[March 8, 2016] Long ago at Boot Camp, after I joined the U.S. Army as a Private, my fellow recruits and I (we weren’t soldiers yet) ran around our barracks to the cadence of several grizzled Drill Sergeants. There was a lesson somewhere but at the time I was focused on the moment and didn’t get it. The point was that nothing gets better without attention … and those Drill Sergeants certainly were giving us plenty of attention.
We were carrying our footlockers with folded clothing inside. The point was, as I thought about it later, was to show us that attention to detail matters. We refolded our gear over and over, carefully arranging it in our footlockers each time to exacting standards set by sergeants in charge of our care and well-being. After some time, it all became very precise and automatic.
An old army saying is, “inspect what you expect.” Each day at 5 o’clock in the morning we would have a “white glove” inspection that would detect the smallest speck of dirt or an incorrect fold several layers deep in our locker. We knew exactly what the Drill Sergeants wanted since they were constantly looking us over. One day my boots weren’t spit shined; the punishment was KP duty1 in the mess hall for a week.
By the end of 12 weeks – it seemed much longer – my small group had dwindled in numbers but those left were in great physical shape, could assemble and disassemble a rifle in under a minute, as well as shoot, move, and communicate. We learned first aid, how to throw a hand grenade, and run two miles in boots in under 18 minutes. We were tested often and at unexpected times.
Nothing gets better without attention by those who want things to go better. I’ve been constantly surprised throughout my lifetime when I see leaders who will tell people to do something, yet never check to see how well it’s going. Or they assume a task will be completed but are surprised when it’s not done.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]
———————-
- KP stands for Kitchen Police or Kitchen Patrol and refers to working in a hot kitchen. In my case it meant peeling lots of potatoes and cleaning an endless supply of pots and pan. You didn’t want KP duty because it was in addition to everything else you did.