Leadership

by Bob Anderson, PhD, CMSgt(Ret)

In my new book Grandfather Speaks, there's a chapter where grandfather speaks on leadership. 

I know of few words more misunderstood than leadership. For over 30 years in the military I heard that leadership comes from the top down.  It does not.

Leadership begins where a leader happens to be standing. Certainly a General can issue orders and directives and that is part of leadership, but it is those below the General that actually make those orders and directives function.

It is the same in the corporate world. The Board of Directors or CEO issues orders and directives, but again it is up to those lower on the totem pole to make them work. They (the ones lower on the totem pole) also must display leadership or they will be unable to impact and implement those orders and directives.

By the time that the orders and directives (military or civilian) have filtered down to the lowest levels of the organization, each higher level has had to use leadership effectively.

It is the same for the military or civilian world. It makes no difference if you talking a combat unit or a corporation, a school system or a mom and pop store; or a family. You can make demands and issue orders but you can't make anyone else comply. They have to want to comply and they have to be able to comply.

I have heard a lot about "making a team". I don't think you can; you have to build a team.

A manager does things right; a leader does right things. Most of the time, doing the right thing is uncomfortable, anxiety creating and just no fun at all. It makes you unpopular and people won't like you.

Having said all of that, doing anything other than the "right thing" is by its very description NOT the right thing.

In my book Anderson's Rules, I talk about when you are faced with a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situation  - do what is right.

That is what a leader does.