Leadership development is a military strength
One reason the military is good at developing leaders is that they’ve been doing it for a very long time. Another reason is that the stakes are incredibly high: the life and death of people and nations. The third reason is that the world’s top military organizations don’t have the option of hiring from outside. Those are all reasons why men and women with military experience do quite well in business.
Longer tenure as CEOs
I just read a post on the Syracuse Online Business Blog about CEOs with military experience. Here’s the money quote.
“Those who have served in the military understand what it takes to be organized, alert, calm, and decisive under pressure—traits that produce successful and effective leaders. In fact, more than 8 percent of chief executives of S&P 500 companies have military experience, with an average tenure of seven-plus years (compared to four and a half years for CEOs with no military experience).”
How the military does it.
When you compare military leadership development to what most companies do, several things stand out. Here are a few.
Culture really matters and basic training sets the tone. From the very first day, every man and woman learns that there is a right way to do things. Do you inculcate your company culture from the first day?
Training means more than the classroom. Military service members get out of the classroom for exercises of all kinds. How much of your training involves more than headwork and multiple-choice tests?
Communications and decision making systems are simple, memorable, and universal. Decision systems and checklists make sure that everything is considered. Standardized communications, like the operations order, make sure that everything important is transmitted. How does your company measure up?
The military uses training assignments, mid-career schooling, and sabbaticals as development tools. The military sends people off for a year or two of school or specialized training. What do you do?
For more on how the military does leadership development
Here are some pointers to some more articles on how the military does leadership development.
Leadership development: Learning from the military
Leadership development is something the military does well. What can we learn from them?
Leadership development: Teaching leaders to make decisions
The military is really good at teaching new leaders to make decisions. Here’s what you can learn from them.
From David Morken in Chief Executive: 3 Lessons for CEOs in Deploying Military Leadership Principles
“Marines understand that leaders are made—not born. So they take whatever rough stuff families and schools provide, like me, and put them through a leadership crucible. Preparing for war may not seem appropriate for civilian life or business, but it is. Here are three indispensable rules for combat leadership that translate well at our company of 300.”
From John Michel: A Military Leader’s Approach to Dealing with Complexity
“I know how daunting it can be to lead dedicated professionals to undertake complex endeavors, and I’ve lived the reality of trying to bring positive change to large, bureaucratic organizations. Here are four principles I’ve learned that can help you enhance your leadership while concurrently bringing out the best in those around you.”
