6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom: 6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

 There certainly are many lessons that can be applied from Military leadership to the Business world.  From a former Navy Seal, here are six:

 1.  Lead from the front

 2.  Respect the chain of command

 3.  Take calculated risks

 4.  Make a decision

 5.  Empower people and delegate

 6.  Have compassion  

Read the complete article below. 

Article by Brent Gleeson

I don’t think that anyone who has served this country in the military would argue that those experiences didn’t impact the rest of their lives in some shape or form, especially during war time where combat is involved.  I served five years as a United States Navy SEAL with combat deployments to Iraq and Northern Africa.  What I gained from that time of service set the tone for my life after the SEAL teams and provided me the tools for success in entrepreneurship and growing businesses.

The 6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

1. Leading from the Front:  This one is obvious but I feel rarely followed.  It takes intense focus and consistency for a leader to do this all the time.  For a SEAL officer, it starts with simple things in training such as maintaining a head count for your boat crew amidst chaos and being in better physical condition that the enlisted guys.  In a growing company it is critical for the leaders to lead by example and be as consistent as humanly possible.  This means following the processes and procedures set by the company, not breaking promises, and not asking anything of anyone that you are not willing to do yourself.  In combat as in business, the best leaders lead from the front, get their hands dirty, and show their team that they are willing to do what it takes to accomplish the mission.  
2. Respect the Chain of Command:  This part is crucial and is just as important from the top down as it is from the bottom up.  This also takes focus and consistency.  In the SEAL teams, each platoon of 15 SEALs has an Officer in Change (OIC), a Second Officer, and then senior enlisted leadership consisting of a Chief and a Leading Petty Officer (LPO).  In my opinion the SEAL teams equate more to an entrepreneurial environment whereas the traditional military is more like corporate America.  That said, even in a dynamic fast paced environment where the lines of hierarchy are sometimes blurred, chain of command is still very important.  The senior leadership in an organization must never undermine the authority of middle managers by going around them.  The result is a complete disintegration of structure and a very confused work force.
3. Ability to Take Calculated Risks:  Not surprisingly risk taking behavior is a common trait amongst the ranks of the special operations community.  Being a risk taker is one thing, but having the ability to make decisions on the fly with the available intelligence and take calculated risks is an entirely different skill.  Let’s face it, everything in combat is risky.  We gather as much intelligence as possible then have to develop and execute a plan based on what we have.  That is why strategic planning and contingency planning are imperative.  Running a business is the same way.  The leadership must make decisions based on available information and must take some risks in order to gain market share and grow competitively.
4. Make a Decision:  The worst thing a leader can do in combat is NOT make a decision.  When bullets are flying and the team is awaiting orders critical to making a dynamic shift in a plan that has most likely gone to hell, a leader must react quickly and calmly under extreme pressure.  Sometimes in an after action review it may be determined that certain decisions were not the right ones, but that is why we have “lessons learned” and constantly evolving tactics.  As many of us know, running a start-up is very similar.  Things are happening, plans are changing, opportunities are arising that must be taken advantage of, etc.  The leaders must make decisions every day under pressure.  The best way to ensure sound decision making is to have a strategic plan with multiple contingency plans to support it.  Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!  And keep in mind that making the decision not to make a decision on a certain issue at that time is still a decision!
5. Empowerment and Delegation:  No good leader assumes they know everything and the best ones surround themselves with amazing talent.  The success of any sports team, military unit, or business doesn’t just come from great leadership and management; it comes from excellent team members and a collaborative environment.  I have been blessed with an amazing business partner and unbelievably talented team.  It is important to provide parameters and then allow the team to operate somewhat autonomously within those boundaries which fosters creativity, empowerment, and a sense of ownership when goals are accomplished.  And then of course, acknowledging team members for hard work is very important.

6. Compassion:  It may surprise some of you that compassion is an important quality for a solider to have.  We must have compassion for our teammates, for the innocent civilians overseas, and even for the enemy.  A good leader understands that compassion is a key ingredient in the recipe for success.  When running a business, the leadership team must be sensitive to the needs and desires of the team.  A happy team will be a hard-working and successful team.  Transparent feedback and 360 degree reviews should be a part of the normal communication flow up and down the chain of command.  When the team knows they have a voice and that management values their input, the bond of the group only grows stronger.

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”-General Dwight D. Eisenhower  In the SEAL teams, blood, sweat, and tears is a part of the job and recognition for that is not usually given nor expected; but in the “real world” recognition is an important part of good leadership and keeping morale high.

6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

From the Battlefield to the Boardroom: 6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

 There certainly are many lessons that can be applied from Military leadership to the Business world.  From a former Navy Seal, here are six:

 1.  Lead from the front

 2.  Respect the chain of command

 3.  Take calculated risks

 4.  Make a decision

 5.  Empower people and delegate

 6.  Have compassion  

Read the complete article below. 

Article by Brent Gleeson

I don’t think that anyone who has served this country in the military would argue that those experiences didn’t impact the rest of their lives in some shape or form, especially during war time where combat is involved.  I served five years as a United States Navy SEAL with combat deployments to Iraq and Northern Africa.  What I gained from that time of service set the tone for my life after the SEAL teams and provided me the tools for success in entrepreneurship and growing businesses.

The 6 Key Traits for Military and Business Leadership Success

1. Leading from the Front:  This one is obvious but I feel rarely followed.  It takes intense focus and consistency for a leader to do this all the time.  For a SEAL officer, it starts with simple things in training such as maintaining a head count for your boat crew amidst chaos and being in better physical condition that the enlisted guys.  In a growing company it is critical for the leaders to lead by example and be as consistent as humanly possible.  This means following the processes and procedures set by the company, not breaking promises, and not asking anything of anyone that you are not willing to do yourself.  In combat as in business, the best leaders lead from the front, get their hands dirty, and show their team that they are willing to do what it takes to accomplish the mission.  
2. Respect the Chain of Command:  This part is crucial and is just as important from the top down as it is from the bottom up.  This also takes focus and consistency.  In the SEAL teams, each platoon of 15 SEALs has an Officer in Change (OIC), a Second Officer, and then senior enlisted leadership consisting of a Chief and a Leading Petty Officer (LPO).  In my opinion the SEAL teams equate more to an entrepreneurial environment whereas the traditional military is more like corporate America.  That said, even in a dynamic fast paced environment where the lines of hierarchy are sometimes blurred, chain of command is still very important.  The senior leadership in an organization must never undermine the authority of middle managers by going around them.  The result is a complete disintegration of structure and a very confused work force.
3. Ability to Take Calculated Risks:  Not surprisingly risk taking behavior is a common trait amongst the ranks of the special operations community.  Being a risk taker is one thing, but having the ability to make decisions on the fly with the available intelligence and take calculated risks is an entirely different skill.  Let’s face it, everything in combat is risky.  We gather as much intelligence as possible then have to develop and execute a plan based on what we have.  That is why strategic planning and contingency planning are imperative.  Running a business is the same way.  The leadership must make decisions based on available information and must take some risks in order to gain market share and grow competitively.
4. Make a Decision:  The worst thing a leader can do in combat is NOT make a decision.  When bullets are flying and the team is awaiting orders critical to making a dynamic shift in a plan that has most likely gone to hell, a leader must react quickly and calmly under extreme pressure.  Sometimes in an after action review it may be determined that certain decisions were not the right ones, but that is why we have “lessons learned” and constantly evolving tactics.  As many of us know, running a start-up is very similar.  Things are happening, plans are changing, opportunities are arising that must be taken advantage of, etc.  The leaders must make decisions every day under pressure.  The best way to ensure sound decision making is to have a strategic plan with multiple contingency plans to support it.  Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance!  And keep in mind that making the decision not to make a decision on a certain issue at that time is still a decision!
5. Empowerment and Delegation:  No good leader assumes they know everything and the best ones surround themselves with amazing talent.  The success of any sports team, military unit, or business doesn’t just come from great leadership and management; it comes from excellent team members and a collaborative environment.  I have been blessed with an amazing business partner and unbelievably talented team.  It is important to provide parameters and then allow the team to operate somewhat autonomously within those boundaries which fosters creativity, empowerment, and a sense of ownership when goals are accomplished.  And then of course, acknowledging team members for hard work is very important.

6. Compassion:  It may surprise some of you that compassion is an important quality for a solider to have.  We must have compassion for our teammates, for the innocent civilians overseas, and even for the enemy.  A good leader understands that compassion is a key ingredient in the recipe for success.  When running a business, the leadership team must be sensitive to the needs and desires of the team.  A happy team will be a hard-working and successful team.  Transparent feedback and 360 degree reviews should be a part of the normal communication flow up and down the chain of command.  When the team knows they have a voice and that management values their input, the bond of the group only grows stronger.

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”-General Dwight D. Eisenhower  In the SEAL teams, blood, sweat, and tears is a part of the job and recognition for that is not usually given nor expected; but in the “real world” recognition is an important part of good leadership and keeping morale high.

The Curse of Incremental Improvement

Some of the “greatest business decisions” of all time came about because someone invested the time and effort needed to make a product what it should be instead of just good enough.   Check out a few cautionary paragraphs on   The curse of incremental improvement.     

     by blogger,  Seth Godin       www.sethgodin.typepad.com

In an industrial, competitive culture, most things are just barely good enough.

Cell phone calls, if they were any worse, would be unusable. MP3 files sound not nearly as good as they could. Car mileage goes up, but really slowly. When something makes a huge leap (like the iPad did), it's headline news, because it's so rare.

The market will switch to a competitor when the competitor is just good enough to warrant switching (I know that's obvious, but it's worth stating). As a result, R&D departments ship a product out the door the moment it is just barely good enough to grab enough share to pay for itself. The thought of, for example, working on the CD for six more months before declaring it 'done' would have been considered short-term economic stupidity. As a result, we are saddled with thirty years of sub-par music--if they'd just held on a bit longer, it would all sound so much better.

The challenge kicks in for the individual or organization who thinks what they've launched is just barely good enough--and it's not. Prematurely declaring that it's done means that your incremental improvement doesn't seem important to anyone else. And so you flop.

Better to make it better than it needs to be.

Top 5 Things Employees Want & Need to Hear from Management

As a leader here are TOP 5 THINGS TO DELIVER TO YOUR EMPLOYEES

1.  Where are we going?

2.  What will it look like when we get there?

3.  What difference are we making?

4.  Why is it important for you to be there?

5.  Why should we help you get there? 


This is all about creating a clear and defined Vision & Mission for your firm.  And then making sure that your team is clearly aligned with this Vision. 

This is provided by Vistage Speaker, Holly Green.  Managing Director of   www.thehumanfactor.biz


         Read more details at:      http://bit.ly/SKIEj6

PEERNOVATION - How to Get It!!

Innovation can be viewed as creativity realized!!  And outside influences can help you think in different and creative ways. 

Here are some parameters to generate innovation:

  1.  Destination  - know where are you headed

  2.  Confidence  - in your ability to get there

  3.  Craft your own solution  - must come from within you 

Read more by  clicking here    Expand your contacts and ideas to outside your Industry. 

4 Leadership Lessons from the Founding Fathers!!

Can we still learn about leadership from our founding fathers?  Here are 4 Leadership Lessons that appear timeless. 

Margaret Mead said:   “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”   Imagine what this could do to change your company. 

The lessons are:

  The courage of convictions

  The Sanctity of sacrifice

  The fulfillment of faith

  The power of purpose 

Read the article from Fast Company by    clicking here

See how these principles can impact your leadership. 

Innovation: Lessons to be learned from 3M

Who is the most Innovative company?  Likely that most people would say Apple.  Well, do you know that there is a $30 BB firm that has been historically "fostering organic growth  by inventing entirely new, market changing products?"   Yes that firm would be 3M.....the inventor of Post-It pads and Scotch Brands.

How do they do this?  Read more at:      click here   


Their time tested principles include:

      - Dedicated R&D, long-term development and separate from concept to launch efforts

      - Apply and use Open Innovation; host ideation sessions with members of all departments

      - Foster a culture of innovation by allowing team members to take risks in a protected environment

      - Reward and encourage creativity

How many of you use some of these concepts?  You might just want to study more about 3M to apply to your need for Innovation.