8 Basic Lessons in Leadership

Or perhaps better put, LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP FROM BASIC…basic in this case meaning Basic Training in the Army.

As many of my readers know, many years ago, I served as a Combat Medic in the IDF—the Israeli Defense Forces.

KNEE JERK ALERT—this is not a political post. Your political opinions, although important, aren’t needed here…

Basic Training, as the name implies, is where leadership begins.

I will spare you the details and the trauma of the shortest haircut I’d had in many years; the injection guns shooting us in both arms as the biggest guys and already identified bullies fainted and screamed; uniforms that scratched in places better not mentioned; boots that didn’t fit; constant yelling…and all of that in the first few hours…

And then the lessons began:

#1: Personal Discipline?

You have seen the movies and read the books…Basic Training is always portrayed as the place and the system to break you down and then build you up in their image… “their” meaning whoever’s Army it was. And yes, I imagine there is some truth to it. Yet, I can attest that the biggest focus was on Personal Discipline.?

Could you accept not just responsibility for your job, but accountability for your squad, your friends, and yes, even for your enemy?

More on that…consequences matter when you have personal discipline and consequences matter when people's lives are at stake. Personal Discipline is understanding that you control consequences and creating a value system around those consequences. Think of it as self-esteem…My sense today is that society, across all sectors, political views, and business segments is sorely lacking in Personal Discipline—and by extension, consequences.?

I think Personal Discipline and understanding accountability and consequences would go a long way in changing our current work environment and the discussions over resignations and quitting. It’s not just about me and you.

Leadership is needed here to set the tone. Personal Discipline requires a system and leaders who practice the art themselves and really care.?

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” —Sam Walton

#2: The Stretcher?

From the moment 30 of us were thrown together in a squad, my friend Phillip and I managed not to separate…

Our squad had to carry the heaviest guy in the team?on a stretcher wherever we went…no matter how close or far. Carrying someone like that is not like you see it in the movies—four guys each holding a handle as they run with the stretcher at knee level…it’s not sustainable. You hold the pole on your shoulder and develop a rhythm of movement. There are 15 on each side in a column, where the back carrier moves to the front, the front carrier moves to the end of the column, and onwards…and of course, the next in line takes over the back.?

It’s tough in the beginning. But by the end of your training, you have two stretchers up and you can run seemingly forever. The lesson is simple…no one is ever left behind. No matter what. I think of the stretcher metaphor a lot as I have watched people in business being thrown under metaphorical buses or dumped for the mistakes of others.?

Build your team with virtual stretchers from the start…I guarantee a higher rate of selfless engagement.

Particularly today as we struggle to make WFH and WFO hybrid or pure models work. No one can be left behind. Everyone counts. And engagement from all changes the dynamic.?

“Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat.” —Jean-Paul Sartre

#3:?Hand in Hand?

Or side by side.?

An early lesson from our squad leader. If you are on a team, you will be together, one way or another—hand in hand successfully, or side by side (as in a grave) in failure. The dynamic is up to you. Winners understand collaboration, gravitate towards partnerships and alliances…not kumbaya, but focused long-term effort on understanding the foibles and limitations of themselves and others. And yes, while the loner might occasionally triumph in the short term, it's the hand-in-hand team that ultimately takes victory.

“The world needs new leadership, but the new leadership is about working together.” —Jack Ma

#4: Power Reserves?

When you think you can’t go any farther, you can.?

When you are positive you are done, you are not.?

One night we ran in new terrain, two guys up on stretchers, and the rest of us with full packs. It was dark. We couldn’t see a thing and had no idea where we were…dangerous…then we saw our tents. We had been out a couple of hours. As we arrived back at our camp, mentally we let go…we were home…but our officer kept going. He led us straight through the middle of our encampment and went another two miles. There was groaning and crying…real crying…but no one stopped.?

Powerful. He led us. We followed.?

If you want people to work in a certain way, show them how you do it. Be the role model. Lead.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” —John Quincy Adams?

#5: Empathy?

As a medic, I swore to treat the enemy. Always reminds me of the stories of WWI and the soccer games during the Christmas Truce between the warring sides. We live in a world where empathy is too often overlooked or applied too narrowly.

Leaders have empathy. For the people they work with and for the people they don’t. For their partners and for their competitors. For all. Empathy leads to inclusion more than anything else.

My industry was once riddled with and infamous for competitive conflict, as were others. Nevermind that we often shared clients and faced an investing public that looked at us as one sector—so an attack on one was often an attack on all.?

Clients suffered, as did agencies. The bigger picture—the rising tide: empathy for all creates more success.

“Enlightened leadership is spiritual if we understand spirituality not as some kind of religious dogma or ideology but as the domain of awareness where we experience values like truth, goodness, beauty, love and compassion and also intuition, creativity, insight and focused attention” —Deepak Chopra?

#6: Diversity?

You’ve seen it in the movies a thousand times…the crazy diverse team that somehow manages to win against all odds, overcome all the obstacles, and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat…you know what I mean. Well, it’s true. You see it in basic training. You respect it.?

You might be good at one thing but someone else is wildly better at something else…diversity builds a bigger and better whole and not diverse, unconnected siloes. Leaders lean into diversity. Don’t try to homogenize it. Know how to channel it. Use empathy to create the inclusion that changes the game.?

“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” —Dr Martin Luther King

#7: Follow Me!!?

Don’t charge with your hand outstretched as everyone passes you by…do as I do vs. do as I say. Take the brunt when it’s necessary and provide the cover…but then you let others take the spotlight when you win. Leadership…

I keep hearing about senior managers demanding more of their junior workers to return to the office while they stay away…NO!

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” —John C. Maxwell

#8: Respect?

How basic is respect? Because you see, none of this works without respect. Respect for all. And leaders…true leaders show respect and are given respect in return.?

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou?

Too often we confuse Power with Leadership. Not even close. Listen:

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” —Jim Rohn

And there you have it. 8 Leadership Basics from Basic…

What’s your view?