Friday, November 20, is the last day I wore my uniform after
29 and a half years of service. I was commissioned out of the University
of Texas Naval ROTC on May 21, 1986, and served continuously both active and
reserve since. If I were to write a letter to my 21-year old self or any
newly commissioned officer, it would be to pass on what I have learned about
leadership. Through trial and error I have arrived at 10 principles of
leadership.
1. 1. Love
is the bedrock of good leadership. Love allows us to forgive, to
nurture, and to mentor from a place of truth. If you don’t love the
troops you lead, if you are not willing to sacrifice everything for their
health and welfare you are in the wrong business. In the military, both
active and reserves, you may take your uniform off at the end of the day but
the requirements to lead and lead well are 24x7. Further, if you don’t
love what you are doing, then how do you justify the time away from
family? And if you are not motivated by love of country, how are you
freely able to make a decision to put country before self? So love
unabashedly.
2. 2.
You are not the smartest guy in the room. It doesn’t matter how
many degrees you have or where you went to school, there is always someone
smarter than you in the room. If you believe you are the smartest in the
room you will not listen to opposing viewpoints. You will not listen to
those who will trump you on experience. You will stifle creativity.
You have to be willing to allow people to have a voice so they can have
ownership. That doesn’t mean you lose authority, it means you use it
wisely. Everyone knows in the end you will issue direction and the rest
will step out smartly. But isn’t it better to have folks skipping with
enthusiasm rather than moving robotically?
3. You don’t matter.
Your troops matter. Leadership isn’t about you, it’s about those you are
privileged to lead. It’s an old saw, but a true one, you shouldn’t eat,
rest or wash until your guys and gals have. If you take care of your
troops, they will take care of getting the mission done. They must come
first (see Rule #1).
4. You matter. Take
the time to find a mentor, and to make friends among your peers. Everyone
needs someone to talk to. You cannot be friends with your troops even
though you will share a powerful comradery. You are their leader and at
times you will have to ask them to do things that are dangerous and
difficult. These decisions must be based on what is best for the mission
and cannot be clouded by friendship. Later, though, many will become your
friends. See Rules #1 and #10.
5. Minimums are for wimps. Never,
ever ask what the minimum to achieve a passing score is. Leaders lead
from the front. They push to do the best in everything they do. As
a leader you must work and train the hardest you can. You are an
example. If you are happy with just skating by, you will ultimately lose
the trust and faith of the men and women you are privileged to lead. You
can never ask your team to do something you are not willing to do.
6. Don’t take yourself too
seriously. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to
look like a goofball at some point. Be able to laugh about it. Be
able to learn from your mistakes. Be humble. Embarrassment is
transitory, learning is forever.
7. Be understanding. Your
troops are going to make mistakes. They are going to do things that will
make you scratch your head and mutter strings of obscenities under your
breath. Before you flip out, work to understand what happened and why it
happened. Was it a training issue? Were there problems at
home? Not everything requires a hammer. In fact, if you only have a
hammer in your toolbox everything looks like a nail. Expand your tool
box. Be fair. By doing this you will actually be better prepared
and able to truly enforce standards and discipline because your sailors will
not be afraid of you. See Rule #1, leading from a place of fear may get
you short-term gain, but in the end it destroys.
8. Trust your senior
enlisted. The United States Military has the best senior
enlisted cadre in the world. Their job is to teach you to be a better
officer. This pattern will continue throughout your career. They
are plugged into what your troops are thinking and feeling. They have
experience you don’t have. So even when you are a crusty Navy Captain,
you will still need the advice and guidance of the Master Chief. Take
it. If in doubt, see Rule #2.
9. Uphold tradition. You
are the public face of your service every time you go out in uniform. Be
polite, be humble and earn the respect of our citizenry. They deserve your best
every day all day. Don’t be stupid in uniform, unless of course it’s the
Marine Corps Ball and then it’s allowed. Ask the Marines.
10. You are the 1% and are
lucky to serve this nation. You are doing
something 99% of the population will not do. You are putting it on the
line for this country. It’s an honor and a privilege. You swear
allegiance to a set of principles not any specific man or woman. You will
develop lifelong ties with the ones you serve with. You will become a
member of the family of veterans – a family you earn your way into to by
sacrifice. Whether you serve for four years or thirty, you will be
defined by your service and commitment. We are lucky that this great
nation is worthy of our sacrifice. You are lucky to serve her.
I have been molded and
defined by my service. It all started in August of 1983 when I walked
into the Navy ROTC building and asked how I could join the unit. Never
did I imagine that 32 years later, the decision I made as an 18 year old would
have had such a significant impact on my life. I owe everything to the
Navy. I owe everything to this nation. I cannot hear the oath of
enlistment or commissioning without getting a little choked up. Heroes swearing
to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, defending a way of life that grants freedom to even the least among us. Values worth fighting for. Values worth defending. Thank
you for the privilege of 29 years of service.
By Susan Toth, CAPT USNR
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