tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1810916883063809470.post8400003074458459225..comments2013-09-04T15:14:27.464-04:00Comments on O'Brien on Leadership: Leaders Need to LeadPete O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05104571435352565930noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1810916883063809470.post-80961719731068897012009-05-09T23:43:14.178-04:002009-05-09T23:43:14.178-04:00All so very true!
Quality leadership is not only ...All so very true!<br /><br />Quality leadership is not only lonely and difficult, but it must also be selfless.<br /><br />As I read these comments on leadership, my mind drifts back to a basic course from AOCS days. As a young officer candidate one of the first lessons taught is “The Pyramid of Service.” <br /><br />Envision a pyramid and divide it laterally into layers. The largest base layer is labeled ‘The United States.’ The next layer as you progress upward is ‘The Navy.’ The subsequent layers are ‘Your Ship’, ‘Your Shipmate’ and lastly the smallest top layer at the point of the pyramid is ‘Self.’<br /><br />Quality leadership requires the base first be satisfied before all subsequent ‘layers’ can be addressed. In the Naval example, you must always serve your country first – they your Navy – then your ship – then your shipmate – and lastly only after all have been served, you can serve yourself. No leadership decision is correct if it serves the smaller entity at the expense of a base entity. If you serve the Navy at the expense of your country, or if you serve your shipmate at the expense of your ship, you have done a disservice.<br /><br />The pyramid can easily be modified for all things corporate or political. In the example of the President, he must serve his country and its citizens first. The in-between layers can be world citizenship, etc. The very top layers should be ‘political party’ and then ‘himself.’ Serving his party or himself should be the last of his concerns and should be addressed ONLY after all larger concerns are satisfied.<br /><br />That said, in the world of politics, unpopularity almost becomes a badge of honor. A President who looks to popularity polls is serving himself and his party before his country, and by definition, is a failed leader.<br /><br />Leadership in Washington DC is not for Sissy Marys.Dannoreply@blogger.com