Lessons from Colin Powell

For years in my office, I posted a copy of Colin Powell's leadership rules.  I won't repeat those rules here because they are readily available in other places, including his most recent book entitled "It Worked For Me."  But there are a few things that struck me when reading his book, and I do want to put them here as reminders:

1.  The minute that soldiers stop bringing their problems to you is the minute that you have stopped leading.

2.  "Without competition, we all become dull, unfocused, and flabby -- mentally and physically."

3.  Nobody is indispensable, especially not me.  Lincoln once said, "I can make a brigadier general in five minutes, but it is not easy to replace 100 horses."  Army Chief of Staff General Bernie Rogers told Powell's class of 59 new brigadier generals that "If I put you all in a plane and it crashed with no survivors, the next 59 names on that list will be just as good as you.  No problem."

4.  "I have run into too many people in public life who think they turn on the sun every morning.  If not for them there would be no light and heat.  I have run into too many people who have long passed their sell-by date and don't accept that it's time to leave.  I have run into too many leaders who have never given a thought to succession or building a leadership team in depth.  Too many leaders are too insecure to face those realities.  And I have run into too many leaders who would not face the reality that the 'indispensable person' is holding their organization back."

5.  Re career progression:  "After six months as a corps commander, I was reassigned to the White House, first as Deputy National Security Advisor and then as National Security Advisor.   These were positions of great responsibility and I was honored to be selected, but they badly mangled my military career pattern.  General John Wickham, the Army Chief of Staff and long-time mentor, reminded me, 'We serve where we are needed and career progression be damned.'"

6.  "Of all manifestations of power, restraint impresses men most."  -- Thucydides