[July 25, 2015] “Beware of leaders who’ve experience no hardships,” one of my dad’s old friends once advised me as I was entering military service. This Korean War veteran had learned about untested leaders the hard way during the United Nations’ retreat from the Chosin Reservoir in late 1950. Trial by fire is what we sometimes say when referring to ordeals and suffering that tests people’s capabilities; the assumption being that they’ve learned from it.
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
The UN advance into North Korea was stopped by the largest tactical ambush in modern warfare. Outnumbered, outgunned, and outclassed by the Chinese army, UN forces retreated to save themselves from being trapped by the well-prepared foe. It has since been acknowledged in studies of the war that it was experienced small unit leadership that allowed American forces to retreat in an orderly fashion and save themselves from total destruction.
Being experienced through trial by fire is an effective method of learning; sometimes being the only way to quickly grasp what needs to get accomplished. Any soldier will admit that it is impossible to predict in advance how the inexperienced soldier will react once in combat … some of us worry that we may let our fellow soldiers down or show cowardice in the face of the enemy. However, once tested there is greater confidence that a good leader (or any soldier for that matter) will do the right thing when under pressure.
“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” – Billy Graham
Many people fail to realize that without a leader being thoroughly tested in the most difficult circumstances, that it may be not be possible to foresee future successes or failures. When leadership is needed in a crisis, only those with a history of being tested will be chosen to lead. For example, during the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the U.S. military called upon specific men and women, by name, to staff their ad hoc headquarters. The Deputy U.S. Southern Command’s commander did not look at resumes of potential leaders but chose those who had had similar difficult experiences in their past that he knew about.
Trial by fire is effective. Some of the U.S. presidential contenders have not been tested by fire in the political arena and have failed when tested. Some point to presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as examples of this. Leaders with the relevant experiences are those that should be chosen to lead us, especially in times of crisis. Otherwise, success is merely a gamble.
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