[July 15, 2020] Good news; junior leaders are given a high quality, respectable identity, and significant freedom provided by society. There will be no other time in the life for such a leader to have this much opportunity. Today, we all have full access to the most celebrated thinkers civilization has ever assembled, perhaps even beyond human comprehension.
The chance to read great books, to learn, and to discover new ideas are unparalleled. To then ask , “Why should we learn?” would be an predictable question. Some will say we can read the great thinkers to get a job, to get ahead in the workplace, to get another college degree, or to get promoted. Such comments are over simplistic.
The reason junior leaders are given the freedom and identity is so they can use it to become more articulate, to speak properly, to advise ideas, and thus to make their communities a better place. There is nothing more powerful than such a person. And this is “power” of the best kind; authority, influence, and respectability.
Junior leaders are at a point they can begin to craft the highest skill of articulated speech, to be a master at formulating their arguments. If that leader can do so, they will win everything. Being a leader would then mean that not only does the leader win, but everyone around that leader also wins.
Dr. Jordan Peterson says this is a “transformation” approximating the highest ideal, and such a person becomes a “shining light on the whole world.” Leaders have the opportunity during this time to become more articulated, sensible, and grounded in history, knowledge, and wisdom. There is, in his opinion, nothing more exciting.
And this is what the workplace should be calling for as they grow junior leaders. Nothing is more meaningful in life than doing good. Nothing is more compelling, meaningful, or useful in combating the challenges of life. But the workplaces have forgotten that they serve a purpose outside their day-to-day work effort.
Many senior leaders are corrupted and failing to tell their more junior leaders that this is what the workplace is really about. Senior leaders must train those who are younger and full of potential the importance of learning to think, read, and to speak with clarity.
Surprisingly, those who run any workplace would not tell their junior leaders about this subject. Those same junior leaders are searching for this kind of advice and guidance. The opportunities are spectacular and in the greatest abundance. Too frequently, their time is wasted.
Everyone is on the side of every junior leader. We all want them to succeed spectacularly because that is how we all get lifted from where we are now.
Gen. Satterfield, these are they types of articles that attract me to your leadership website. Keep them coming. I can say from experience that you are right about the advice and I only wish more junior leaders could read this blog post and they would, naturally, get a lot from it.
Learn to read, to think, to speak clearly.
Great advice.
Will junior leaders take such sage advice?
Or, will they ignore it?
The path is relatively clear if you chose the route of learning to read, think, and speak properly. The other routes are easier but end in corruption.
Wow, great to see you back on Gen. Satterfield’s blog. We miss your articles and wit.
Mr. EKIII, please write more for this leadership website. We all enjoy and appreciate what you’ve been doing for the world.
I was wondering what this sentence is about “Many senior leaders are corrupted and failing to tell their more junior leaders that this is what the workplace is really about. ” “Corrupted” has a number of connotations. I think, in my simple opinion, that it means that the longer leaders are in their positions, the less they are motivated to stay on top of things, help others, and not pull favors to themselves.
Perhaps Lynn. Maybe Gen. Satterfield can elaborate or some day have an article or a series of articles that deals with ‘corruption’ and why it is so important to understand it and what to do to knock it down.
Good question, Lynn. Corruption starts with the first and smallest lie. Then our social community encourages us to lie more and more, eventually it makes our minds WANT to lie. Corruption slowly creeps in to us as a person then expands out to our family, friends, community, and then to society when most of us lie repeatedly.
Max, well said. We WANT to lie. Powerful statement and one that all junior leaders should have in the back of their minds. Don’t go down that path.
I agree Lynn that more should be discussed about the idea of corruption. But not so much taking bribes and such petty things but corruption of our moral sense.
Thanks for another great article. I like the advice you give here. Also, I see you again reference Dr. Jordan Peterson. He’s a great man that has the bravery to stand up against ignorance of his Canadian government.
Excellent article full of spot-on advice and entertaining to boot. Thanks, Gen. Satterfield, keep up the great work to help not just current senior leaders but for those junior who will eventually become a senior leader. Well done!
Yes, good point Bill and we can all appreciate the fact that this is one of the top leadership blogs out on the Internet. Each day we get a bit-sized bit of leadership skills to read about and study. Gen. Satterfield has done us a great favor and all of this for free. Imagine that!!!
Yep, good article.
Hi Jonnie, I haven’t seen you on theleadermaker.com in a while. Hope all is well.
Some really good advice not just for ‘junior’ leaders but for all of us regardless of our position, age, or vision for the future.
Yes, Mikka. This is not, however, an easy thing to do. I can tell you from personal experience in the US Army that it is easy for leaders at all levels to fall off track from their responsibilities. Maybe it’s a human thing but it takes considerable effort to adhere to the advice that Gen. Satterfield has given us here.
Good point, Army Cpt. Thanks.