Tools I Learned from the Army
Jun 10, 2019
What can a group of tech leaders learn from Army Generals? Turns out, A LOT.
I met General Patricia Frost, a retired US Army general, in a room full of Microsoft leaders last week. She and her team talked to us about leadership practices taught to West Point grads. They told us inspiring and fascinating stories about their various missions.
The stories were memorable. How could they not be? But the tools and practices that they gave us - as dry as they were - were memorable too in their own right. E.g.:
So after the class last Thursday, I couldn't wait for a few reflective moments to write my own philosophy of leadership.
Saturday morning dawned fresh and crisp. In the first moments of silence in my house, I took out my journal and started writing my PLP. It's not long, but it captures what leadership means to me. I see values like bold, accessible, respectful, and energizing. I have called out continuous learning as an important leadership value. I believe that, ultimately, a leader exists to further the potential of people around her using all the tools at her disposal. I am still iterating on my PLP (if you'd like to see it and give me feedback, please message me directly!)
So here is my question to you. Will this tool help you in leading people and your own life more intentionally? Would you like to write your philosophy of leadership?
I met General Patricia Frost, a retired US Army general, in a room full of Microsoft leaders last week. She and her team talked to us about leadership practices taught to West Point grads. They told us inspiring and fascinating stories about their various missions.
The stories were memorable. How could they not be? But the tools and practices that they gave us - as dry as they were - were memorable too in their own right. E.g.:
- Declaring a Leaders’ intent can be as valuable for army missions as for creating clarity as a tech leader.
- To "Pause and zoom out" when plans go awry is an excellent tactic in Software as well as in military missions.
- The tool I loved the most is the Personal Leadership Philosophy (PLP) statement. A PLP lets you reflect on, record, and communicate what you value most as a leader.
So after the class last Thursday, I couldn't wait for a few reflective moments to write my own philosophy of leadership.
Saturday morning dawned fresh and crisp. In the first moments of silence in my house, I took out my journal and started writing my PLP. It's not long, but it captures what leadership means to me. I see values like bold, accessible, respectful, and energizing. I have called out continuous learning as an important leadership value. I believe that, ultimately, a leader exists to further the potential of people around her using all the tools at her disposal. I am still iterating on my PLP (if you'd like to see it and give me feedback, please message me directly!)
So here is my question to you. Will this tool help you in leading people and your own life more intentionally? Would you like to write your philosophy of leadership?