15 Leadership Laws to Turbocharge Growth

Effective communication – and the lack thereof – has been on my mind lately as I work with organizations that are experiencing superfast growth and all the challenges that brings. How to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills we can have. If everyone is not on the same page because the “why” of a goal hasn’t been made clear, a train wreck is without a doubt on the horizon. This is a fact in the business world, but think about how important it is in the military, when lives are on the line.I thought I would take this time near Memorial Day to not only thank the men and women of our military for what have done for our country, but to share with you the following “Principles of Leadership,” written by Robert L. Gordon, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. We can all learn from this … Nos. 2, 3 and 7 are especially relevant to me in my work.

1. Provide an environment for every person to excel
2. Treat every person with dignity and respect - nobody is more important than anyone else
3. Be forthright, honest and direct with every person and in every circumstance
4. Improve effectiveness to gain efficiency
5. Cherish your time and the time of others - it is not renewable
6. Identify the critical problems that need solution for the organization to succeed
7. Describe complex issues and problems simply so every person can understand
8. Never stop learning - depth and breadth of knowledge are equally important
9. Encourage constructive criticism
10. Surround yourself with great people and delegate to them full authority and responsibility
11. Make ethical standards more important than legal requirements
12. Strive for team-based wins, not individual
13. Emphasize capability - not organization
14. Incorporate measures and metrics everywhere
15. Concentrate on core functions and outsource all other

QUESTION: Which of these strikes a cord with you and why?