It was an early fall day at Fort Campbell in 1988; late enough in the year to call it autumn, but hot enough to remind you that summer wasn’t quite finished for the year. It was Wednesday, which meant we were in the motor pool doing what we did every other Wednesday throughout the year: motor stables, a uniquely military term for preventative maintenance on our equipment, ensuring as best we could that it was always fit to fight.
My platoon sergeant had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the maintenance procedures, and as we walked the line of vehicles that afternoon, he quizzed the operators at every chance. “What’s the torque setting on that wrench?” “How much pressure should that hydraulic pump be putting out?” “How many spark plugs on a deuce-and-a-half?”*
As we made our way around our platoon’s equipment, spot-checking the ongoing maintenance efforts, the battalion commander made his obligatory appearance. With a technical manual in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, he was spreading the love in his usual animated fashion. As he approached us, he was gushing about a platoon leader who was performing maintenance on a vehicle: “I wish all my lieutenants did that!”
“You can’t lead from under a truck, sir,” my platoon sergeant responded. As the battalion commander considered that statement, my platoon sergeant continued. “If you’re under your vehicle, then you’re not doin’ something you should be doin’, like supervisin’ your troops. Everybody on that line is smokin’ and jokin’ while the lieutenant is screwin’ around under that truck. ‘Joes’ only does what’s bein’ checked. And right now, that’s a lot of nothin’.”
We stood there on the gravel for a minute while the battalion commander considered those words. Turning on his heel, he moved off toward the other platoon leader. “Goddamn it, get out from underneath that truck and get your people to work!”
THE MENTORS
In the years that followed my first assignment, I often remarked that I’d never really had a mentor. I didn’t understand it at the time, but my platoon sergeant was my first true mentor. Like so many platoon sergeants to countless platoon leaders, he was a reverse mentor. He was joined in that role by our senior maintenance warrant who, while irascible on the surface, was a seasoned mentor with a lifetime of lessons to impart to those willing to listen. With both of them, I listened. Closely.
Their advice shaped my career, my leadership philosophy, and my personal perspective on life. In time, they were joined by many others, some of whom might have seemed unlikely mentors but were insightful in ways that transcended their stations in life. Their words resonated; their wisdom – honed by a depth of experience that provided a vision far beyond my own – influenced my thinking.
My bullpen of mentors ranged from subordinates and peers to blue-collar laborers and senior leaders. Somewhere along the way, I developed a talent for listening to the right people while maintaining enough humility to accept their guidance, both personally as well as professionally. Humility, perhaps the most underrated leadership trait, has served me well in that regard.
FIT FOR LIFE: 10 Leadership Lessons
The wisdom I gleaned from those mentors has proven timeless. Their words are as relevant today as they were when I first heard them. In many cases, more so. As I grew into my role as a leader and mentor, their counsel echoed across the years, guiding me when I faced new and sometimes extraordinarily challenging situations.
Ultimately, among all that advice over so many years, choosing the 10 most meaningful was no small task. How do you separate one powerful message from another? How do you decide whose wisdom was more impactful? In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Don’t think. Do.” So I did.
1. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
Whether you’re walking into a new unit for the first time or interviewing for a job, put your best foot forward in everything you do. It only takes seconds to set an impression that lasts a lifetime. Make every one of them count.
2. Be brief, be brilliant, be gone.
The “3 Bs” permeate every aspect of how I lead today. They are fundamental to effective engagement and something every leader should embrace. Don’t waste others’ time with long-winded diatribes. Say what you need to say, make your point, and move on. Others will thank you for it.
3. If you take care of them, they’ll take care of you.
Everything in life comes down to the Golden Rule. If your troops know you’re looking out for them and sincerely care about their well-being, they’ll be there for you when you need them most.
4. If you’re not getting your ass chewed once in a while, you’re not doing your job.
Risk is part of the job, and you must be willing to push the envelope to get the job done. Learn to make decisions and live with the consequences, good or bad.
5. A sharp axe is better than a bad back.
Work smarter, not harder. Make sure you know what the problem is before you solve it; if not, chances are you’re creating a solution in search of a problem.
6. Never let ‘em hear you yell.
Keep calm and carry on. If you have to raise your voice in anger to get people to follow you, you’re doin’ it wrong. If you find yourself doing it often, then your people aren’t even listening to you. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of leading.
7. Set the example in everything you do.
If you set the bar, everyone else will strive to follow your lead. Give your troops someone to look up to, someone they can trust to follow. Give your peers someone they can look to with respect. And give your superiors someone they can rely on no matter what the situation.
8. Take the time to gather the facts.
Never rush to judgment. There are two sides to every story; take the time necessary to hear both of them. Before you take action, make sure you have all the relevant facts. It matters.
9. Always ask the hard questions.
This one might seem obvious in the future, but too often we nod sagely at bad guidance and fail to ask the important questions when there’s still time to shape an informed decision. It’s not about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about making sure that you do it right the first time.
10. What you leave behind is the greatest measure of your success.
Whatever you are assigned to do, leave it better than when you received it. Never be content to “tread water” in a job, push to leave a positive legacy for those who follow after you.
* The correct answer on the M35A1-series was one. While it was outfitted with a White diesel engine, the preheater on that engine was actually a spark plug.
