on a perpetual stage.  Every moment is an opportunity to represent the organization’s values and telegraph desirable performance standards. Appearance matters. Doing correct push-ups matters. Training to standard matters. And suffering hardship with the team matters.

“Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life.
Never spare yourself and let your troops see that you don’t in your endurance of fatigue and privation.”
~ German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

“You are always on parade.”
~ General George S. Patton, Jr.

Another aspect is that leaders influence followers in ways that are less-direct and more personal. Just as you have chosen what talents you like about your leaders, your followers get to choose what traits they will model after you. Each person views your leadership from a different perspective and a different set of needs. Some are looking for perseverance during busy times. Others are disgruntled and need the passion reignited. Some need a good lesson in humility. Still others will bend their parenting behavior to model your character traits.

Bottom Line

You don’t get to decide which lessons people take from your example or when they decide to learn from your behavior. You’re always “on” and you will likely never discover the true impact of your leadership. This is both the burden and the blessing of leadership…make it count.

“The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do.  You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.”
~  General Colin Powell

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What You Can Do About Your Full Inbox

It’s tough to deny… Email is our closest companion and our most prolific mode of communication. Despite the personal nature of military leadership and the requirement to build close-knit teams, I can’t think of a single thing we do that isn’t planned, assigned, or communicated on email.Inbox

And if you’re like me, this list sounds familiar:

  • I feel like I need to keep every email for accountability
  • My OCD personality makes me want to sort all my emails into folders
  • I get a little anxious when I open my Inbox and find dozens of new messages
  • I have dozens, even hundreds of unread messages in my Inbox
  • I feel like I can’t leave the office without responding to the day’s new mail
  • I have checked mail while having a face-to-face conversation with someone on my team
  • I feel like email is taking up more of my day than it should

After living with the military Inbox for 16 years now, I’m convinced that few of us manage it well and could use some techniques on being more efficient. If you agree, you need to check out leadership and productivity expert Michael Hyatt’s post, “Yes, You Can Stay on Top of Email.”

Take Aways

  • You get 5 options, that’s it:  Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete, File
  • You’re wasting time by sorting emails into folders
  • Use the search box to find emails quickly
  • Use automatic rules and conditional formatting to organize your high and low priority emails

Bottom Line:  we don’t need more time to process email…we just need to be disciplined and efficient in managing it.

Questions for Leaders

  • Do you think email has negatively impacted the leadership environment in military teams?
  • Have you ever tried to move your organization away from email and engage more personally?
  • What methods do you use to manage your Inbox?

Feel free to leave a comment below.

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12 Things Good Bosses Believe (#7)

I aim to fight as if I am right, and listen as if I am wrong —
and to teach my people to do the same thing.

#7 of Robert Sutton’s 12 Things Good Bosses Believe should be a no-brainer. Military leaders generally don’t have a problem fighting as if they’re right, but what does “listen as if I am wrong” mean for leaders who are driven, experienced, and trained to perform with total confidence? Let’s start by looking at the antithesis.

good bosses

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, talks with members of the Marine Guard Detachment at the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Feb. 20, 2016. Link to photo.
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“Start by Making Your Bed” – Speech by ADM McRaven to the University of Texas

As the commander of US Special Operations Command, Admiral William McRaven has led some of the most complex and decisive missions ever conducted by the US Military, but in this speech to the University of Texas graduating class of 2014, he relays the simple lessons that leaders should never forget.

Excerpts:

“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”

“If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.”

“If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.”

“You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core.”

“If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.”

Published on The University of Texas’ Official Publication, The Alalde, by Tim Taliaferro.

HTTP://ALCALDE.TEXASEXES.ORG/2014/05/MCRAVEN-TO-GRADS-TO-CHANGE-THE-WORLD-START-BY-MAKING-YOUR-BED/

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10 Easy Ways to Develop Your Leaders

You’re overthinking it! Leader development doesn’t have to be the big “thing” it sounds like when you say it.

When I became a platoon leader, I struggled with what type of development program to implement. Should I create a formal development plan with events and steps?…or should I simply model effective leadership and hope the Soldiers learn by example? I engaged a mentor on the topic, who gave me priceless advice that I remember to this day. She said, “Just look for teachable moments.”

Too often, leaders adopt the belief that leader development has to be a lengthy program that takes hours or weeks to develop. The “unit leader development program” sounds like a monstrous effort that integrates technical training, tactical education, lofty discussions, resource products, and lots of time. Most of us shudder when we think about having to create one.

Here’s the unfortunate result…our flawed perception of leader development consequently prevents us from doing ANYTHING.

develop

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Arrio Granum, center, a platoon leader assigned to Bravo Troop, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, briefs his Soldiers prior to a presence patrol around Forward Operating Base Fenty in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2013. The morning patrol was to check the security of the base’s perimeter and to engage area residents. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Margaret Taylor.

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Video: TED Talk – The Impact of Leadership

“As long as we make leadership bigger than us, as long as we keep leadership beyond us, as long as we make it about changing the world…we give ourselves an excuse not to expect it everyday from ourselves and from each other.”
Drew Dudley

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate…our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light and not our darkness, that frightens us.”
Mary Ann Williamson

In the majority of the time that military units aren’t specifically training to win wars, we spend our time trying to make the unit and its people better. We do this through organizational policies and decisions…and we do it by personally influencing people.

This short TED video reminds us that our influence and our impact on others is deeper than we realize…or give ourselves credit for. All leadership boils down to making people better, and the nature of our profession gives military leaders significant power to do that.

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12 Things Good Bosses Believe (Rule #6)

“I strive to be confident enough to convince people that I am in charge, but humble enough to realize that I am often going to be wrong.”

Rule #6 of Robert Sutton’s “12 Things Good Bosses Believe” is one that should resonate with military leaders. Typically, we do not have difficulty convincing people that we are in charge; the long history of service and discipline inherently gives authority to leaders/commanders.

Still, exerting authority at the right time/place does not come naturally for some, so it may be necessary to look for opportunities to lead with intention and assertiveness. But let’s be honest, most military leaders need to pay attention to second half of Sutton’s statement.

Being in charge doesn’t mean you’ll always be right. In fact, being a leader almost guarantees that your decisions will be wrong in at least some people’s eyes.

Leadership sometimes means making people mad.
– General Colin Powell

Sutton’s point is that sometimes leaders will be flat-out wrong, and the good one’s will:

  • Be open-minded enough to sense it
  • Be humble enough to admit it, publicly if necessary
  • Be willing to listen to advice and correct the mistake

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Video: A New Look at Rewards and Motivation (TED – Dan Pink)

TED – Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation. Here is an illuminating talk that challenges the way we view rewards and performance.

– The promise of reward only works when performing basic or mechanical tasks.
– Reward actually impairs performance of even rudimentary cognitive tasks and stems creativity.
– Members perform best when they are given Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

What place does Autonomy have in military organizations?
When do you incorporate rewards when leading your team?