It was about 1 a.m. yet the air temperature was still in the 90’s. The familiar stench of diesel fuel, waste and burning rubber permeated our sinuses yet gave us each that odd sense of nostalgia, having all been in the same or similar parts of the world before.
Our convoy of thirty heavily armed Navy SEAL operators had arrived at our set point – a predetermined location about a mile away from the enemy target. It’s at this location that we’d reconfigure ourselves in the vehicles (armored Humvees with no doors or roofs) for a speedy exit once we hit the target. Our mission – to capture a high-value enemy target.
The live feed from the AC-130 Spector Gunship circling above us had detected more enemy movement on target than the “intel” had originally anticipated. What now? Stick to the plan? Change the plan? Cancel the mission?
In some situations, the senior leader (or leaders) would confer with one another, radio back to higher authorities for approvals and feedback, then make a decision - with little to no input from the team. Often, that is appropriate and necessary, especially on the battlefield when time is of the essence. But in high-performance teams, “battlefield” decisions are often decentralized. Meaning that while strategic planning may remain centralized, real-time battlefield decisions are made by those on the ground. This applies to literal and figurative battlefields.
We dismounted from the vehicles and set security - a ring of 360 degree protection should we get contacted by enemy fighters. The senior leaders met, discussed options then gathered the team for feedback and buy-in. Ultimately, the senior person on the ground makes the final call, but team collaboration is imperative for developing the best possible missions plan. Once everyone’s voice had been heard, the final decision was made. Two minutes later we were on our way to the enemy target.
Good leaders set lofty goals for their team’s and drive them towards the fulfillment of their vision.
Great leaders include the team in the mission planning process and inspire them to collectively find the path to achieve the team's vision.
Good leaders focus on:
Managing more than leading. Leadership and management are two different disciplines. Good leaders can be great at managing teams and ensuring projects are done on time, task and budget. They get things done. More often than not, they have been hired or promoted into the position based on subject matter expertise. But sometimes, they lack the ability to engage, inspire and emotionally connect people to the mission narrative.
The task not the result. Good leaders assign tasks and responsibilities designed to accomplish a specific project or goal. This can be a highly effective approach especially when leading task-oriented teams. What it doesn’t accomplish however is engaging the team by showing them the destination, providing the lane markers and allowing them to innovate their way there.
Commanding from the top. Good leaders are highly effective in traditional command-and-control environments. They sit at the top of the hierarchy and build a solid chain of command. They are good at placing the right people in the appropriate roles.
More talking and less listening. While busy commanding from the top and doling out orders, good leaders often forget to enlist feedback from the team - valuable intel from front line troops that could be essential for process improvement or more effective strategic planning.
Developing others not themselves. Good leaders often assume they have everything it takes to accomplish the mission: intelligence, drive, resilience. And they know enough to recognize the importance of talent development and its impact on engagement and team performance. What they fail to realize, is that you can’t effectively lead a team until you can lead yourself, which starts with improving self-awareness. Accepting weaknesses and becoming a life-long learner.
Transactional leadership. Transactional leaders are more concerned with maintaining the normal flow of operations – this style is best described as “keeping the ship afloat.” Transactional leaders use disciplinary power and an array of incentives to motivate employees to perform at their best. The term “transactional” refers to the fact that this type of leader essentially motivates subordinates by exchanging rewards for performance.
Great leaders focus on:
The result not the task. As opposed to good leaders, great leaders have a unique talent for defining a clear vision, getting feedback on that vision, gaining buy-in, proving boundaries and inspiring creative solutions. They assign a result, not necessarily the tasks associated with achieving that result. That’s the team’s job.
Leading and following. Great leaders understand the true dichotomy of leadership: leading and following. They know when to shut up and get out of the way – knowing when they are sometimes the obstacle standing in the way of team success. Plain and simple.
Serving from the bottom. Similar to knowing when to lead and when to follow, great leaders are authentic servants of their people. They put the needs of the team before their own. Not simply the “needs” associated with mission success, but also the individual needs of each team member. Their org chart looks like an upside-down pyramid.
Allowing creativity and innovation. Once the desired “result” has been defined and agreed upon by the team, great leaders know how to align rituals, behaviors and actions with achieving that outcome. Innovation and creativity are imperative not just for keeping team members engaged but also for driving the best possible results. This mechanism is the cultural bedrock of the highest-performing teams in special operations and in business.
Developing themselves then others. Great leaders are in a constant state of self-improvement. Not just in their ability to lead, but also in mental and physical wellness. They are usually avid readers and fitness enthusiasts. Most importantly, they crave transparent feedback from those around them. Good leaders are open to feedback while great leaders apply that feedback and take action. They know they can’t authentically develop others unless they develop themselves. Constantly.
Transformational leadership. A transformational leader goes beyond managing day-to-day operations and crafts strategies for taking her company, department or work team to the next level of performance and success. Transformational leadership styles focus on teambuilding, motivation and collaboration with employees at all levels to lead positive change.
“Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire other to raise their own bar.” – Orrin Woodward
