Leadership Fails

I was reading another example of a great problem we all face and see when leadership fails. We have talked numerous times about the need for leaders to stand up. I also have made it know that Thomas Stonewall Jackson was a great study of leadership. I can honestly say that there is no way Robert E. Less would tolerate the behavior that has permeated our military.

It should come as no surprise that the military suffers from a lot of the same ills that plague the general society. There are people in the wrong position doing the wrong job. This happens at every juncture of society whether it is the military, government, or business. If you do not have the experience or knowledge of how to perform the job of a subordinate you better make dang sure that you take the time to figure it out. It may take some time, but walk a mile in their shoes.

If you can empathize with the person and understand what they are going through when you make decisions you are much more likely to make a better decision. We spend too much time rewarding the behavior that is not good for us. There must be great credence given to someone who has done the job successfully, but should not be the deciding factor.

We need people that are not afraid to make hard decisions and then surround themselves with people that are capable and have the moral fortitude to carry it out and get the job done. Typically we suffer from a leadership void the leadership fails and we are stuck rudderless. It is time to change before it is too late.

The time is coming when it will be too late. We must put solid people in place and that takes development as the US Army is finding out. When leadership fails we all suffer. Unfortunately the time is soon coming that we will all realize that leadership fails and we have been punished. Don’t be left out with rusty skills.