COLONEL SAAB, YOU MILITARY OFFICERS ARE STIFF LIKE MY MUSTACHES !!

Taking a strategic break from the cyclic rhythm of learning from great masters at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM Ahmedabad) , we the combat transitionary brood of IIM Ahmedabad - Armed Forces Programme decided to visit the famed Statue of Unity at Kewadia. The travel started with booking a seat in a classy vistadorme train compartment and being in awe of New Bharat rising. Sitting across me was a personality with whom the conversation unfolded many canvases and left me intrigued by his in-depth understanding of everything in this world. Amidst his volatile and frank conversation, he uttered “Colonel Saab, you military officers are stiff like my moustaches !!”.

?Flight or Fight raged inside which was then quenched by my soul saying, “All is Well, all is Well”. It's true that stereotypes often depict soldiers as stoic and disciplined, but believe me, they are individuals with their own personalities and emotions. As trained by the forces, I took deep breadth and sat back to ponder, that with probably, with zilch experience of my fellow passenger of serving/ associating or knowing closely any Military officers, he may have been heavily influenced by Sunny Deol’s and Amitabh Bachchan military personalities displayed on silver screen. I then took to stand to trial and clear his view based on my combat and peace time soldering experience. ?Why should I do that? To clear the heading. Why so, because, it's important to recognize the diversity within the armed forces, true qualities of military leadership and not reduce individuals to stereotypes.

?Adaptability – With dynamic situations on daily scale when deployed in difficult areas, military leaders have unique USP to be responsive to change and proactively find solutions. One fine evening, walking along with my better half in well maintained cantonment, I was summoned by my superior and asking me to pack my bags and move immediately to High Altitude Area (Areas located at height more than 9000 Feet above sea level) to assist somebody in critical juncture. You may all say, so what… …Believe me my dear readers, moving on short notice is no issue, the dynamics of high-altitude areas, my expected role and limited resources at my disposal with clock running at full speed, the fear of unknown sparked the boom boom heartbeat. Yet the trained mind shut down the chaos and focused on the given task. I did accomplish the task and moved the huge logistic inventory within given time frame and without any loss. Reaching back my boss with his stiff moustache, smiled and whistled "Well Done". My chest swelled like a toad. I find this ability to remain flexible in the face of adversity as a hallmark of military leadership, disproving the notion of stiffness.

?Empathy – I have not erred on the spelling of sympathy, but the feeling of empathy is the foundation on which a young green horn passing out from the military academies is trained. I recalled, one afternoon, when one of my Non-Commissioned Officer lost his father during the first wave of COVID, the world came crashing to this Assamese lad who was the only surviving son. Easiest was to say accept the fate buddy. However, with strong pitch to hierarchy, entire leadership swung into action including securing permission from civil authorities and friend volunteering to drop the poor lad to Delhi to board him on a military aircraft with most stringent precautions. His words on return “I could see my father’s face” gave pat to entire team who did this happen. ?Thus, contrary to the perception of aloofness, military leaders possess a deep understanding of ?their troops' needs, fears, and aspirations. By cultivating empathy, they forge bonds of trust and camaraderie within their units, fostering a cohesive and resilient fighting force.

Strategic Acumen - Strategic acumen further distinguishes military leaders as dynamic and multifaceted individuals. I remember one of my new Commanding Officer (aka CEO) of our unit (aka akin to one corporate company) landing in the unit at difficult location and expressing candidly “Unit needs a shakeup”. ?I admit, we were going through the sliding Gaussian curve of life. Serving the third time together, he confided, and we sat down to lay down a new path for our unit’s progress. Strategically poised, the plan was enacted with discipline and support of each stakeholder. When the entire team came together with sheer singular focus, hard work and rigor turned sweet with awards/ recognition and self-esteem of each team member spearheaded to new pinnacle. Beyond the battlefield, military leaders can navigate geopolitical landscapes, economic realities, and cultural nuances with finesse. Their decision-making prowess is guided by a nuanced understanding of multifaceted challenges. Through careful analysis and foresight, leaders steer their teams forces towards victory while mitigating risks and minimizing collateral damage.

?I can list out many qualities eventually to be branded as rhetoric. I will avoid that and yearn for all readers to speak to many fantastic corporate houses, who stand testimony to above few lines and have proudly run successful Veterans hiring program. Thus, avoiding stereotyping military leaders, allows allowing them to transcend, embodying a blend of humanity and proficiency that defines their leadership and recognizing the true essence of military leadership: a force for innovation, compassion, and strategic brilliance in the face of adversity.