Posted on Tuesday, May 6, 2014

12 Things Good Bosses Believe (Rule #6)

“I strive to be confident enough to convince people that I am in charge, but humble enough to realize that I am often going to be wrong.”

Rule #6 of Robert Sutton’s “12 Things Good Bosses Believe” is one that should resonate with military leaders. Typically, we do not have difficulty convincing people that we are in charge; the long history of service and discipline inherently gives authority to leaders/commanders.

Still, exerting authority at the right time/place does not come naturally for some, so it may be necessary to look for opportunities to lead with intention and assertiveness. But let’s be honest, most military leaders need to pay attention to second half of Sutton’s statement.

Being in charge doesn’t mean you’ll always be right. In fact, being a leader almost guarantees that your decisions will be wrong in at least some people’s eyes.

Leadership sometimes means making people mad.
– General Colin Powell

Sutton’s point is that sometimes leaders will be flat-out wrong, and the good one’s will:

Be open-minded enough to sense it
Be humble enough to admit it, publicly if necessary
Be willing to listen to advice and correct the mistake

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Posted on Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Putting Ego in its Place (pt. 2)

“Never let your ego get so close to your position,
so that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.”
– General Colin Powell

The other valuable lesson to find in General Powell’s statement is how ego should relate to future jobs and career goals we seek.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to compete for a highly-competitive position on a team that holds unmatched regard in the military. It was the kind of job that, if chosen, would give me instant credibility and esteem in my professional community.

As you might imagine, this opportunity draws the most motivated and talented Soldiers from across the military. Unfortunately for most, the opportunity is also highly and dispassionately selective. Incredibly capable Soldiers prepare for years, only to find out they don’t meet the narrow bandwidth of acceptable talent and are sent home.

Which is what happened to me. During the process, however, I saw peers become obsessed with being selected, making it the ultimate validation of their military career…the definitive stamp of individual self-worth and achievement. They clearly aligned their egos with the position…and many took an emotional hit when they weren’t accepted.

Powell’s advice is clear wisdom for those seeking competitive career goals. It’s wise to remain stoic about the outcome, particularly if the goal is highly-selective. Becoming psychologically-tied to a career outcome can easily cause one to:

Miss other opportunities during the process.
Make poor decisions because of the emotional investment and fear of failure.
Fail to see the positive aspects of the resulting situation.
Set a poor example for peers and subordinates who are striving for their own goals.
Place an emotional toll on peers and family who will provide support in any outcome.

Bottom Line

No organization, job title, or status can invalidate the commitment, talent, and influence one achieves during an entire career. Separate who you are from what you do and be selective about where you place your self-worth.

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Posted on Monday, March 31, 2014

Putting Ego in its Place (pt. 1)

“Never let your ego get so close to your position,
so that when your position goes, your ego goes with it.”
– General Colin Powell

It’s easy to assume a position of leadership or take the guidon of command, and think that we were made for the job…that the organization and its people need us there…or that we were ordained to lead.

The responsibility and the recognition of being a leader makes it easy to align our self-worth with our job. It can become who we are, our identity. Similarly, many of us display attitudes/emotions that fluctuate with how we think we are performing in our jobs (i.e., a bad day at work means a bad day at home).

General Colin Powell warns against letting the job overcome who we are, because one day the titles and responsibility will drift away, then what are we left with?

We should keep in mind a few key characteristics about leading in the military:
1. The unit you are leading is not yours…it’s the government’s.
2. The government didn’t create the job for you; it exists for the Nation’s people.
3. The unit and its members will continue to excel even after you leave.

So, it’s prudent to find a way to display passion for the work while appropriately divorcing emotional stability and self-worth. We can’t take the work’s esteem with us when we go. We can only focus on making a positive impact in the unit that outlasts our tenure.

Wisdom from Two Distant Professions

“The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.”
– General Colin Powell

“Who you are speaks so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Post by The Military Leader.