AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar --
As
I considered topics for this article, I thought back on life lessons and what I
consider to be a “successful leader”. Yes,
I’ve read books on leadership and management; however, I’ve come to realize
that most of what I’ve learned about leadership has come from observing, not
reading. I truly believe we can learn
something from everyone and throughout life we will see both good and bad
examples of leaders. Throughout my
career, I’ve been fortunate to have worked for and beside many great leaders
who’ve influenced my leadership style and formed my vision of what a successful
leader should be. I value leaders that…
…Lead by Example – Leaders must always set the example. You should understand the needs of your team
and ALWAYS consider the impact of your actions upon the members…and their
families. You should never ask anyone to
do something that you have not done or are unwilling to do. Walk the walk! The team is more likely to do what you “do”,
rather than what you “say”. Always
demonstrate, through your actions, that you are everything that you ask your
team to be.
…Have a Vision – As a leader, you must know where you want to take
your team and you must ensure that they know as well. As some of you may attest, there are few
things more disheartening than feeling you’re not contributing to the mission
and that your efforts don’t matter. It’s
the leader’s responsibility to ensure everyone knows why they report to duty
each day and why their duties are important.
Successful leaders provide their team with a well thought-out vision,
direction, and goals that align with, and help the team obtain, that vision.
…Are Humble – A good leader should direct their energy toward
making the organization great, not toward making themselves great. Shift the focus away from yourself and
recognize the contributions of your team instead. “We”, “Us”, and “Our”, should replace “I”,
“Me”, and “My”. Don’t get me wrong,
leaders should be proud of their personal achievements; just do so without
arrogance and fanfare. By remaining
humble, you are bound to be more open-minded and receptive to other’s
ideas.
…Are Loyal – Above all, you must be loyal. Not just to your country and service, but to
every member of your team; they will demand your loyalty and you must demand theirs. Team loyalty must be reinforced by knowing
your people and letting them get to know you.
Recognize and reward good performance, correct poor performance, always
challenge them, and be sure to invest in them.
…Can Laugh – Never take yourself too seriously. I’m not saying to not take our jobs
seriously, I’m just saying that sometimes you have to stop and laugh at some of
the silliness that goes on around us. Laughing
avoids negativity and few things are more damaging to the morale of an
organization than negativity. Nothing is
more contagious than a positive attitude and laughter. When you and your team laugh together,
they’ll see a personal side of you that they’ll appreciate.
“Successful
leadership” is not a science, there’s no magical formula and everyone has their
own ideas on what defines successful leadership. You don’t have to wear a certain rank or hold
a certain duty title to be a leader.
Some of the most effective leaders in our military are the informal
leaders…those that inspire people to follow them. I think great leaders were first great
followers and then conditioned themselves to think and behave in a way that
made others want to follow them. I
challenge each of you to observe your leaders, learn from them and then decide
for yourself what leadership traits you think are most effective…what makes you
want to follow them?