Leadership Lessons the Army taught me

Most of the qualities which are commonly listed as ‘leadership qualities' are desirable in any individual.  If a person is to lead individuals who possess these qualities, sometimes to a marked degree, it is clear that he must have the same qualities developed to a high degree himself. It is highly doubtful that the mere possession of these qualities is sufficient to make a leader successful. Yet, at the same time there appears little doubt that the absence of these qualities will hinder a person from becoming a successful leader. These qualities are those which would be desired of any good soldier, regardless of rank; they are an essential part of the soldier's role.  This viewpoint is equally valid for non-military applications.

The qualities listed below, although not all-inclusive, represent those that are most desirable, and provide a good guide for the personality development of the competent leader.

Leadership Qualities

• MOTIVATION
• INTEGRITY
• COURAGE (PHYSICAL / MORAL)
• JUDGEMENT
• KNOWLEDGE
• DECISIVENESS
• LOYALTY
• RESPONSIBILITY
• SELFLESSNESS
• INITIATIVE
• ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE

Motivation

Motivation is that quality which gives a member, or a group, the desire and determination to be successful in all of the tasks which are attempted.

Motivation is a very personal and individual matter, thus, it is very difficult to identify any guidelines; however, it is important for the leader to demonstrate keenness and interest in the task at hand. This is expressed by his cheerfulness, optimism and enthusiasm.

Courage

Courage is a mental quality that recognises the fear of danger or criticism, but enables a man to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness. In simple terms, courage is the control of fear. It is a quality of mind that guides self-control, enabling him to accept responsibility and act properly in a threatening situation.

The leader must have moral as well as physical courage. Moral courage means knowing and standing up for what is right in the face of popular disfavour. A leader who has moral courage is also prepared to admit his mistakes, but will enforce his decisions when he is sure they are correct.

Decisiveness

The leader should have the ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear forceful manner.

Many situations have more than one solution. The wise leader gathers all the facts, weighs one against the other, then calmly and quickly arrives at a sound decision. Decisiveness is largely a matter of practice and experience.

Responsibility

A clear understanding of where responsibility lies and a constant endeavour to discharge these responsibilities are basic requirements for successful command / management.

The responsible leader can be relied upon to carry out actively, intelligently and with willing effort the intent of his superior, whether that be the Battlefield Commander, CEO or Board of Directors.

The leader who has a sense of responsibility will continually attempt to achieve the highest standards of performance and put the good of the Organisation ahead of his personal interests.

Initiative

Initiative is seeing what has to be done and doing it, even in the absence of orders. Soldiers unite quickly behind the commander who meets new and unexpected situations with prompt action.

Closely allied with initiative is resourcefulness, the ability to deal with a situation in the absence of normal means or methods. Inactivity or passive acceptance of an unsatisfactory situation, because of the lack of normal means of coping with it, is never justified.

Integrity

Integrity, the uprightness of character and soundness of moral principles, the quality of absolute truthfulness and honesty, is an indispensable trait in a leader.

The stakes in the Army are too high to place the lives of its members in the hands of men with questionable integrity. Unless a man is honest he cannot be relied upon. There is no compromise and the Army cannot permit deviation from the highest standards of personal integrity from its leaders.

Judgement

Judgement is the quality of logically weighing facts and possible solutions and basing sound decisions upon these considerations.

Knowledge

Nothing inspires confidence and respect more quickly than demonstrating professional knowledge and ability. The individual who knows his job develops self-confidence, at the same time gaining the confidence of others.

Knowledge should not be limited to those subjects related to business operations only, such subjects as national and international events amongst others should be studied.

Loyalty

Loyalty is the quality of faithfulness to country, the Organisation, your superiors, subordinates and associates. This quality alone can do much to earn for you the confidence and respect of others. Your every action must reflect loyalty to your command.

Selflessness

The unselfish leader is one who avoids providing for his own comfort and personal advantage at the expense of others. A leader must place the comfort, pleasure and recreation of his subordinates before his own and share the same dangers and hardships. Nevertheless, you should be aware that this quality can be overdone if it is carried to the point where the leader neglects his own well-being to the point where his condition prevents him from exercising effective command. It is essential to consciously monitor your own well-being.

Ability to Communicate

It is vitally important to a leader that the message he wishes to get across to his subordinates is received and interpreted as he intends.