[July 27, 2015] A number of years ago, several friends of mine were being mentored by a senior Flag officer, a two-star Army general, about how to succeed in command. Each was a new brigade commander and recently promoted to the rank of full Colonel. Like many good leaders they had developed a keen sense that people helped make them successful and therefore had “taking care of soldiers” a top priority in their new command. Yet taking care of your people is the most misunderstood trait of leaders.
Each of these commanders was berated for this priority by that senior Flag officer, a person who have considerable power over their future careers. They were lectured that “babysitting” soldiers – doing everything for them – would make them weak and dependent on others. They were told that the army needed soldiers that were strengthened through the process of undergoing difficult challenges and it was incumbent upon strong leaders to do just that. Taking care of soldiers, was thus a sign of weakness in a leader.
I was fortunate enough to also speak with that senior Flag and during our discussions came to the conclusion that he had misunderstand what they meant by taking care of soldiers. Those commanders meant that by taking care of their people they would be providing opportunities, education, and resources for their soldiers to succeed. Each felt that pushing down authority to get the job done would be a benefit to the command and to those soldiers.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw
Communication is where this misunderstanding is centered. In my personal experience leaders who emphasize the betterment of their soldiers and clearly communicate it to all, tend to do well, in particular when tough situations demand exceptional leadership. The purpose of leadership is not to shine the limelight on one’s self but to unlock the potential in others so that they may act independently and within the guidelines provided to them. And here is where much of the misunderstanding about caring for your people takes place.
Those leaders who embrace all those that work for them are good at distributing authority downward in the organization. They demand and get high standards of performance, provide intrinsic motivation, and allow creativity to flourish. Taking care of your people by allowing them the space to do well, is taking care of them and not doing things for them or making them dependent. This is far different than “babysitting” soldiers.
Great care should be taken to recognize the priorities of leaders and understand what they mean by taking care of their people. Anything short of this can lead to a misunderstanding of that leaders’ trait to prioritize their soldiers. It also puts the organizational mission at risk.
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