As we know, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. The military does an exceptional job of teaching leaders to think on their feet and react to reality — without direct orders.
Chris: Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”? Can you tell us about your military background?
Including my time as a cadet, I was in the US Army from the time I was 17 to the time I was 27. I entered West Point in 1990, graduated in 1994, and served as an Armor officer until 2000. Those are incredibly formative years for anyone, even more so when you undergo the leadership training and on-the-job experience that the military has to offer.
People often ask me if my father was in the military or if I came from a military family. While neither was true for me, I think the root of the question is how much of an impact has the military had on me. Additionally, how deep are the lessons and values, and just how much I apply those lessons on an everyday basis in my corporate life. I had a colleague affectionately tell me once that I had a “flag imprinted on my back.”
I should say that my brother Ben followed me to West Point and graduated in 2003. Ben is still serving with distinction. He is an amazing leader and a MacArthur Award-winner with multiple deployments to the Middle East under his belt. I would be remiss not to mention that Ben is the preeminent military leader in the family. He is my personal hero.
Chris: What from your time in the military, do you think most prepared you for business?
It may sound odd, but it is the idea of Mission vs Commander’s Intent. As we know, no plan survives first contact with the enemy. The military does an exceptional job of teaching leaders to think on their feet and react to reality — without direct orders.
The most important part of a military plan is the “Commander’s Intent,” a concise description of what the commander wants to achieve and how to achieve it. Often, every aspect of a plan is rendered obsolete — except the Commander’s Intent. It’s what unit leaders can rely on while implementing a practical solution on the ground.
I have seen many senior corporate leaders try to dictate the actions of a large organization from the top. In my experience, these are often well-intentioned, incredibly bright people working to solve difficult problems. However, they often roll out restrictive top-down, finance-driven solutions. It removes autonomy and ownership through the ranks.
Said another way, it takes the oxygen out of the system. People don’t feel responsible for the solution or the outcome. One of the worst criticisms one can levy on a leader is that they are a “pass thru,” simply taking orders from higher and passing them lower.
With the idea of Commander’s Intent drilled into me, it is instinctive to take dictates from higher and determine the best way to implement them in my area. It often means adjusting the guidance or pushing back in a professional manner. I have learned that if one can provide a solid business reason and show tangible results, you can retain autonomy.
To be clear, this is not about asserting independence for the sake of independence. It is about understanding the goal of your organization, your left and right boundaries and then taking ownership for implementing the solution in your area.
Chris: How would you define your leadership style?
Mission First, People Always. It is a mantra that military leaders live by in my experience. We make it our business to know our team, their families, their dreams, and what makes them tick.
At this point, I have had an opportunity to work in multiple industries and 37 counties around the world. Regardless of where I go, what business situation, or what language we are working in, the same is true. It always comes back to understanding the people around you.
I learned along the way that teams will ask 3 questions of their leader:
1) Do I trust you?
2) Do you care about me?
3) Can you help me?
If you can answer those three questions affirmatively for the people around you, you will be effective in leading those around you.
Chris: What are your “6 Leadership Lessons Businesses can learn from military experience? Please share a story or example for each.
(1) Never Quit
Murphy’s Law says that if it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Murphy is alive and well in your business; guaranteed. That is okay. Plan for it. Build margins for error in everything that you do.
Of course, there will also be those things you simply did not plan for. Your team will look to you as the leader to see how they should react. As a leader, you define reality for your team. Never get too high. Never get too low. Always move forward. As an aside — when you see people get angry in business, it is normally because they have run out of ways to solve the problem.
I can’t tell you how many times that I had no idea how to resolve a problem, or even if we could resolve it, at the onset. It never ceases to amaze me how solutions present themselves if you stick with it. If you are not afraid to keep trying, keep moving. Never, ever quit.
(2) Check, Check, Double-Check, Close-The-Loop
This one comes directly from my first Platoon Sergeant, SFC Glenister. I can still see him reminding the troops to “check, check, double-check, close-the-loop,” and brought it with me to the corporate world. Success in our business requires that we are detail-oriented in everything that what we do. Success as a leader requires a thousand little acts. Clearly you need to prioritize, but never take anything for granted. Check the little things. Your team will do the same. It is unbelievably healthy for any team. A true fundamental.
(3) You Have to Make the Right Decision and Then You Have to Make That Decision Right
Just as in the military, you will often be faced with a situation that does not have a clear good alternative. Military leaders are used to working in VUCA (volatile, uncertain, chaotic and ambiguous environments). One of the lessons you learn very quickly in those situations is to make decisive decisions, and to adjust as the new information comes in and the situation evolves.
It is no different in the business world. Competition, clients and technology all move fast. There is a whole school of thought now on “agile leadership.” To me, it always comes back to having the confidence to make the right decision and paddle like hell to make that decision right.
(4) Over-Communicate
I once heard a General Officer say that 90% of the problems he had to deal with in his career revolved around communication. The more I have seen how large organizations function, the more I have come to believe good communication is vital. It is vital because organizations respond well to managed expectations. Organizations, particularly large organizations, do not respond as well to the unexpected.
It takes seven times or seven cycles for most messages to break through and be understood in any organization. Knowledge is generally valuable to the extent that it is shared. I have also found that teams, even if they don’t like a particular decision, will react better if the communication is effective and they understand the decision.
The rule of thumb I try to live by is that if you feel like you are over-communicating, then you are probably communicating just enough.
(5) Praise in Public
This is a simple, but powerful rule. I found that the military did a phenomenal job of recognizing performance in public; in front of your unit, team or family. Few things are as powerful as motivators and culture builders. Find ways to recognize performance, and reinforce values in public. Apply this rule generously, particularly where it applies to your most valued resources.
(6) Always Choose Harder Right Over Easier Wrong
This one comes from the Cadet Prayer at West Point. While this appears intuitive, it is often the hardest to apply. Make it clear early and often in any business role or engagement. Use these words to establish your expectations of all the people who work for you. Teach the lesson when it doesn’t seem necessary, especially before you get into a situation where the lesson would need to be applied.
There is a case study that I distinctly remember from business school where a disk drive manufacturer was caught grossly violating accounting principles and claiming revenue they had not earned. The business had devolved from recognizing deals closed after the end of a quarter, to claiming partner inventory as valid orders, and then literally shipping factory raw material and claiming credit for fulfilled orders.
The quote from the case that hit us all was, “how did we get to shopping bricks?” Well, the truth is it happened over time. It was not an overnight corruption of principles. It was corrosive erosion over time.
Establish the tone up front. Make sure that everyone who works for you knows that you, as a leader, always expects them to choose the harder right over the easier wrong.
Chris: The future of many industries rely heavily on millennials and gen-z in regards to consumers and talent. Can you tell us something you or your company is doing to stay ahead with attracting both?
As you might imagine, we believe that Gympass is offering an ideal tool for talent acquisition and talent retention. Everyone (not just millennials) enjoys having the choice and flexibility that a network like Gympass provides. What’s more, we believe that people will stay with activities they love. At the heart of what we do is the idea that pleasure beats pressure.
Top talent of all ages and backgrounds are attracted to employers that shows personal interest in their health and happiness. Gympass offers a tangible way to show that type of investment in your people. And, as we like to say in the office, the team that sweats together, stays together.
Chris: Can you tell us one person in the world, or in the US whom you would want to sit down and have a drink or cocktail with? He or she might see this. :-)
Colin Powell. I have used his “It Worked for Me” book as a primer on leadership with several teams in IBM and now Gympass. In all cases, the teams have come back to me with stories about how they applied lessons from the book to their own teams, cascading down. I have tremendous respect for the candor and insight he shares as he brings to life each of his 13 “rules” with fascinating anecdotes.
There are few I can think of that I respect more, or have taken more from, than the lesson Colin teaches on leadership. It would be an honor and a privilege to connect with him.
