Duty Calls

Napoleon Bonaparte's Maxims for Today's Leaders - 4

Maxim 4:

It may be laid down as a principle that in invading a country with two or three armies, each of which has its own distinct line of operations extending towards a fixed point at which all are to unite, the union of the different corps should never be ordered to take place in the vicinity of the enemy, as by concentrating his forces he may not only prevent their junction but also defeat them one by one.

Napoleon wisely recognized the folly of merging armies in the presence of the enemy. Even the best trained, most disciplined, most doctrinally sound, and most carefully organized armies are vulnerable when they first meld together.

Unexpected—and fully understandable—weaknesses come to the fore whenever different organizations join forces. Confusion reigns as organizational charts collide, leaders jockey for positions of responsibility and influence, and followers wonder to whom they owe allegiance. 

It is just the nature of the beast when forces combine.

Think about this – If the moments when highly trained armies first combine are hazardous enough for Napoleon to dictate as principle that those maneuvers should not take place when opposing forces are near, imagine how much more hazardous such operations are in the disorderly world of commerce.

If you are involved in a venture that requires coordination between two or more organizations, fully assemble your force before you enter the market. Your purposeful mission statement, well-defined organizational culture, and broadly-accepted core values are indispensable tools.

Ensure everybody is operating based on the same understanding of your objectives before you introduce your company, product, or service to the marketplace.

To do otherwise is to invite confusion and court disaster.

Read this series from the beginning at Duty Calls...

Napoleon Bonaparte's Maxims for Today's Leaders - 3

Maxim 3:

“An army invading a country may either have its two wings resting on neutral countries or on great natural obstacles, such as rivers or chains of mountains; or it may have only one of its wings thus supported; or both may be without support.

“In the first case, a general has only to see that his line is not broken in front. In the second case, he must rest on the wing which is supported. In the third case, he must keep his different corps resting well on his centre and never allow them to separate from it; for if it is a disadvantage to have two flanks in the air, the inconvenience is doubled if there are four, tripled if there are six; that is to say, if an army is divided into two or three distinct corps.

“The line of operations in the first case, may rest on the left or the right wing, indifferently. In the second case, it should rest on the wing which is supported. In the third case, it should fall perpendicularly on the middle of the line formed by the army in marching. But in all the cases above mentioned, it is necessary to have at every five or six days' march, a fort or entrenched position, where magazines of provisions and military stores may be established and convoys organized; and which may serve as a centre of motion and a point of supply, and thus shorten the line of operation.”

In this maxim, General Napoleon addresses two key considerations for leaders--knowing your territory and establishing logistical support for your operations.

Napoleon understood both the benefits and constraints posed by the territory in which he conducted his operations, and he used this knowledge to create offensive and defensive advantages for his armies. He didn't waste his time wishing the neutral countries would join in his efforts or that the mountains and rivers weren't in his path. Instead, Napoleon found utility in barriers, whether natural or man-made.

As you survey your battlefield, leader, what natural and unnatural barriers do you see? Do you face regulatory or legal hurdles? Do you see organizations--for example, neutral non-competitors, communications outlets, or government agencies--that you can use as natural barriers for your defense or channels for your offense? Remember, these barriers may also present obstacles or opportunities for your competitors, so keep that in mind as you develop your plans.

Understanding the territory is important, but it isn't the only important planning consideration. Perhaps you've heard the saying that armies run on beans and bullets. Well, it's true and Napoleon was well aware of the need to supply his troops with the necessities for making war. In this, his third maxim, he tells us that regardless of the route we're taking, we must make sure that we have provided for our operational needs.

As a leader, it is crucial for you to consider where you'll get the necessary provisions for your operations. Whether your endeavor calls on you to manufacture and sell products as a multinational conglomerate or simply share thoughts as a lonely individual laboring away on your keyboard, you need material support for your efforts. The manufacturer needs pieces, parts, people, and power, and the writer needs ideas and inspiration. Even the proverbial starving artist needs to eat, right?

Leaders must provide the beans and bullets necessary for keeping their operations moving forward.

Historians have observed that Napoleon would completely immerse himself into the task of planning--studying maps, considering historical examples, and developing, testing, and discarding multiple options--before embarking on his strategic campaigns and prior to each tactical engagement.

Today's leaders would be wise to do the same.

Read this series from the beginning at Duty Calls...

From Derek Sivers - Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy

Perhaps you've seen the video on YouTube. You know, the one with the crazy, shirtless dancing guy? For the record, that dancing guy is not the same as this dancing Guy. In fact, this dancing Guy couldn't dance to save his own life!

Moving on, we're focusing on followership in a class I'm teaching right now, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to revisit some of the lessons we can learn about followership from this dancing nut, as shared by Derek Sivers at the TED Conference last year.

If you aren't familiar with Derek Sivers, you can learn about him here. In a nutshell, Sivers was an accidental success at business. While he's capable and creative, he does not love the life of a traditional businessperson and he jumped out of his big time business as soon as he could.

His story is inspirational. Briefly, as a musician, Sivers built a web service to sell his music. Soon, some of his independent musician friends and colleagues started parking their music on the site. The service grew like crazy despite Sivers' lack of traditional business skills and he didn't like the toll that CD Baby was taking on his personal life. Long-story-short, he was offered about $22 million for it and sold.

Anyway, that is just background on a guy who, I almost hate to use this tired phrase, is the very epitome of thinking outside the box.

Pay attention to what Sivers told the audience at TED about the leadership AND followership demonstrated in this short video.

Of particular importance to our exploration of followership is what Sivers has to say about the first follower: "It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader."

Think about your role as a follower. If you're like me, you've probably missed some opportunities to turn some lone nuts into leaders. If you're like me, you may have also missed some opportunities to help perfectly sane leaders implement needed change or execute their missions.

The important thing to note is that followers play an important role in movements, whether those movements manifest themselves as dancing mobs or smooth-running organizations.

Watch the video and listen to Derek Severs' comments here.

Watch the video at YouTube here...

 

 

It's Called Learning

Happy Friday, All!

I follow a great blog called Indexed, which has a very simple premise . "Published weekday mornings as the coffee brews," the author's approach to a wide variety of topics is to present her thoughts using simple diagrams she's drawn on index cards. It's a wonderful idea and I'm jealous for not thinking of it first. Such is creativity, though, right?

Anyway, all jealousy aside, the post this morning was perfectly suited for those who aspire to leadership. Among the greatest materials in the foundation for leaders is the ability to have a mind that is open to reason and able to change.

We may not always like the source of the information, whether it be from an unlikable individual, an unpopular publication, or any other less desirable source, but it is still important to have an open mind.

With that in mind, here's the index card from Indexed, as published today. Something to think about...

Napoleon Bonaparte's Maxims for Today's Leaders - 2

Maxim 2:

"A plan of campaign should anticipate everything which the enemy can do, and contain within itself the means of thwarting him.

"Plans of campaign may be infinitely modified according to the circumstances, the genius of the commander, the quality of the troops and the topography of the theater of war."

 

Napoleon directed a nearly impossible task in the first portion of this maxim and then added flexibility in the second.

Unless we have a severely limited enemy—for our purposes, consider the enemy to be whatever person, entity, condition, or situation stands between you and your objectives—there is virtually no way you will be able to develop a plan that anticipates everything it can do.

Fortunately, Napoleon provided an out, and it’s a critical one that is all too frequently forgotten.

We must understand that we can and should modify our plans according to the circumstances, our own genius—which we continually feed through study, observation, and introspection—the quality of our resources, and the terrain upon which we operate.

Consider your plans.

How long ago did you make them?

How have things changed since you created or last modified them?

What new strengths and capabilities have you developed since you built your plans?

How have the obstacles between you and your objectives changed?

What can you do differently now to take advantage of your strengths and exploit your opponent’s weaknesses?

Anticipate as much as you can when you build your initial plans and make them as complete as you can, keeping in mind that it is virtually impossible to prepare for every possible circumstance.

Begin your campaign. Planning alone will not help you achieve your goals. Far too many leaders remain in planning mode. Step out. Leave the camp. Move whichever way your plans dictate, remembering that you must sometimes move sideways or even backwards to get to reach your objective.

Keep your plans in a constant state of repair based on changing circumstances, your own genius—which you’ve relentlessly fed—the changing nature of your resources, and your terrain.

Execute.

Read this series from the beginning at Duty Calls...

Napoleon Bonaparte's Maxims for Today's Leaders - 1

Maxim 1:

"The frontiers of nations are either large rivers, or chains of mountains, or deserts. Of all these obstacles to the march of an army, deserts are the most difficult to surmount; mountains come next; and large rivers hold only the third rank."

While many contemporary leadership experts, motivational speakers, and personal coaches insist that we ignore obstacles or just pretend they are opportunities instead, Napoleon Bonaparte recognized natural barriers—rivers, mountains, and deserts—for what they really were.

In Napoleon’s mind, these barriers were not obstacles to be ignored or mere figments of his imagination. Instead, he viewed them as part of the terrain that stood between him and his objectives. He didn’t use them as excuses, but chose instead to identify, study closely, and prioritize them, and then develop tactics to overcome them; always with the end state in mind.

What obstacles are standing between where you are right now and where you want to be?

Don’t ignore these obstacles. Instead:

• Identify them. Determine the nature of your obstacles and name them. I don’t mean you should give them names like Fred or Nancy, but rather that you should label them. Are they competitors? Markets? Finances? Weaknesses in your product or service?
• Study them. Learn as much as you can about them, but realize you will never know all there is to know about them and get ready to pull the trigger on your plan as soon as you can.
• Prioritize them. Once you’ve identified and studied the obstacles that stand between you and your goals, prioritize them from most to least difficult to overcome, just as Napoleon did. After all, why would you want to cross a desert when you can reach your objective more easily by fording a river?
• Develop your tactical approach. Build your game plan. Plan for potential setbacks -- remember, the enemy has a vote! Establish broad and brave follow-on plans so you're ready to exploit any advantages you discover along the way.

Remember to do all these things with your end state in mind. Visualize what victory will look like. Maintain your focus on that image and don’t let mere obstacles prevent you from accomplishing what you’ve set out to do. 

Read this series from the beginning at Duty Calls...

Napoleon Bonaparte's Maxims for Today's Leaders

I am beginning a journey here at Duty Calls and I invite you to come along with me. 

One of my favorite historical figures -- and not because of his character's role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure or Bugs Bunny cartoons (e.g., see Napoleon Bunny-Part ["...one wrong turn off the Hollywood Freeway..."]) -- is Napoleon Bonaparte.

While Napoleon Bonaparte ultimately died as a vanquished guest in a British prison on the mid-Atlantic island of St. Helena, his early exploits demonstrated a genuine knack for leadership. Fueled by a military education, his best-known achievements involved military pursuits. However, the maxims -- i.e., fundamental principles, rules of conduct, or proverbial sayings -- he developed primarily to guide his military actions are fitting for nearly all who aspire to lead. In fact, Napoleon's maxims display wisdom and understanding that relate not only to warfare, but also to business, relationships, sports, and life in general. They are worth consideration.

Have you been presented with an obstacle that seems insurmountable? Napoleon may suggest a course of action that can overcome that barrier.

Have you wondered whether you should press on with the introduction of that new product line or shelve the idea for a while? Napoleon knew when to move forward and when to wait for another day.

Has the current economic climate forced you to consider downsizing and restructuring your company? Napoleon may have some sound advice about the structure of your new organization.

Would you like to inspire and encourage your employees, but are hampered by a severely limited budget? Napoleon dealt with this very thing and shared some of his ideas.

As a military officer who spent the last decade and a half of his career teaching leadership to other military officers from around the world, I can attest to the things we can learn from Napoleon Bonaparte's successes and failures. His Military Maxims provide a wonderfully concise launching pad for those lessons.

I hope you enjoy your study of Napoleon and I welcome your input. Please share your comments, suggestions, and related anecdotes. If you have questions, I'll do my best to answer, but would really prefer it if other readers would chip in with their expertise.

Onward and Upward!

"A good general, good officers, commissioned and non-commissioned, good organization, good instruction and strict discipline make good troops independently of the cause for which they are fighting. But enthusiasm, love of country and the desire of contributing to the national glory may also animate young troops with advantage." (Maxim 56)

USMC Psychological Salary

Steven Pressfield shared this in his excellent series on The Warrior Ethos:

"There’s a well-known gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps who explains to his young Marines, when they complain about pay, that they get two kinds of salary—a financial salary and a psychological salary. The financial salary is indeed meager. But the psychological salary? Pride, honor, integrity, the chance to be part of a corps with a history of service, valor, glory; to have friends who would sacrifice their lives for you, as you would for them—and to know that you remain a part of this brotherhood as long as you live. How much is that worth?" (See The Warrior Ethos)

Semper Fi, Marine warriors!

Assault, not Leadership

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership."

-General Dwight D. Eisenhower

I Have a Dream MLK 2011

Martin Luther King, Jr. delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech to an audience of over 200,000.  August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. 

Click here to listen.

Despite his humble roots and being blessed with only 39 years on this planet, Martin Luther King, Jr. made a tremendous positive impact on America and the world through his dynamic leadership.  His revolutionary approach to "nonviolent direct action" encouraged many thousands of Americans to stand up for equal justice for all citizens in law and practice.

Take some time today to study King, and then think deeply and honestly about the way your leadership, whether at home or in the office, impacts your world.  One person can make a difference, and if you're in a leadership position, you WILL make a difference.  If you are currently causing a negative impact, make every effort to change your actions and attitudes so you build a positive environment for those around you.

Here are a few sites that I've found to be helpful in understanding Martin Luther King, Jr.:

• "I Have a Dream" -- I provided the link above, but decided to post it here too, just because it is such a moving speech.  Also worth noting is that the site (www.americanrhetoric.com) lists this speech at the top spot on their list of the Top 100 Speeches.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Biography -- This is a great place to start, as the narrative provides a well-rounded, yet brief look at King's life.
• King's "Letter From Birmingham City Jail" -- In this letter addressed to his fellow clergymen, dated April 16, 1963, clearly expresses his nonviolent philosophy and goals.  King explained that "nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue."
• This photo gallery shows King at many of the defining junctures in the civil rights movement of the early 1960s.