https://medium.com/the-smoking-gun/lead-by-example-ca506b94d434#.innx79kxc
Joshua Chamberlain’s original Medal of Honor, found inside a book at a church fundraising sale in 2013
He stood alone, visibly shaken, chain smoking from a pack of borrowed cigarettes. We’d just taken our first hostile fire of the war, some inaccurate mortar rounds that peppered the rocky soil just outside the hastily-strewn concertina wire that formed our defensive perimeter. But that fire, combined with early reports of division casualties, was enough to push him to the edge. I approached him and stood by his side, facing the opposite direction as I watched the soldiers maneuver carefully to keep their distance from their commander.
“You doin’ alright?” I asked quietly.
“I’m fine,” he answered, his hands shaking noticeably as he took a hard pull on the cigarette.
“I’ve never seen you smoke,” I replied.
“I’m out of Copenhagen.”
“You know,” I said, easing into the meat of the conversation, “this isn’t a good look for you.” I nodded toward the nearby troops, “They’re watching you. They see you’re upset, and it’s upsetting them.”
“What do you want me to do about it?” He spat. “I’m not like you. I can’t just turn it off.”
“Sir,” I began, “they need you now more than ever. This is ‘go time.’ They need to know that you’re in control. They need to see that command presence.”
He took another long pull from the cigarette in his hand, threw it to the ground, and crushed it under the toe of his boot. He stuck his forefinger into the pack and fished out a fresh cigarette and lit it. He looked down at his feet for a moment, then took a breath and turned his head in my direction. “Are you through?” He asked.
I was. I left him there, standing alone, cigarette in trembling hand.
Author, ethnographer, and leadership expert Simon Sinek published a book last year titled “Leaders Eat Last.” On the surface, the main point seems obvious, something we've all heard and most of us emulate. In reality, there is far more to leading by example than waiting for everyone else to eat before you fill your plate. (And, in truth, there is a lot more to the book than the title suggests.)
From the first day we put on the uniform, we hear those three words: Lead by example. They are, without a doubt, the three most important words in vast lexicon of leadership. Those three words represent and reflect our values, professional ethic, and warrior ethos. We tend weave the idea behind them into cute slogans like ‘Do the right thing’ and ‘Always choose the hard right over the easy wrong.’ But if you truly lead by example, you don’t need any other words. Just those three simple words.
For me, lead by example conveys some very basic concepts that drive my philosophy as a leader.
Leaders eat last. This is more than pushing everyone else to the front of the chow line. It’s about selflessness and sacrifice. In everything you do, put your subordinates first.
Words and deeds. Say what you mean and mean what you say. You words and actions must always be in concert — if you say it, do it.
Get a life. There is more to work than… well, work. Sports, hobbies, family. Just get a life, and make time for it.
Keep calm and lead on. Maintaining your cool when the pressure’s on sets a lasting example. The old advertising slogan “Never let ‘em see you sweat” was simple, direct, and spot on. Keep your cool, don’t raise your voice, and steer the ship through the storm.
Take a knee and drink water. All work and no play will break an organization, starting with you. Make sure you keep your people rested and refreshed, and do so for yourself, too. That includes setting reasonable duty hours, so you don’t have people working late on a regular basis. There are times when you’ll need all hands on deck, make sure that you don’t have all hands on deck all the time or they won’t be ready when you need them most.
Stay hard. Exercise, keep yourself in good condition. That doesn’t mean you have to be the fastest runner or monster gym rat, just that you take care of yourself physically and maintain a standard that others can emulate. It carries the added benefit of being good for you.
Never quit. If you’re going to do something, give it your best effort and stay with it until the end. You might not always come out ahead, but the effort and the attitude set a strong example for others.
Work smarter, not harder. Take the time to think through a problem before starting work. Time and people are your most valuable resources. Use them wisely.
Risk is part of the job. There are few professions as dangerous as ours, where decisions carry such life-and-death consequences. This is no place to be risk averse. Always remember: “Risk is a potent catalyst that fuels opportunity.” You don’t win by not taking chances.
Trust is a two-way street. Give trust, earn trust. If you trust someone enough to assign them a task, trust them with the authority to make decisions and empower them to assume resonable risks. In turn, they will trust you.
When in charge, take charge. You’re the leader. Lead. Patton said it best: “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.”
And always remember that your troops are watching. They see everything you do, hear everything you say, and feel the results of everything you decide. By virtue of your position, you are their leader. Lead them.
Joshua Chamberlain’s original Medal of Honor, found inside a book at a church fundraising sale in 2013
He stood alone, visibly shaken, chain smoking from a pack of borrowed cigarettes. We’d just taken our first hostile fire of the war, some inaccurate mortar rounds that peppered the rocky soil just outside the hastily-strewn concertina wire that formed our defensive perimeter. But that fire, combined with early reports of division casualties, was enough to push him to the edge. I approached him and stood by his side, facing the opposite direction as I watched the soldiers maneuver carefully to keep their distance from their commander.
“You doin’ alright?” I asked quietly.
“I’m fine,” he answered, his hands shaking noticeably as he took a hard pull on the cigarette.
“I’ve never seen you smoke,” I replied.
“I’m out of Copenhagen.”
“You know,” I said, easing into the meat of the conversation, “this isn’t a good look for you.” I nodded toward the nearby troops, “They’re watching you. They see you’re upset, and it’s upsetting them.”
“What do you want me to do about it?” He spat. “I’m not like you. I can’t just turn it off.”
“Sir,” I began, “they need you now more than ever. This is ‘go time.’ They need to know that you’re in control. They need to see that command presence.”
He took another long pull from the cigarette in his hand, threw it to the ground, and crushed it under the toe of his boot. He stuck his forefinger into the pack and fished out a fresh cigarette and lit it. He looked down at his feet for a moment, then took a breath and turned his head in my direction. “Are you through?” He asked.
I was. I left him there, standing alone, cigarette in trembling hand.
Author, ethnographer, and leadership expert Simon Sinek published a book last year titled “Leaders Eat Last.” On the surface, the main point seems obvious, something we've all heard and most of us emulate. In reality, there is far more to leading by example than waiting for everyone else to eat before you fill your plate. (And, in truth, there is a lot more to the book than the title suggests.)
From the first day we put on the uniform, we hear those three words: Lead by example. They are, without a doubt, the three most important words in vast lexicon of leadership. Those three words represent and reflect our values, professional ethic, and warrior ethos. We tend weave the idea behind them into cute slogans like ‘Do the right thing’ and ‘Always choose the hard right over the easy wrong.’ But if you truly lead by example, you don’t need any other words. Just those three simple words.
For me, lead by example conveys some very basic concepts that drive my philosophy as a leader.
Leaders eat last. This is more than pushing everyone else to the front of the chow line. It’s about selflessness and sacrifice. In everything you do, put your subordinates first.
Words and deeds. Say what you mean and mean what you say. You words and actions must always be in concert — if you say it, do it.
Get a life. There is more to work than… well, work. Sports, hobbies, family. Just get a life, and make time for it.
Keep calm and lead on. Maintaining your cool when the pressure’s on sets a lasting example. The old advertising slogan “Never let ‘em see you sweat” was simple, direct, and spot on. Keep your cool, don’t raise your voice, and steer the ship through the storm.
Take a knee and drink water. All work and no play will break an organization, starting with you. Make sure you keep your people rested and refreshed, and do so for yourself, too. That includes setting reasonable duty hours, so you don’t have people working late on a regular basis. There are times when you’ll need all hands on deck, make sure that you don’t have all hands on deck all the time or they won’t be ready when you need them most.
Stay hard. Exercise, keep yourself in good condition. That doesn’t mean you have to be the fastest runner or monster gym rat, just that you take care of yourself physically and maintain a standard that others can emulate. It carries the added benefit of being good for you.
Never quit. If you’re going to do something, give it your best effort and stay with it until the end. You might not always come out ahead, but the effort and the attitude set a strong example for others.
Work smarter, not harder. Take the time to think through a problem before starting work. Time and people are your most valuable resources. Use them wisely.
Risk is part of the job. There are few professions as dangerous as ours, where decisions carry such life-and-death consequences. This is no place to be risk averse. Always remember: “Risk is a potent catalyst that fuels opportunity.” You don’t win by not taking chances.
Trust is a two-way street. Give trust, earn trust. If you trust someone enough to assign them a task, trust them with the authority to make decisions and empower them to assume resonable risks. In turn, they will trust you.
When in charge, take charge. You’re the leader. Lead. Patton said it best: “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.”
And always remember that your troops are watching. They see everything you do, hear everything you say, and feel the results of everything you decide. By virtue of your position, you are their leader. Lead them.
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