I was fortunate enough to be a cadet in the audience at the US Air Force Academy when (then) Brigadier General Mark Welsh, the Commandant of Cadets, gave a sobering and deeply personal account of his combat experience in the Gulf War.
He was the commander of an F-16 Fighter Squadron at the time and, being a full two years before 9/11, few service members (and none of us cadets) had any insight into real combat. General Welsh brought it into focus with this speech.
Revisiting the book Military Leadership: In Pursuit of Excellence led me to an article by General Matthew Ridgway that appeared in the October 1966 edition of Military Review. Entitled “Leadership,” it is a strikingly poignant and upfront summation of basic elements of good leadership, in and out of combat. I recommend that everyone read the entire article, but here are some points to consider.
While there are no perfect men, there are those who become relatively perfect leaders of men because something in their makeup brings out in strength the highest virtues of all who follow them. That is the way of human nature. Minor shortcomings do not impair the loyalty or growth of the follower who has found someone whose strengths he deems worth emulating. On the other hand, to recognize merit, you must yourself have it. The act of recognizing the worthwhile traits in another person is both the test and the making of character.
General S.L.A. Marshall
I’m pleased to announce that this month, The Military Leader crossed 1,000 committed subscribers and followers! It’s a modest milestone, but important because it shows that there is a clear need for quality leader development content. It also shows that leaders are willing to engage and share with their teams, subordinates, and friends.
I want to thank everyone who has spent some time on the site and specifically those of you who have shared the posts. It’s tough to carve out a niche in the contemporary media environment but your shares help tremendously and make the effort worthwhile.
Below you will find some relevant and interesting stats about The Military Leader from across several social platforms (web, Facebook, email, Twitter, and RSS).
Thanks to a recent squadron commander for providing these comprehensive slides. He used them to introduce his leader development program to his officers and senior NCOs, which drove hours of educational discourse.
You can click through and download the slides below, but highlights include:
Download the PowerPoint version here: Battalion-Level Leader Development Overview.pptx
Download the PDF version here: Battalion-Level Leader Development Overview.pdf
View and download the slides on SlideShare here:
Military leaders have PLENTY of reasons to be overworked…“The Commanding General is visiting next week!” “The units are waiting for us to publish the order!” “Soldiers’ lives are at risk!”
The reality is that Soldiers’ lives will always be at risk. Command authority in the military will always dictate immediate response/action to higher headquarter demands. There will always be something to look at on the BlackBerry. We can’t fight these facts, so why not focus on being as efficient as possible despite them?
This post is all about giving you resources for eliminating distractions, delegating, prioritizing, and protecting your cognitive function. And along the way you’ll be challenged reconsider sacrificing so much “life” in the name of work.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Russell, a platoon sergeant and member of Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul’s security force, crosses the Tarnek River in Qalat City, Afghanistan, July 9, 2011.
Photo by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Grovert Fuentes-Contreras
In 2011, at the commissary of all places, I had an experience that showed me the importance of our public duty as service members. I captured my thoughts about the incident, which I think are still relevant.
Following his imprisonment in Nazi concentration camps, neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote:
“Freedom, however, is not the last word. Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth. Freedom is but the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness.”
The other day, I encountered two people on opposite ends of the responsibleness spectrum and have some thoughts about how we, as military service members and families, should behave. My first encounter was a positive one.
Staff Sgt. Skipper J. Smith of the 39th Infantry Brigade’s Benton based Echo Company, 1-153rd Infantry Regiment assists in the cleanup after the Vilonia tornado. Photo Credit: Sarah Jones
What qualities signify great leadership? We know the typical answers…example, courage, inspiration, etc. But this Forbes article provides a different perspective, highlighting leader characteristics you probably hadn’t considered.
