Getting the Job Done?Look, Listen, and Lead

[thedrifter]

Getting the Job Done?Look, Listen, and Lead

by SgtMaj John L. Horton, USMC(Ret)

Leadership is more than taking charge.
The author provides keen insights on the totality of effective leadership.


It is a constant challenge to exercise effective leadership within the Marine Corps. The challenge demands our immediate and collective attention. No unit in the Marine Corps is exempted from this challenge.


Effective leadership uses the combined arts of communications and supervision to succeed. The pursuit of effective leadership is an ongoing, growing, and learning process?not a finished product. But once competent leadership is firmly established, it is everlasting. For its continued growth and success, we need only provide it with a healthy environment and constant vigilance.


Communications, encompassing all kinds of interpersonal dynamics and human understanding, has never been more important than in today?s sophisticated Marine Corps. For a task to be efficiently accomplished, it must be effectively communicated to the proper persons. An old proverb provides the key to effective communications?understanding. ?A thing must be heard and understood for it to be done.? As one advances up the leadership ladder, communications skills become more useful than technical skills and expertise. Successful communicators know the importance of understanding by subordinates. That is why it is so important to become a competent communicator if one hopes to become an effective leader.


Supervision, the twin sister of communications, is a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week job. Leaders are on duty and are fully accountable for their Marines. Although it is a tough and sometimes thankless job, the effective leader has to get the job done with people. Supervision is thus a good barometer of a leader?s competence: if the leader is effectively in charge, it shows; if the leader is not effectively in charge, it also shows. Either the job gets done or it doesn?t. Too often compliance has to be monitored or the particular job is apt to be gaffed off. Involvement by appropriate authority usually means that the job gets done right the first time around. This is the essence of good supervision.


Proper supervision is also an instrument with which to positively reinforce effective leadership. It allows a good leader to catch someone doing something right, as well as to catch someone doing something wrong.


Moving beyond the basics, my definition of effective leadership would include, but not be limited to, competence or expertise in a specific field or activity, adherence to high standards of excellence, and an ability to get the job done through people?by getting others to do what you want them to do, for a common cause.


Few will argue that the Marine Corps needs more and better leaders. But where do we find them, or how do we create them? The obvious answer is that we must create environments: recruit training, Officer Candidates School, the drill field, noncommissioned officers (NCOs) school, Staff NCO (SNCO) Academy, certain formal and military occupational specialty schools, and certain other duty assignments. But these select few are the exceptions rather than the norm. Nevertheless, they provide correct role models for the rest of us.


I firmly believe that there are no bad followers?just bad leaders. Generally speaking, Marines will go down the path where they are led. Therefore, it is up to the leaders to choose the right path. Capable leaders are endowed with certain definable traits and qualities. They are not perfect, because they are still growing and learning about themselves and others. But they personify the effective leader in technical skills as well as in human understanding. They exercise their strengths and improve upon their weaknesses. They are combination manager-leaders?managing things and leading people. They set the example. They take care of their people.


To effective leaders, the titles of Marine, NCO, SNCO, and leader mean something special. Such leaders are fully aware that effective leadership in today?s Corps calls for sacrifice and service on the part of the leader on behalf of his or her Marines. Such leaders give a full-time commitment. They have know-how and a can-do attitude. Effective leaders understand that the attitudes and actions of those they lead are a direct reflection of their own. Furthermore, they understand that the buck does, truly, stop with them. They know that they owe it to themselves and their Marines to give?and to demand?the very best.


While daily work routines and mission priorities are realities for all of us, we shouldn?t forget that everything and everybody works more smoothly and efficiently in an environment where there is effective leadership. You must believe this, for everything else depends on this simple fact. And creating the right environment is up to all of us.


The ingredients of a competitive and competent environment for our Marines are sharing and teamwork. Among other things, this means identifying and rewarding competence and excellence. This also means identifying substandard performers who need correction, closer supervision, and?if necessary?separation from the Corps. It should always be remembered that healthy competition and demonstrated competence breed excellence in all of us. Sharing and teamwork mean giving of oneself?one?s talents, skills, expertise, knowledge?to make the team better. This means sharing the many professional secrets, formulas, and techniques with others. It also means helping others to develop into better professionals. Sharing and teamwork strengthen our beloved Corps.


I believe that effective leaders follow several basic rules:


? Know your Marines. Get to know them on both a personal and a professional basis. Try to learn what makes them tick. It is a never-ending job?an ongoing process that requires much time, practice, and patience. This is another example of one of those continuous, omnipresent responsibilities?not just an 0730 to 1630 job. It never has been easy; it never will be easy. It is, however, the foundation upon which leadership is built.

? Talk to your Marines. Get them together on a regular basis?all of them, no exceptions?and talk with and listen to them, sincerely and seriously. You will be surprised at what you can learn about each other and about the organization as a whole. Many of the Corps? most difficult and pressing problems have been solved by listening to the Marines. This kind of communications can take place in a formal setting (monthly leadership meetings, breakfasts, luncheons, etc.), or in an informal surrounding (wandering around, casual conversation, impromptu meetings, etc.).

? Establish and maintain standards of excellence. Tell your Marines what you expect of them, and make it perfectly clear to everyone. Set clear procedures and standards for attaining short-range objectives and long-range goals. Every Marine should be expected, and allowed, to perform his or her job. Where necessary and practical, specific guidance and individual counseling should be introduced to enable a Marine to improve. This is the essence of a helping relationship?helping a person to help himself or herself. Establishing and maintaining standards of excellence are at the heart of organizational development and effective leadership. These standards must be implemented forcefully?otherwise exhibitions of neutrality, mediocrity, and/or negativity will become unpleasant realities. In terms of expectations, only three varieties are available: no expectations, low expectations, or high expectations. I prefer the last of the three as a working standard of excellence.

? Watch for telltale signs. Learn to recognize both the positive and the negative signals of your Marines. Watch for physical, verbal, and nonverbal signs. They all tell you something. There is no neutral ground here. Either your Marines are gaining or they are losing ground; they are either accomplishing or not accomplishing the mission. Also, learn to distinguish between human and technical problems. There is a big difference. Again, I believe that human problems are more debilitating and vexing than most technical ones. While people are our most valuable resource, they are, unquestionably, the most complex of our assets to manage and nurture.

? Enhance the ?win? capability for the individual and the organization. Appreciate the fact that most people want to be winners. Also, appreciate the fact that it takes lots of camaraderie, competence, and creativity to get the job done. Mission accomplishment and personnel productivity are difficult at best. Effective leaders owe it to their Marines to put them in situations where they will win. Furthermore, it is of paramount importance that everyone contributes to the mission. Contributing makes people feel good about themselves, about others, and about the organization as a whole. By teaching your Marines to win, you will help them gain more confidence and achieve greater success. By creating an atmosphere of teamwork, you can mold your Marines into a true band of brothers and sisters.


Creating the right leadership environment will always be a complex problem. An overall plan of action is important, and the key ingredients of effective communications and constant supervision will aid in establishing the right atmosphere.


>SgtMaj Horton retired from the Marine Corps after 30 years of active service. He is currently employed by the Norfolk, VA Juvenile Court as the employment-restitution coordinator.

http://www.mca-marines.org/Gazette/2003/03horton.html


Sempers,

Roger