Here is a short Harvard Business Review article from Air Force Brigadier General John Michel (@JohnEMichel and GeneralLeadership). Brig. Gen. Michel was most recently the commander of NATO Air Training Command Afghanistan and shares several grassroots leadership lessons in this article, entitled “A Military Leader’s Approach to Dealing with Complexity.”
Takeaways
Brig. Gen. Michel expands on several core leadership principles that continually need emphasis. Here they are:
- “Craft your vision in pencil, not ink.” Who is to say that we get our Vision Statement or our Command Philosophy documents right on the first try?…or even the fifth? Personal leadership development should be an evolving process that ebbs and flows with the dynamics of your team. You’re not a perfect fit for the command when you walk through the door, so don’t be afraid to challenge and adjust your own beliefs.
- “Believe no job is too small or insignificant for anyone, especially you.” Basic military leadership, folks. If you don’t have a recent “non-office” story ready to tell, you need to go get dirty with the troops again. It will remind you of how hard it is to be a cog in the wheel and show your team that you were once in their shoes, too.
- “Remember that leaders should be generalists, not specialists.” More rank will historically default to more meetings if you don’t discipline yourself to do otherwise. As a military leader, you need to be a generalist who can connect with and understand the skills required for success at the lowest level. Also be ready for increasingly complex problems to accompany your rising responsibility.
- “Recognize that every interaction is an opportunity to equip, engage, empower, and inspire those around you.” Brig. Gen. Michel encourages a “walk the floor” instead of an “open door” policy. Solid advice, for sure. When you are a leader, every contact with your team members sends a message. What’s routine for you will be significant for them. Make sure you’re building your team and reinforcing your message with every interaction. Here’s a similar thought from You are Being Watched – A Lesson in Example:
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.