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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Leadership and Loyalty

This is Steven Petrick Posting.

Leadership is not a science. We can read history and learn what others did, but no matter how much we try to teach it, the reality is that each individual must find his or her own unique qualities. This does not mean that there are not similarities, or that leadership should not be taught. It is simply that in some cases the leader would be the leader if only the leader "knew how." So, yes, the skills can be taught, and a graduate of a military academy or of ROTC or of an OCS system who can be leader becomes a leader.

Leadership in the military is often characterized by that willingness to put others before self. To get a little less sleep yourself because you are making sure the people intrusted to you are getting the sleep they need. Eating last to make sure all of your people are fed, rather than grabbing the first plate of food and turning your back to them. You can be a leader, but if you do not know how to put your people before yourself, you may not be a successful leader.

That is, however, not to say that there have not been successful leaders who acted as if they cared nothing for their subordinates.

This is one of the differences.

We tend to think of true leaders as people we follow because, for some indefinable reason, we believe in them and want to follow them. Whether they are religious leaders, military leaders, or political leaders (the leader of a "peace and love commune" is very much a "political leader").

The others are the appointed leaders, who have appointed followers. They may be the heads of corporations or bureaus, or the director of a hollywood film. They tend very much to be less caring of their followers who, after all, are paid money to be abused by the "leader."

And this is where loyalty steps in. Real leaders, whether appointed and grown into the job, or rising out of the pack, inspire loyalty, and return that loyalty (i.e., they take care of their followers or subordinates, and are able to put their needs ahead of their own when circumstances dictate its necessity). It is the return of that loyalty they inspire which makes the truly great leaders, whether in the military, or in business, or day to day life.