[June 15, 2015] I once had a senior officer tell me that because I was commissioned through ROTC that I would never make Flag rank. Those senior positions, he told me, are reserved for those from military academies like West Point. Needless to say, I proved them wrong but there remains many myths about military leaders that should be exposed for the practical reason that we can learn from debunking them.
Here are four myths that I found to be common about U.S. military leaders, in particular, senior military leaders:
- Political connections are required for promotion and good assignments.
- Mission is more important than the troops.
- They give commands and people follow.
- Rigid thinking is the norm.
Myth #1: Political connections are required for promotion and good assignments. This myth is based in historical fact but is no longer true. In wars past, political connections were the only way to achieve senior rank and a fast-track to a command. In the U.S. Civil War this was common. Today, knowing politicians in American will not factor into promotion or assignment. These are based on merit and perhaps a little luck.
Myth #2: Mission is more important than the troops. A common myth among civilians is that military leaders care little about their troops and the mission means everything to them. Perhaps they’ve watched too many war movies out of Hollywood about a stereotypical General. The myth says that accomplishing their mission is the only way of being successful. This is far from the truth despite the acts of a few poor leaders and some exciting war movies.
Myth #3: They give commands and people follow. Whenever we ask people about their idea of a military leader they always say that it’s easier for them because they simply give orders and everyone unquestionably follows. This autocratic leadership model, when used exclusively, is rarely successful in the U.S. military. Troops require respect and want to have the mission explained to them.
Myth #4: Rigid thinking is the norm. A classic myth about the military is that those leaders come from the low end of society and thus cannot function in “normal” business or academia. This stereotype says the military is inflexible and decision-making is through groupthink. Reality is that some of the most intelligent and creative people join the military.
Earlier I wrote about myths of senior leaders (see link). While this mostly applied to all leaders, both civilian and military, it I showed that myths can steer good junior leaders away from more senior positions if they believe there is little ethical behavior at that level. Like that post more than a year ago, creating and maintaining a positive work culture will be the best method of overcoming leader myths.
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