[August 6, 2025] Nearly 35 years ago as a Captain in the U.S. Army, I struggled with the concept of applying leadership principles; what they were and their relevance to a small military unit. I commanded a 270-soldier Engineer company that had as its mission to construct structures and build roads. Did my leader guidance at the time actually make a difference and did I get it right?
Looking back on my leader guidance, which I’ve duplicated partly below, I would say that much of what I wrote and applied was acceptable and good for any junior leader today. Much of it also applies to senior leaders. Here it is exerted from a two-page memorandum to my leaders regarding leadership and titled “Command Guidance for Leaders:”
LEADERSHIP:
- Execution: Each Officer and NCO will lead in person. Any leader who fails to obtain his mission, and who has not done everything to accomplish such, has not done his full duty. The functions of leaders are to guide and observe, not to meddle. Remember that praise, as a motivator, is more valuable than blame.
- Mission: In carrying out a mission, the promulgation of the order represents not over 10% of your responsibility. The remaining 90% consists in assuring by means of personal supervision on the ground, by yourself, proper and vigorous execution.
- Subordinate Guidance: Daily, at the earliest possible moment, leaders will brief their personnel on upcoming events and give your intentions.
- Discipline: There is only one kind of discipline – PERFECT DISCIPLINE. If you do not enforce and maintain discipline, you are potential murderers in combat. You must set the example for your soldiers.
- Condition: High physical condition is vital to mission accomplishment. Fatigue makes cowards of us all.
- Rest: Leaders, commissioned and enlisted, who do not rest, do not last. All sections must run a duty roster and enforce compliance.
- Keep Troops Informed: Use every means before and after the mission to tell the troops what they are going to do and what they have done.
The U.S. Army had not yet formalized their 7 values1 (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage) into a coherent whole. I think most of them were covered in some way in my seven paragraphs on leadership. But more importantly, how can a leader judge – looking back – on whether their leadership and their guidance made a difference and was it worthwhile?
While my unit with its leadership never deployed to combat, all of its junior officers and most of its NCOs did at some point. I had the honor to meet several of them returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. They remembered me, fortunately since I failed to recognize them, and each of my nearly dozen lieutenants during my tenure (now majors) told me that it was my leadership that motivated and inspired them to stay in the service.
Call it legacy or call it prominence or just call it good leadership, I’m satisfied that those who officered under my command did in fact succeed as leaders themselves. They learned that being a leader is more than simply occupying a position and that genuine leadership is about people. I believe I made a difference and got it right.
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Please read my books:
Sir, it is refreshing to see a much younger Doug Satterfield because those of us who read your website regularly, can actually “see” how your leadership matured over time and, of course, how it developed like so many who have become successful leaders in their careers. I for one, am learning a great deal by reading your stories one, for example, is how you worked under bad leaders and did not rebel or act up immorally, but learned how to not be that same bad leader. You learned what it was like and swore not to repeat those same mistakes. Well done, sir and thank you.
God bless our troops. 🙏
Honor those who are on your team. “While my unit with its leadership never deployed to combat, all of its junior officers and most of its NCOs did at some point. I had the honor to meet several of them returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. They remembered me, fortunately since I failed to recognize them, and each of my nearly dozen lieutenants during my tenure (now majors) told me that it was my leadership that motivated and inspired them to stay in the service.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield
King Henry – great name – I do believe you on it. Honor those on your team. You will work with them again in the future and your legacy matters.
Good to know. And please give us more ans how and why your leadership made a difference. 💯Great.
We are blessed in many ways as we can begin to see how the leadership of now-General Satterfield has grown/evolved from his junior leader time to a seasoned leader as a Flag Officer.
Nailed it but as always, we like to see more. An evolutionary change in leadership style might be better for us to have Gen. Satterfield explain why and how that change morphed and if he had any mentors that enabled it. Was it a change in the Army’s bureaucracy or a change in then-junior officer? Was it his overall maturation into the leadership culture? Or something else that I might be missing. Those are the questions we would respectfully ask of Gen. S.
Another masterpiece from when Gen. Satterfield was a mere Captain. I say a mere Captain but that is often the most important linchpin in moving upward into greater leadership positions in the US Army and military.
Sir, a really practical list regardless at the level of leadership you have.
For a more advanced look at leadership, particularly at the senior level, I suggest reading Gen. Satterfield’s most popular article, “Leadership Comparison: Biden vs. Trump” at https://www.theleadermaker.com/leadership-comparison-biden-vs-trump/
This article from the year 2020 is a thorough relook at how leaders should be when acting in the best faith to be the most effective leader. Today’s article is the stepping stone to the more advanced notion. Well done, Gen. Satterfield. Thank you for your service.
Indeed, a great article that breaks down leadership into its essential components.
“The qualities of leadership I use here, follow leader themes taken from articles in my senior leadership blog written over the past seven years. Please refer to both the articles in the blog, my recommended readings (which I have carefully read), and other outside material written on leadership. After several decades in leadership roles, I know a bit about what it takes to be a successful senior leader and what follows is not just about leadership but about senior leadership.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield. He lays out some of the greatest wisdoms on how to identify great leadership. He compares Trump vs. Biden. And it should be obvious who was/is the better leader. Even the dimwits who emotionally support Biden should be able to figure that out.
Of course, Boy Sue, that’s because Gen. Satterfield is able to tell us in summary the best ways to lead. Remember his definition of leadership. “Leadership is getting people to do things they would not ordinarily do. Great leadership is getting them to do things they would not ordinarily do because they want to do it.”
EXACTLY ………..
“Keep the troops informed,” what a novel idea!
These are also “lessons learned” that make us better leaders since the leader guidance set forth here help ensure success. What I especially liked was the idea in #2. “Mission: In carrying out a mission, the promulgation of the order represents not over 10% of your responsibility. The remaining 90% consists in assuring by means of personal supervision on the ground, by yourself, proper and vigorous execution.” This gets to the practical side of mission accomplishment and ensures success. I can see you building your ability to articulate what leadership is.
True, Good Dog, and is one of the reasons I keep coming back to this website … for greater insights into what makes a good leader. But I’m convinced that before you’re a good leader, you also have to be a good person. While that may change over time — there are evil leaders, I acknowledge— the basics are gained leading people at a lower level. Just like Captain Satterfield has done here. This is spelled out better and in much greater detail in his book ‘55 Rules for a Good Life.’
Billy, yes, and I agree. You and I were some of the original supporters of Gen. Satterfields website and yet we are still here supporting him and his website today. 😂
Well said, Billy and Good Dog. The idea HOW to apply leadership skills are laid out here in Greta details plus Gen. S. gives us ample examples.
Sir, well played.