The May 2007 edition of Executive Leadership had an interesting piece entitled 7 Things Every Leader Must Know Before You Start Leading by Retired Army General William Cohen. General Cohen says these are:
Seven Facts You Need to Know Before You Start Leading
- One individual can make the difference between success and failure. You can be that person.
- Most people succeed only through the help of others. While independence is good, interdependence is essential to leadership.
- You don’t need any particular authority to lead. You don’t need to wait for a promotion. Just lead.
- The basic elements of combat leadership will allow you to lead in nearly any situation, because combat poses the most severe crises, hardships and penalties for failure.
- The essence of leadership is motivating people to do their best toward meeting your goals.
- Leaders are made, not born. You can learn.
- Leadership doesn’t depend on a square deal or pleasant working conditions. Given a worthy goal, you can motivate people without those rewards.
I agree with six or the seven. Having never been in combat (thankfully), I am not in a position to comment on number 4. I don’t know what “the basic elements of combat leadership” are, but I do agree that combat does impose very sever crises, hardships and penalties for failure.
I particularly like point 3. Anyone can lead. Leadership is less about position and more about your ability to articulate a goal and get people to go along with you as you move towards it.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.SuccessCommonSense.com for common sense advice on becoming the career and life success you are meant to be.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
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I would agree with points 1,2, and 4. The rest are merely cop-outs and convenient cover for poor leaders, bureaucrats and politicos – particularly point 7.
It is true that today’s workplace has become like a battlefield. Just ask the foot soldiers - the salaried exempt employees and the middle managers. Horrendous working hours and extreme stress has them suffering like they like were in the Battle of the Bulge or worse yet, the Bataan Death March. The platitudes and pity sayings of these so-called leaders are only meant to persuade the troops to fall on more grenades and spur the army on to glory. Whose glory? For what greater good? Freeing the world from a dictator or fighting a maniacal enemy? No! As cleverly detailed in point 5, for the “leader’s” goal.
I am certain that the armchair generals of the corporate world will have no problem at all glomming on to Cohen's words. More clever gimmicks for fighting to the last drop of YOUR blood.
Posted by: Jerome Alexander | May 20, 2007 at 12:02 PM
Jerome:
Thanks for your comment. It's always good to get another opinion -- albeit a cynical one --as you describe yourself in your blog.
While I can see your point on number 7, I think that comparing today's high stress work environment to the Bataan Death March is a little over the top. To me, such a comparison tarnishes the memory of the soldiers who died on that terrible march.
Having said all this, I still appreciate your comment. Thanks for writing.
All the best,
BB
Posted by: Bud Bilanich | May 20, 2007 at 05:24 PM