The essential tasks of the military leader, summarized by Dick Winters (2/506 Airborne Infantry Regiment, WWII):
“I may not have been the best combat commander, but I always strove to be. My men depended on me to carefully analyze every tactical situation, to maximize the resources that I had at my disposal, to think under pressure, and then to lead them by personal example.”
If you haven’t already read this paper from Casey Haskins, it’s definitely worth a look. You may not agree with the sweeping premise, that the present-day Army suffers under the administrative and philosophical burden of the Cold War era. But there are plenty of valid points that will cause you to evaluate the quality of your own leadership and your organization’s culture.
The SlideShare document is below and you can scroll through it for a quick look. I’ve also included the paper’s Conclusion, which is a bullet list of bold changes and a summary of the paper’s tone. Keep in mind that it is a few years old, too.
Here’s a thought-provoking article from FastCompany.com that will bring you back to the personal elements of leadership, customer service, and engagement that we often forget. Check out all of the “10 Things You’re Doing at Work That Say ‘I Don’t Care’,” but here are a few that stood out as relevant for military leaders.
Mentorship is at the core of military professional development and is a crucial aspect in making the military an elite developer of leaders. Often what makes mentorship successful is a personal and professional kinship shared among the individuals. I look around my work environment and can find no shortage of combat arms officers to engage and learn from.
For women in the military, a pool of available mentors is not so easy to find. Sure, male service members can mentor women service members…but a same-gender mentor provides unique perspective and understanding.
That’s why the Women’s Mentorship Network is such a valuable organization.
Last week, while discussing the separation boards and low promotion rates in light of a downsizing Army, a fellow officer commented,
“These trends are going to create a cut-throat Army. Everyone is going to watch their backs and protect themselves to make sure they get promoted. I’m not looking forward to serving in that environment.”
With all due respect to his perspective and opinion…that’s the wrong way to approach the coming years in our Army. And specifically, that’s the wrong attitude to have if you want to get promoted and continue to lead Soldiers. Here’s why…
Today, let’s consider some input from General Colin Powell, as well as the classic list of Armed Forces Leadership Principles that most of us grew up with. There are clear overlaps, like “Set an example” and “Know your people and look out for their welfare.” But, how can we update and refine those principles to give leaders a more accurate picture what is necessary in today’s military? I welcome your thoughts and suggestions!
“Hi, my name is Casey and I’m an AfPaK Hand.” A hand raises in the back of the room, “what’s an AfPak Hand?” I’ve heard this question many times in the last two years. Honestly, before I volunteered for the program, I didn’t know what it was either. Despite the talk that it’s a dead-end or career-ending program, I see it differently. Based on my personal experiences, I feel that the AfPak Hand program is giving me the necessary tools to address the security challenges the military will face in the coming decade.
No strong man is without weakness (and no weak man is without strengths!); but a man of high character can be depended upon at all times.
If a follower can say of his leader, “I can depend on him, not necessarily always to be right, but to do his best and what he considers to be right. I know his word is good. I can depend upon him to be honorable in his dealings with me. I can depend on his moderation, his temperance, his fairness, his judgment. I trust him. I admire him,” that is the type of leader men have confidence in and whom men will die for.
Decisions are not easy in time of war, and the follower must believe in a decision that means life and death.