Leadership
Since I was a kid I wanted to be a leader. I'm not sure why. I can't talk to young me to ask but more than telling people what to do or boss people I liked the idea of how to take care of people. I remember even with a group of my friends a decision like "where are we going to eat?" could paralyze the whole group. Hell, I'll make that decision! It can't harm anyone, let's just go eat!
People seem afraid to make decisions. I don't know if it's because they're afraid of being wrong or afraid of the consequences of someone not liking the decision but generally speaking people do not want to make them. I never cared. Things don't move unless people make decisions. I knew that much then. I know that much now.
Don't get me wrong, if you're a leader you better make correct and smart decisions most of the time. But given the choice of making no decision at all or make any decision? Make a decision.
Anyway, leadership has been on my mind recently with recent events. Calamity has hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands and most in the continental US have watched as our leaders have taken care of the situation. Or not taken care of the situation.
I have to stress this: being a leader, the greatest honor you'll ever have is taking care of your people. It's not getting credit. It's not checking boxes to fit a career. It's not simply manning a position to please a mentor. It's taking care of your people. Why the hell else would you ever want to lead? The power alone isn't worth it. The notoriety isn't worth it. Both fade. Quickly. It's not something you can look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of.
If I'm a leader during this time I overdo it to let PR and VI know that in these hard times they are Americans and loved and taken care of now more than ever. These are times leaders can shine in the way leaders should shine; if you pull this off greatly those people will never forget you were there for them. If you pull this off halfway good they will know you did everything you could to try to help them.
But what you don't do is take a mini vacation while your people are suffering, then say you'll come after. There isn't any class on leadership that will tell you to do that. You don't tell your people they're on their own in any way. You don't rest until you know your people are ok. You don't rest.
I did get to lead a little in my Air Force career and I'm sure I'll lead again. You learn by counterexample sometime and that's what I'll do with what's going on now. I hope and pray competent help gets to our American citizens and they're back up to speed quickly.
People seem afraid to make decisions. I don't know if it's because they're afraid of being wrong or afraid of the consequences of someone not liking the decision but generally speaking people do not want to make them. I never cared. Things don't move unless people make decisions. I knew that much then. I know that much now.
Don't get me wrong, if you're a leader you better make correct and smart decisions most of the time. But given the choice of making no decision at all or make any decision? Make a decision.
Anyway, leadership has been on my mind recently with recent events. Calamity has hit Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands and most in the continental US have watched as our leaders have taken care of the situation. Or not taken care of the situation.
I have to stress this: being a leader, the greatest honor you'll ever have is taking care of your people. It's not getting credit. It's not checking boxes to fit a career. It's not simply manning a position to please a mentor. It's taking care of your people. Why the hell else would you ever want to lead? The power alone isn't worth it. The notoriety isn't worth it. Both fade. Quickly. It's not something you can look at yourself in the mirror and be proud of.
If I'm a leader during this time I overdo it to let PR and VI know that in these hard times they are Americans and loved and taken care of now more than ever. These are times leaders can shine in the way leaders should shine; if you pull this off greatly those people will never forget you were there for them. If you pull this off halfway good they will know you did everything you could to try to help them.
But what you don't do is take a mini vacation while your people are suffering, then say you'll come after. There isn't any class on leadership that will tell you to do that. You don't tell your people they're on their own in any way. You don't rest until you know your people are ok. You don't rest.
I did get to lead a little in my Air Force career and I'm sure I'll lead again. You learn by counterexample sometime and that's what I'll do with what's going on now. I hope and pray competent help gets to our American citizens and they're back up to speed quickly.
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