***WARNING*** This post is for leaders who really want to be challenged to go to the next level. Milk toast leaders will reject these concepts.
There is a lot of basic, elementary leadership teaching out there. Let’s be honest, many posts on this site could fit into that category. This post is not one of them.
In chapter 13 of his book Call Sign Chaos: Learning To Lead, General Jim Mattis, the former Secretary of Defense, provided a leadership clinic. This chapter is literally like drinking from a leadership firehose. However, all the concepts are next level. His thoughts are challenging. They need to be. After all, his decisions literally affected the very lives and safety of tens of thousands of people in multiple regions of the world.
These lessons will make you think and go through a process of self-reflection. However, if you apply his concepts to your personal leadership, you and your team will go to the next level. Also, if you have not purchased his book yet, do so today by clicking HERE or on the image provided.
The following are 13 Lessons For Leaders Who Crave More Than Just Elementary Concepts:
- “Culture is a way of life shared by a group of people – how they act, what they believe, how they treat one another, and what they value.”
- “‘Culture eats strategy for lunch.’ The output of any organization, driven by its culture, must reflect the leadership’s values in order to be effective.”
- “Every organization gets the behavior it rewards. We had to reward battlefield behavior.”
- How To Solve Problems – “When asked how he would order his thoughts if he had one hour to save the world, Einstein sagely responded that he would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem and save the world in five minutes.”
- “Any planning construct that strives to provide mechanistic certainty is at odds with reality, and will lead you into a quagmire of paralysis and indecision. As economist Friedrich Hayek cautioned, ‘Adaptation is smarter than you are.'”
- Reject False Doctrine – “War refuses any doctrine that denies its fundamentally unpredictable nature.”
- “‘Every attempt to make war easy and safe,’ General Sherman wrote, ‘will result in humiliation and disaster.'”
- The Art Of Logical Thinking – “General George C. Marshall had written: ‘The leader must to cut to the heart of a situation, recognize its decisive elements and base his course of action on these. The ability to do this is not God-given, nor can it be acquired overnight; it is a process of years. He must realize that training in solving problems of all types – long practices in making clear unequivocal decisions, the habit of concentrating on the question at hand, and an elasticity of mind – are indispensable requisites for the successful practice of the art of war… It is essential that all leaders – from subaltern to commanding general – familiarize with the art of clear, logical thinking.'”
- “We must define the problems we are trying to solve and propose value-added solutions. We will return clarity to our operational concepts.”
- “Avoid what George Kennan called, ‘the treacherous curtain of deference.’ Don’t be political.”
- “As Secretary Shultz had said before Congress, to do our jobs well, we should not want our job too much.”
- “Change must come at the speed of relevance.”
- “Commanders must encourage intellectual risk taking to preclude a lethargic environment. Leaders must shelter those challenging nonconformists and mavericks who make institutions uncomfortable; otherwise you wash out innovation. I told my one-star admirals and generals: ‘You’re still low enough in rank to be in touch with your troops, but senior enough to protect our mavericks. That’s our job.’ If you’re uncomfortable dealing with intellectual ambushes from your own ranks, it’ll be a heck of a lot worse when the enemy does it to you.”
Once again, this information is only for the best leaders. What is one thing you read above which will make you a better leader?
My book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase. If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you! By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you. This book is not to be read alone. Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence. Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.