Have you ever stumbled upon wisdom that made you think, “Where was this when I needed it years ago?” That’s exactly how I felt when I discovered the leadership principles that had been hiding in plain sight throughout my career journey. While my peers were getting formal training, I was piecing together my leadership philosophy through trial, error, and sometimes painful experiences.
The Unlikely Military Connection
The foundations of my life are rooted in the military. Both personally, as the daughter of a Marine, and professionally during the early years of my career. I learned a lot from the Marine Corps about leadership, but many of the lessons were self-taught. As a civilian leader, I wasn’t provided the formal learnings that military leaders received. Instead, my personal brand of leadership is a mash-up of a military foundation, consulting to test it (a lot), and New England “knowing a guy” to add in some necessary human focus.
To be honest, I never knew what I was missing. At least not until I read the book “Spark” by Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, and Sean Lynch. Angie and Courtney are former Marines, and Sean is a former Air Force member. This book revealed to me what I could have learned all those years ago. The lessons weren’t all new, but many were learned through trial and error or much later in my career. While lived experience beats a book, the context would have helped me internalize the lessons much sooner.
What I loved about the book is the abundance of actionable insights, in addition to the tried and true military lessons I wish I had known sooner. Here are a few that had me nodding my head, considering them staples for any leader.
1. Circle of Influence: Building Your Leadership Network
The Circle of Influence concept encourages leaders to actively consider and expand their network of connections. It’s about understanding and leveraging your existing relationships while also seeking new ones that can contribute to your growth and impact. Here’s how to think about it:
- Who am I helping? Reflect on your current mentees, team members, or individuals who benefit from your guidance.
- Who’s helping me? Identify your mentors, supporters, and those who contribute to your development.
- Who can I help that I’m not already? Look for opportunities to extend your influence and support to new individuals or groups.
- Who would be an amazing person to learn from that I’m not already? Seek out potential mentors or thought leaders who could provide valuable insights.
By consciously expanding your circle of influence, you can increase your impact and continue your personal growth as a leader.
2. Galatea Effect: The Power of Self-Belief
The Galatea Effect is a powerful psychological principle that suggests our self-expectations significantly influence our performance and behavior. In the context of leadership:
- The more you believe in your values, the more likely you are to live by them.
- This effect underscores the importance of not just having values, but truly internalizing them.
- Leaders who strongly believe in their capabilities and principles are more likely to act consistently with those beliefs.
- This self-fulfilling prophecy can lead to improved performance and stronger leadership presence.
To leverage this effect, leaders should regularly reflect on their values, reinforce their belief in these principles, and consciously align their actions with their core beliefs.
3. Morning Morality Effect: Timing Your Toughest Decisions
This concept highlights how our decision-making and ethical behavior can vary throughout the day. We’re more likely to compromise our values when we’re time-pressured, tired, or stressed. As a result, our energy and willpower tend to deplete as the day progresses, making it harder to “do the right thing.” To combat this effect:
- Schedule important decisions or ethical considerations for earlier in the day when possible.
- Take regular breaks, like a noon break, to rejuvenate your mental resources.
- Be aware of this tendency and consciously reinforce your ethical standards throughout the day.
4. Narrowing the Say-Do Gap: Walking Your Talk
Focusing on our Say-Do Gap highlights the importance of consistency between words and actions:
- Consistency in how we show up builds trust with others.
- Leaders should strive to identify and address any disconnects between their stated values and their actions.
- Regularly ask yourself: “Am I doing the things I say are important to me?”
- Be aware of situations where your actions might not align with your proclaimed values, and take steps to correct this.
Narrowing the say-do gap enhances your credibility as a leader and strengthens your relationships with team members and stakeholders.
5. HBU (Highest Best Use) Test: Maximizing Your Impact
The HBU Test is a simple and effective tool for prioritization and time management:
- Regularly ask yourself: “What is the highest best use of my time right now?”
- This question helps you focus on tasks that truly matter and align with your goals and values.
- It encourages you to delegate or eliminate tasks that don’t represent the best use of your skills and time.
By consistently applying the HBU Test, leaders can ensure they’re focusing their energy on the most important and impactful activities, rather than getting bogged down in less critical tasks.
From Battlefield to Boardroom: Leadership That Transcends
While lived experience is invaluable, the context provided by “Spark” could have helped me internalize these lessons much sooner.
Military leadership principles aren’t just for those in uniform – they’re universal truths about human connection, integrity, and purpose. Whether leading a squad through hostile territory or guiding a team through a challenging project, these fundamentals remain relevant.
Which of these principles resonates most with you? Perhaps it’s time to examine your own leadership journey and consider what lessons you might be learning the hard way – when you could be accelerating your growth by tapping into the wisdom others have already documented.
After all, the best leaders never stop learning – they just get better at finding shortcuts to wisdom.
