Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Everything is not of equal importance


"If everything is so critical it requires your personal intervention as a leader, you are destined to failure. First, you lose your followers. No one can maintain a pace of everything being of equal importance. Things simply are not. "

"Leadership is often about just standing back. Standing back and deliberately moving your branches aside so some sunlight get down to the saplings. Giving your subordinates the time and nourishment necessary for growth."

Leadership guru - Rear Admiral Dave R. Oliver Jr. - in "LEAD ON - A Practical Approach to Leadership"

1 comment:

James Hammersla said...

One of the things I most remember from the Marine Corps is field exercises, in the midst of a simulated crisis our Platoon Sergeant walking about and announcing he and the Platoon Commander had just been killed. Which Squad Leader was now in charge? What was the state of ammunition for the platoon? Since transitioning to the Navy, as a Division Officer and Department Head, almost half of the time I have not had a Chief; hard charging First Classes have had to step up to the plate and with great results.

It is spot on that we need to allow for growth in subordinates since ultimately we all will move on. We have to acknowledge and incorporate developments and changes in doctrine, technology and personnel to effectively employ our teams in their missions … whatever the mission may be.