[September 28, 2016] In this second part to the results of a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. on senior leader leadership, I will report some of the alternative ways that some of the most senior leaders of the military look at what we can do to teach, coach, and mentor other senior leaders (Part 1 is here, see link).1 Leaders work to gain a better understanding of leader qualities and pass along their leader philosophy in different words and through diverse perspectives.
In this particular posting I’m passing along the thoughts of a commander who had just spent several years in combat in both Afghanistan and Iraq. His perspective is colored with the actions of those multinational forces under his command and of the enemy’s attacks on his troops. Anytime we get the chance to ask a field commander recently from the battlefield about his thoughts, is an opportunity that cannot be passed up.
“In a servant leadership culture we learn by choice or example that if we want to be great, we have to serve others respectfully.” – Vern Dosch, CEO and author of Wired Differently
Some thoughts on leadership from a commander:
- Lead up and across, not just down.
- Be a catalyst to get things done, done right, and done quickly.
- Stewardship; create a sense of belonging.
- Community; develop a culture of excellence in the family of professionals.
- Be a servant leader; learn to follow first, respect, and understand subordinates.
- Communicate; be an active leader where deeds not words matter most.
- Decentralize; trust in others to get the job done.
- Network; link communities of interest and distribute information.
- Teamwork works and creates positive attitudes; focus on it.
- Establish a positive command (i.e., work) climate; it’s essential in what you do to promote your team.
Note the simplicity of this senior leader philosophy. Leaders are busy people … so their way of communicating must be precise and it must be simple and clear, even to other senior leaders.
His recommended reading list:
- Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power, David E. Sanger, 2013.
- The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today, Thomas E. Ricks, 2013.
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- A few months ago at the Pentagon in Washington D.C., there was a discussion at the most senior levels of the U.S. military on emerging leaders. About a dozen new General/Flag officers were being advised on what would be expected of them in their roles. Much is to be expected of a senior leader but the specifics are often lacking. That is why they were interested in hearing the perspective of 3 and 4-star generals/admirals.