D-Day – June 6, 1944: Yesterday’s Leadership Lessons for Today and Tomorrow

On this day, seventy-six years ago, over 150,000 heroic men ran through the waves at Normandy, France, braving artillery, mortar shells, mines, and machine guns in the biggest seaborne invasion of all time.

Two kinds of people are staying on this beach—the dead and those who are going to die. – Colonel George A. Taylor, commanding the Sixteenth Infantry Regiment, First Infantry Division, on Omaha Beach.

D-Day changed the anticipated outcome of World War II and affected the course of history in a very positive way. Studying this single battle reveals many fantastic stories of heroism, guile, ingenuity, initiative and trust. And, lessons drawn from this operation are still used to develop military leaders today.

Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. 

My most prominent leadership lesson occurred while I was touring the D-Day beaches in 1987. I was speaking to Major General (retired) Albert H. Smith Jr who was the Regimental Operations officer of the 16th Infantry Regiment of the 1st (U.S.) Infantry Division on D-Day. Then, Captain Smith and his soldiers led the assault for the Big Red One to secure that precious toehold on French soil.  

'D-Day' is a general term for the start date of any military operation - the 'D' stands for 'day'. It is often used when the exact date is either secret or not yet known.

General Smith and I were standing on “Omaha” beach below the cemetery. He could have said nothing, and I would have walked away a better leader; his eyes said it all. I could see the fear of the daunting obstacle that faced him that early morning many years before; the joy he felt when his unit had secured a foothold for thousands to follow; the grief of seeing good men lying on the beach – his most abiding memory; and, the pleasure of having placed trust and confidence in his subordinate leaders who led forces.

Leadership development expands the capacity of individuals to perform in leadership roles within organizations.

"Trust,” he told me breaking the silence and through some tears. “That’s essential for an organization to be successful and why we won the day against all odds. But trust does not come easy and without hard work. Many leaders expect to be followed just because they are assigned a leadership position. That doesn’t lead to trust, nor success. A leader must: enable shared values so each individual performs even when the leader isn’t around; provide a purpose that is clear and simple so everyone knows on what to orient; train them hard so they master their individual skills even under intense pressure; and, selectively choose subordinate leaders with proven performance…then get the hell out of their way,” he concluded emphatically.

Trust = assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; one in which confidence is placed. – Merriam-Webster

When your team trusts you as a leader, it increases commitment to team goals, improves communication and increases creativity and productivity. The motivation to continue the fighting against tremendous odds, the creativity of those in direct leadership positions and the initiative the Soldiers derived from this trust led to the liberation of Europe. It also initiated future enhancements to the U.S. military in many ways and provided the foundation to the greatest generation our country has ever known.

"They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate." – President Franklin D. Roosevelt

The ambitious operation, code-named Overlord, launched the great crusade to free Europe from the evil of the Nazi regime. D-day, the most iconic and memorable military achievement of the 20th century, was the beginning of the end for the German war machine. Eleven months later, the Nazi Reich crumbled onto the scrap heap of history. Learning about this historic event helps us understand change and better appreciate how things today came to be.

Leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal. ... Leadership stems from social influence, not authority or power.

Lessons of how these courageous men worked together to overcome such overwhelming odds and spearhead the strategic victory should prompt us to pause and remember those who suffered through the epic 1944 invasion. For today’s leaders, make a vow to those Soldiers who never got off the beach that we understand what they died for and let us be thankful for our current freedoms and liberty.

"Freedom doesn’t come easy. It takes many good people to keep it alive and well." – Paul J. Wiedorfer, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor

These historical reminders of D-Day must also provoke us to renew our commitment to each other and enhance our national principles and virtues. We should not be satisfied with the existing bigotry and inequality which contradicts our ideals. These lessons must provoke us to work together so every American fully enjoys liberty and freedom. 

Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value [valor], and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died. – President Ronald Reagan

Please join Koch VETS so we may collectively ensure we liberate our country from the evils of bigotry and inequality, so they too crumble onto our nation’s scrap heap of history.

Charlie-Mike

 “Our Mission is Your Success”