Category Archives: Military Leadership

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Challenging the Army Culture – “A Good Answer to an Obsolete Question”

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.

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Article: “10 Things You’re Doing at Work That Say ‘I Don’t Care'”

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.

  • #1 – You Don’t Touch Base on Projects. One big problem for the military is that staffs don’t coordinate as much as they should. Parallel planning turns into separate planning, and echelons arrive at the deadline only to find that they have been shooting at different targets. Tip: Pick up the phone, confirm details and guidance, ask questions, and share products.
  • #4 – You Don’t Ask About Someone’s Personal Life. I have been guilty of this fault and I feel like a hollow leader when I can’t connect with subordinates/teammates on a personal level. It is a fact that military leaders have more official topics to discuss than there is room in the day to converse about them. It’s easy to leave out personal conversation but the good leaders recognize that connection as a way to not only build cohesion, but to discover important details about individuals, such as motivators and risk factors.
  • #6 – You Wait Until the Last Minute to Ask for What You Need. Military leaders are notorious for taking on a task, retreating to a dark office to plan it, then rushing out at the last-minute to plead for help. The worst offenders are the ones who don’t delegate well and the organization suffers because they don’t ask for help from the team or their boss. Rank is a great motivator; you should use it sometimes. As long as your boss isn’t a toxic jerk, let him know you’re coming up short on a project and could use both his expertise to generate new ideas, and his authority to energize others.
  • #10 – You Forget to Say Thank You or Great Job. Recognition is also an incredible motivator. Tell the team they matter by expressing your thanks in the midst of an event, not just at the change of command. Tip: If you have the authority to give out awards, why not make it your primary method of recognition? Achievement Medals don’t cost anything, so hand them out like candy. 

Questions for Leaders

  • Do you know the first names of the people who work for you?
  • When is the last time you asked your boss for help on a project? Is there a project you need help on now?
  • How much difference would it make if you said Thank You or Great Job at least once an hour every day?

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Join the Women’s Mentorship Network

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.

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How To Survive a Shrinking Army

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…

Scouts from the 4th Infantry Division work together scale a wall during the obstacle course portion of the Gainey Cup, March 5, 2013, at Fort Benning, Ga. After finishing the six obstacles, the soldiers took a written test before the three-mile ruck march to the finish line.
Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Piper
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The Principles of Military Leadership [Day 3]

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!

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Making a Difference in the Middle East with AfPak Hands

by Casey Dean

“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.

Word Cloud generated from the CENTCOM posture statement given to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) by GEN Lloyd J. Austin III on March 5, 2014 via wordle.net

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.

Edgar F. Puryear Jr.
19 Stars - A Study in Military Character and Leadership (New York: Ballantine Books, 1971), 349
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Why Curiosity Matters

I don’t know about you, but I have noticed that the best leaders are always moving forward. They don’t stagnate, are curious about themselves and their environment, and continually break new ground. They advance their talents intellectually, physically, emotionally, professionally, and so on.

When you think about it, curiosity is required before one can improve at all…it is a prerequisite for growth.

The Harvard Business Review article “Curiosity Is as Important as Intelligence” highlights the idea of a Curiosity Quotient, much like the commonly known psychological capabilities of Intellectual Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ). The Curiosity Quotient (CQ) is one’s affinity to be “inquisitive and open to new experiences” and, similar to IQ and EQ, improves one’s ability to navigate complex environments.

curiosity

Soldiers at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, trying to get books from the Service Club Library. Miss Maurine Doores is the librarian.  January 22, 1942. Signal Corps Photo #162-42-79 by Weber, 162nd Signal Photographic Company.