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Dare to Be Great
Dare to Be Great! By Chuck Holmes
I’ve met many Army Officers who thought their next duty assignment would make them great.Heck, I’ve been guilty of this myself.We think that if were selected for that prestigious command position or staff position, our talents will shine, and we will be recognized as great leaders.
Let me tell you, things seldom happen that way.You see, the position seldom makes the person.Instead, it reveals the person.And if you don’t believe me, think about that new power hungry person who has never been in charge before, but is now placed in charge.
What do they do?They belittle their followers.They bully people.They’re dictators.In essence, they are ineffective leaders.Their true colors shine through.And they were probably the same way before they got the position, they just didn’t have anyone to order around.
If you want to be successful in life, you must take a different approach.You must realize that every job you do is important. And you should realize that your job performance doesn’t change much, regardless of what you do.You see, most Generals were good Lieutenants.And most effective Company Commanders were effective Platoon Leaders.Sure, there are few exceptions to this rule, but not many.
One of my favorite authors is Russell Conwell.He is the famous author of Acres of Diamonds.In his book he says “You think you are going to be made great by an office, but remember that if you are not great before you get the office, you won’t be great when you secure it.It will only be a burlesque in that shape.”
I don’t know about you, but I think that is spot on advice.Once again, the job doesn’t make the man.It reveals the man.
My advice to you is to be great right now.Take pride in what you do and strive to make a difference.People will notice.And even if you think your job isn’t important, it is.Every job is important.This includes leadership positions, staff positions and any other job the military gives you.
One of my former Battalion Commanders used to say “Dare to be great!”His advice inspired me to be the best me.He inspired me to take pride in what I do and strive to make a difference.I hope it will have a similar impact with you.
Best Company Commander Advice Ever
"Helpful Business Lesson for Company Commanders" By Chuck Holmes
One of the most influential business books I’ve ever read is the “E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber.In his classic book, he discusses why most businesses fail.His thesis (paraphrased) is that “most businesses fail because the owner of the business spends their time on the wrong tasks.”Most unsuccessful business owners spend their time “working in their business, rather than working on their business.”
Let me tell you, this advice has personally transformed my life.Fortunately, I read this book before I took Company Command.Because of the book, I realized that my job as the Company Commander was to be busy working on my unit, not working in my unit.
Most Company Commanders forget their true purpose.As the leader, your true purpose is to lead, grow, and develop your organization, not to run your organization.Your job is to determine what you want your unit to be like and help it get there. Don’t make the common mistake of letting the day-to-day activities consume you.Don’t be so busy doing everyone else’s job that you forget to do your job.
Your job is to be able to “step back” from the day to day activities and focus on the bigger picture.In essence, your bigger picture is “ensuring your troops are trained for combat.”Additionally, you must focus on developing your leaders, improving your organization and finding creative ways to be effective, excellent and efficient.
I talk with so many Company Commanders who are busy.While I admire their work ethic, I disapprove of their strategy.Remember, it’s not your job to be busy.Instead, it’s your job to be effective.And if you don’t perform your job, no one else will.And ultimately your unit will fail.Now, we don’t want that to happen.So, I’m going to give you a few key tips. As the Company Commander you should:
1.Determine unit objectives: You must set short-term and long-term goals for your organization.
2.Develop subordinates: This includes counseling, professional development, discipline, etc.
3.Provide vision for your followers: You must ensure your followers understand why they are doing what they are doing.
4.Set the “tone” or “personality” of the unit: Ultimately, your unit is a reflection of you.Your job is to set the right tone for the organization. Don't be a slacker!
5.Conduct Strategic Planning for your unit (yes, even at the tactical level): Finally, you must conduct strategic planning for your unit.This is the big picture of why you do what you do and what type of organization you want to create.This also includes mission planning.
90% of your time should be spent on these five tasks.You should spend the remaining 10% of your time putting out fires, handling issues, running meetings, dealing with your boss, etc.
Please know that it’s easy to be consumed by the minutia.It’s easy to get burnt out, stressed out and overwhelmed, feeling like you have to do it all.Well, you don’t have to do it all.You simply need to know what your real job is and you need to teach your subordinates what their job is.If everyone knows their responsibilities (as you see it) everyone can stay in their lane and get the job done. And if everyone knows their job, there isn’t much to worry about.When something goes wrong, the person who is responsible for that task simply resolves the issue.
The key point here is that Company Commanders must follow Michael Gerber’s advice and “be busy working on their unit rather than be busy working in their unit.”I hope that helps.If you got something from this blog post, all I ask is that you play it forward and share what you learned with one of your followers.
If you haven't done so already, don't forget to check out my Army Officer Guide.
Your Title Does Not Make You a Leader
Your Title Does Not Make You a Leader By Charles Holmes
Today, I wanted to write a short blog post titled “Your Title Does Not Make You a Leader.”
In the military, Officers and NCO are considered leaders because of their rank or duty position. Because they have been selected for a certain duty position or promoted to a certain rank, it is assumed that they have the leadership qualities required for that rank or duty position.I’ve found that nothing is further from the truth.
Your title and/or duty position does not make you a leader. Instead, your results, actions, traits, and habits determine whether or not you are really a leader.I’ve personally met plenty of Officers and NCOs in leadership positions (or with a high rank) that were barely qualified to lead themselves.And I’ve met Soldiers with very little rank that could successfully lead a large organization.Why does this happen?It boils down to lack of desire, lack of responsibility, poor training, poor work ethic, personality shortcomings, putting the wrong people in the wrong jobs, and a variety of other reasons.It just proves that “the job doesn’t make the man.Instead, the man makes the job.”
So, what is a leader?A leader is someone with influence who gets things done through other people.And it has nothing to do with titles or duty positions.
You can walk into any military organization (or business) and observe two things.In any organization, there are formal and informal leadership groups.The formal leadership group is typically the command team, and the informal leadership group is the behind the scenes people who are known to get things done.They are the go-to people with the most amount of influence, strongest work ethic and biggest achievements.In most organizations, the informal leadership group might consist of 2-5% of the people.
Please know that both groups are important.However, the best organizations have effective formal and informal leaders.
Whether or not you have a high rank, a leadership title, or prestigious duty position is irrelevant.In my opinion, everyone has the responsibility to act like a leader!But how do you do this?Listed below you will find five simple steps to be a better leader.
1.Be the Best at What You Do: Whether you are the General of the Army, or the janitor, your job is important.You must strive to be the best at what you do, regardless of your title or duty position.
2.Set a Strong Personal Example: All Soldiers should live by the Army Values and promote the Warrior Ethos.Always set a good example for others to follow.
3.Focus on Results:Effort is important, but results speak for themselves.You want to be known for being the go-to person.You want to be clutch.You want to be known as the person who “gets things done.”Simply put, you want to be the person that others can count on.
4.Be a Servant: This is where most leaders fail.Most leaders think their followers should serve them.Instead, it should be reversed.The leader has the responsibility to serve the people she leads.That means you are an advocate and helper, not just the person giving orders.
5.Focus on Personal Development: Leaders are readers.You should be very committed to personal growth.That means you need a mentor and you need to read books.You should study leadership, tactics, your military job, communication, persuasion, conflict resolution, military history and a variety of other topics.
Remember, anyone can be a leader.It is a personal decision to accept responsibility for your actions, to lead by example, to take pride in what you do and be the best at what you do, and to serve others.By following the steps in this article, you will be a better leader, and will have a more rewarding and successful career in any endeavor.
Five Tips to Be a Better Army Officer By Charles Holmes Reprinted from Ezine Articles
While NCOs are the backbone of the Army, Army Officers are definitely the tip of the spear. If you are currently serving as an Officer you have a huge responsibility. From the time you are first commissioned, you become a leader. In fact, very few people have the same level of responsibility of an Army Officer. For instance, even a new Second Lieutenant supervises 20 to 30 Soldiers and maintains $1 million or more worth of equipment.
However, just because you are in a leadership position, doesn't make you a leader. You have to earn that title. And I've found that lots of Officers simply aren't effective at what they do. So, I'm going to share five simple things you can do to be an effective leader and Officer. They are listed in no particular order.
1. Train as You Fight: One of the biggest mistakes small unit leaders make is that they don't train as they fight. Your primary responsibility is to provide tough, realistic training so your Soldiers can safely accomplish their wartime mission.
2. Lead by Example: As an Officer, you must lead by example. You must live by the "do as I do" philosophy, not the "do as I say philosophy." More importantly, you must remember that your Soldiers are always watching you. You must be a strong personal example for others to follow. That means you must stay in shape, be tactically and technically proficient and live by the warrior ethos.
3. Continuous Improvement: To be a successful officer, you must focus on continuous improvement. That means that you commit to lifelong learning by studying history, reading books, talking with mentors and continuing your military and civilian education. Strive to learn something new each day.
4. Know Your Role: As a leader, your responsibility is mission planning, strategic thinking and decision-making and tactician. In essence, the Officer is the planner and the NCO is the doer. You must know your role and you must be proficient at what you do.
5. Listen to Your NCOs: Every Army Officer works with an NCO. The Army does this for a reason. If you are wise, you will seek input from your NCO when possible. He or she probably has lots more experience than you do. Even if you don't always follow their recommendations, at least you will know their concerns or advice. I call this "keeping you grounded." And I've found that the best Officers work well with their NCOs.
In conclusion, Army Officers have a huge responsibility. However, just because you are in a leadership position doesn't make you a leader. To improve your effectiveness, follow the five steps outlined in this article.
To learn more about how to be a better Army Officer check out our website or read our Army Officer Guide. Charles Holmes is the creator of the Company Commander Resource Center.
I cannot stress the importance of having a good attitude.
One of the quickest ways to improve the morale in your unit is to improve your own attitude.If you are a leader, you set the tone for the organization.The attitude of the boss is the attitude of the team.And if you are always negative, sarcastic, or pessimistic, you will have a negative effect on your unit.
The best leaders are the most charismatic leaders.That doesn’t mean you need to be happy and chipper all the time.Instead it simply means that you need to be aware of your attitude.If you are having negative thoughts or feeling down, the best thing you can do is to “keep it to yourself.”
I learned a long time ago that Soldiers have enough things to worry about.The last thing they need to hear about is their leader’s problems.Does that make sense?I understand that we all have different personalities and temperaments.That’s okay.The true secret to success is to be aware of your attitude.
Listed below are five simple things you can do to improve your attitude.They are listed in no particular order:
1.Set Goals: One of the easiest ways to improve your attitude is to establish written goals.By doing so, you have something to strive for.Your subconscious mind is a natural goal oriented mechanism.If you have goals (personal and professional) you have something to work for and something to look forward to.This will have a positive impact on your attitude.
2.Get Enough Sleep: It amazes me how many Americans simply do not get enough rest.Sometimes I am guilty of this myself.Whenever I get 6-9 hours sleep, I feel like a new person.I am more alert and typically feel great.If you aren’t getting much sleep at night try going to bed one hour earlier.
3.Read: I think it’s a good idea to read self-help and inspirational books from time.Try to read one good book a month to help improve your attitude.It’s not that the reading itself will improve your attitude.Instead, you will learn some great ideas on how to improve your attitude.
4.Stay Active: if you are like most people, you are probably stuck behind a desk and computer most of the day.Countless studies have shown that people who get regular exercise and stay active have a better attitude, and feel better about themselves.Make physical fitness a priority.Do PT every day.Go to the gym.If you are busy, go before or after work.
5.Build Relationships: It’s easy to forget that the people we work with are “people” too.So many people don’t know anything about the people they work with.Now, I’m not saying you have to be “buddy buddy” with the people you work with.However, you should know a little bit about them, such as the names of their family, their birthday, and some of their goals.I’ve always felt that the best, most effective leaders were the ones who cared about their subordinates.
In conclusion, attitude is everything.As a leader, you must be consciously aware of your attitude, because it affects everyone who works for you.Some of the best ways to improve your attitude include (1) set goals; (2) get enough sleep, (3) read, (4) stay active, and (5) build relationships.I hope this helps you become a better leader.
