The military whether in the U.S. or any other country comes under constant scrutiny and criticism for what it does wrong. This is true both when at war, when at peace and when preparing for conflict. Beneath the weapons, the camouflage and the rigid tradition-bound hierarchy there are many things the military does right. These can serve as examples for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Accept only the best people. In spite of the recent controversy about U.S. Army recruiting not meeting goals, the military is always looking for the best men and women for their enlisted ranks and their officer corps. Standards, while they may be modified from time to time, are very high.
Training. New recruits. New enlisted personnel and new officers go through extensive training. While it differs from service to service, the training breaks men and women down to their raw attributes and skills and builds them up into the mold of the ideal soldier, sailor, airman or marine. This is only the first step of a continuous cycle or training.
Standards. Clear standards for are established for every role, job and function. This applies to both performance in the job and promotion to the next level. There is no guessing about roles – they are spelled out clearly. Performance is measured against established and documented standards for each function and role. Thus the guessing of what is expected is eliminated.
Promotion from within. Whether it is from enlisted ranks to specialties and non-commissioned officers or from lowest ranking officers to higher levels of pay and responsibility, promotions are made among the best performers and the most qualified in each area and function. Of course these are based on the “needs of the service”, but that is realistic to expect in any endeavor. This creates incentives for all to advance. Those who do not measure up and are not promoted are not retained – it is up or out.
Career paths. Every jobs, role and function has a career path. Whatever job one does, there are paths for advancement that include additional jobs, functions, training and education. These are all clearly spelled out. There are not vagaries of “where do I go from here”. Also, if one wants to change jobs, skills or functions, there are processes and mechanisms which spell that out too.
Performance management. Clear objectives, required performance reviews and promotion, pay and privileges based on these are essential to the military. What one does every day and how it is done is measured against established goals and objectives. Performance reviews are not optional. They are an essential part of the career management process for every single enlisted person and officer from Private to General, from Seaman to Admiral without exception.
More training. Training is on-going for every job, role and function. And advancing to the next level is often dependant on completing training with a performance threshold or completing additional education. Education and training are continuous and integral to advancement and performance evaluations.
Selfless. While it is unlikely that a business or organization person is going to put their life on the line for their co-workers or for a customer, it is something to consider. In the military, the team is valued over the individual. All efforts are toward making the team and unit successful in completing the mission. The enemy can be thought of as the competition. All must be done to defeat the enemy in the military. In business, all must be done to beat the competition through a selfless commitment to the customer and the team. The mission is above all.
Leadership. The military invests heavily in imbuing leadership at all levels of the organization. This goes beyond formal training to include mentoring and development for enlisted personnel and officers. In business, leadership is often an afterthought. Various management styles from effective to abusive are accepted without much thought to development or mentorship. The military model is based around the importance of effective and consistent leadership.
Longevity. How many CEOs are brought in from on company to run another? From one industry to another? This has become the rule not the exception. The military rewards longevity without rewarding mediocrity. The longevity is tied to performance. Only the best of the best rise in the ranks and remain. While it is unlikely that businesses today will adopt this element of the military model, it does have merit.
The military is often the butt of jokes and viewed as the ultimate in inefficiency. In reality, businesses organizations of all sizes can learn from the things that the military does every day enable it to better accomplish its mission through its people.
By: George F Franks III
Posts Tagged ‘Next Level’
Military Leadership Lessons for Management
April 22nd, 2010Preparing For Management Responsibilities
March 12th, 2010
The Webster dictionary describes a manager as ‘someone who handles or directs with a degree of skill’. But this definition is not rigid as are the responsibilities. Alternatively, you can think of a manager as someone who controls resources and expenditures. A manager has 4 basic roles to play in such areas as planning, organizing, directing or leading and supervising. Is this all that it takes to become a manager? Unfortunately not; you have to be answerable for failures while credit may not be given to you for successes (unless you are the owner). To understand how to prepare for management responsibilities, let’s look first at desirable managerial characteristics:
Attributes Of An Outstanding Manager
An outstanding manager is respected by both his peers and upper management. He is respected because he possesses qualities which others wish to have.
1. Manager Is A Task Maker: A manager sets realistic targets achievable through hard work and breaks them up to share them among the team members.
2. Industrious In Nature: Typically characterized by a hard working nature and perseverance to work meticulously to promote goals.
3. Approachable: He is a vivid listener and is easily comprehendible. Available for discussions and is eager to help solve matters.
4. Respectful: It is perhaps for this character that he inspires respect from teammates. He never disrespects an individual nor does he demand the impossible. He has a perfect judgment of individual capabilities, so he acknowledges difficulties and frustrations.
5. He Is Charismatic And Cheerful: Positive in outlook and bubbly in nature.
6. Never-Say-Die Attitude: Above all else, this character self-motivates the manager. It keeps him spontaneous and resourceful.
How To Prepare For Management Responsibilities
At the core, a manager has two responsibilities. Overseeing the day-to-day activities and leading the team or organization to next level. Preparing for both of these necessitates certain carefully cultivated habits.
Dealing With Day-To-Day Activities:
The first thing to understand is that, come what may, daily activities can’t be ignored. Even if there are bigger and better plans, what makes the wheel run is daily activities. Cultivate habits like following routines; ask about problems being faced by workers, don’t be impatient and lose your temper, ask how you can help them finish their tasks, etc. Unless you master the daily grind, a manager can quickly find himself behind.
Leading The Team:
Taking Things With A Grain Of Salt: It might feel like you are being weighed down by the workload. But you can’t just wish it away. Learn to be judicious and willing to take calculated risks. You should not differentiate workers on personal levels but must be aware of the abilities of each one. Solving problems and disputes instantaneously, not only saves the day for you but wins confidence from everyone.
Putting Your Experience To Use: Develop analytical abilities. This helps you to both envision plans and put them into concrete steps. Draw from past experiences, wherever necessary. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and accept suggestions. Generate ideas by brainstorming with colleagues.
Goal Setting: Although you are managing daily activities, your main goal is organizational growth and with it, your own personal growth. You should dream big, but also set realistic goals based on assessments of scalability, need and cost factors etc.
By: Tony Jacowski
