Get to know your people before a crisis hits, and other lessons from General Marshall
Hi!
Some time back, I fell down a George Marshall rabbit hole.
It started with this fascinating study (check the typewritten document from 1992!), which details lessons on leadership gleaned from the life of the famous WWII general and statesman. Whether you have a leadership role or not, there’s loads of good stuff in there.
Here are some of my takeaways.
Take the time to formulate a full answer. Marshall tested his people by posing questions. Did they respond from the gut? Would they share the first thing that came to mind? Turns out Eisenhower replied in the way Marshall most liked to see: he asked Marshall for some time to think about it and got back to him with a well-considered answer and a clear, personal recommendation.
The lesson? As long as you stick to the agreed timeframe, it’s generally not a problem if you ask for time to think about something.
Always round out your thoughts on an issue with a concrete suggestion. Do you want to be given more room to make your ideas happen? Offer concrete suggestions for next steps and be prepared to carry them out yourself. You may still be dependent on a boss or supervisor who sees their value. But there’s no better way to build trust than by making modest promises and then following through. On time.
Know your people and find out who you can depend on. Marshall was a great team builder and tested his people to see what they were made of:
I’m going to put these men to the severest tests I can devise in times of peace. I’m going to start shifting them into jobs of greater responsibility than those they hold now.
There’s a key lesson here: Test the waters with people before a crisis hits, so you know who you can depend on when it counts.
Skip the trivial. A good leader provides clarity, so that everyone knows what to do and perhaps more importantly, what not to do. Marshall’s message was clear: we don’t have time for nonsense. And on this one, you’re not dependent on management. You can share insight into what matters and what doesn’t from any level of an organization.
Senseless meetings, endless discussions about things that aren’t a priority, and what about those projects that must have been started for a reason, but where everyone involved now thinks: Why are we even doing this? No need to wait on higher-ups to notice the nonsense. Take the initiative and suggest cuts. You’ll be amazed how often people presume something must be vital, even when that’s no longer the case.
I share more takeaways on Twitter.
Have a good week,
Rick
produced by the language girl