During my time in Iraq I found ten quotes and phrases that define my view of leadership.
Number 10: “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” I hated hearing someone trying to take credit. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit. That was one of the biggest differences between my peers and me. They were trying to take credit for everything. You should reward your people for initiative, bravery and ingenuity. Harry S. Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
Number 9: “ Respect is hard to get; you have to earn it.” It may be hard to get, but it’s easy to throw away. You have to work at it every day. The very first time a leader does something immoral or unethical that leader loses respect. You will earn respect by taking care of your people and keeping your word. It happens one day at a time.
Number 8: “Don’t micromanage.” Empower your people. Our pilots went out and did an amazing job. We let them make decisions. Many of the active duty organizations would require their people to call back to get permission to do anything. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” (Lao Tzu, 4th century BC).
Number 7: “Take the initiative.” Things will only happen that you make happen. It is incumbent on leaders to encourage their people to take initiative. Weak individuals sit back and let others do the hard work. If everybody took this approach nothing would ever get done.
Number 6: “Customer service.” You have to have a customer service attitude. Many days we would get feedback that we screwed up a mission. I learned there are always two sides to every story. Instead of going down and chewing out somebody I knew the truth lay somewhere in between the two sides of the story and usually the first story is wrong.
Dear Lord, please strengthen my heart and please make me fully devoted to you.
“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)