I ran across an article entitled "The Leader's Checklist" by Michael Useem in Forbes magazine that is worth reading and comment.   Michael has put together a short list of 15 simple principles that can be adapted to any situation by any Marine leader.

Many Marines will find most of these very familiar and some will think them too simplistic.  Part of the trick to good leadership is taking very difficult situations, missions etc. and making them simple and easy to understand.  That is much easier said than done.

It isn't enough if only you, the guy in charge, understand your vision for success.  Every Marine in your charge has to got understand and buy into "what you are selling".   If your actions and mannerisms say otherwise, your Marines will realize that you are "selling them a bill of goods".

One of Michael's principles is "Convey your Character".  If your Marines don't know you, then how can they trust you?  You must show them your character through your actions.  The quicker that you can do this after taking charge, the better.  For some of us, it takes longer than others, but still we must show our Marines that we are sincere in what we say, and we must do as we say they should do. 

This is a great example of how one Marine conveyed his character within hours after assuming command of an infantry battalion.

A couple hours after taking command the new Battalion Co called the new SgtMaj and all the Staff Officers into his office and asked them who the hardest working Marine was in the Battalion CP. 

The S-3, who was a former Company Commander and had been in the Battalion the longest, said that it was Cpl. Smith the ammo tech in the S-4 shop.  (His company had shot its ammo allocation in the first 6 weeks of deployment and the Cpl. had found him enough ammo to keep the company shooting the rest of the deployment).

The CO asked the SgtMaj to have the Marine report to him ASAP.  A minute later Cpl. Smith was standing in front of the new CO's desk, thinking he might have done something wrong.  The CO said "I heard you are the hardest working Marine in this Bn CP Cpl. Smith, is that true?" Cpl. Smith was speechless. 

The CO continued "The SgtMaj and these officers tell me that you are the hardest working Marine in this CP and I think the hardest working Marine should have the best chair."  He proceeded to wheel the biggest and best chair in the Bn from behind his desk as he told Cpl. Smith to take the chair down the hall and bring 3 Marines back.

Cpl. Smith came right back with three Marines.  The CO said "You deserve the biggest desk too; I won't be spending much time in my office."

Brilliance is in the basics.  The CO's simple action of giving Cpl. Smith his desk and chair on his first day in command allowed him to demonstrate to 800 Marines that he was a man of character without saying a word.

Word got around quick about what the LtCol. had done.  The Marines had a CO they could trust.  He spent that rest of his tour in command proving they were right. 

Of interest to Marines by Michael Useem

The Leader's Checklist (article in Forbes)

The Leader's Checklist: 15 Mission-Critical Principles

The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their Lessons for Us All

The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide--Knowing What to Do and When to Do It