leadership principles (shouldn't the rangers know?)

Created by Lester Martin
May 13, 2013
2 min read

While enjoying a little time off this holiday season I was digging through my old Army stuff I ran across the “Rangers Handbook” (MCOE SH 21-76) which caused me to pause and reminisce for a little while.  I must admit that I never earned a Ranger tab (I wasn’t even in the “combat arms” branches), but I am surely grateful for these Soldiers, their service and the sacrifices they have made.  Fortunately, just as it states in this publication, this material can “.. also serve as a handy reference for other(s) …”.  

The Ranger Handbook starts off with defining the Principles of Leadership and while they surely are aligned with light Infantry units, they can easily be adapted to leadership in the business world in general and software development managers in particular.  The rest of this post is simply a cut-and-paste of Section 1.1-1, the BE, KNOW, DO “principles”.  For non-military purposes, any words/phrases that don’t apply arehighlighted with strikethrough markings and all additions are underlined.  

1-1.1. PRINCIPLES. 

BE

  • Technically and tactically proficient.
  • Able to accomplish to standard all tasks required for the wartime mission goals assigned.
  • Courageous, committed, and candid.
  • A leader with integrity.

KNOW

  • The four major factors of leadership and how they affect each other are-

---Led

---Leader

---Situation

---Communications

  • Yourself, and the strengths and weaknesses in your character, knowledge, and skills. Seek continual self-improvement, that is, develop your strengths and work to overcome your weaknesses.
  • Your Rangers team, and look out for their well-being by training them for the rigors of combatassigned tasks, helping them take taking care of their physical professional and safety motivationalneeds, and disciplining and rewarding them.

DO

  • Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions; exercise initiative; demonstrate resourcefulness; and take advantage of opportunities in the workplace on the battlefield that will lead to you to success victory; accept fair criticism, and take corrective actions for your mistakes.
  • Assess situations rapidly, make sound and timely decisions, gather essential information, announce decisions in time for your organization Rangers to react, and consider the short- and long-term effects of your decision.
  • Set the example by serving as a role model for your team Rangers. Set high but attainable standards; be willing do what you require of your team Rangers; and share dangers and hardships with them.
  • Keep your subordinates informed to help them make decisions and execute plans within your intent, encourage initiative, improve teamwork, and enhance morale.
  • Develop a sense of responsibility in subordinates by teaching, challenging, and developing them. Delegate to show you trust them. This makes them want more responsibility.
  • Ensure team members the Rangers understand the task; supervise them, and ensure they accomplish it. Rangers Team members need to know what you expect: when and what you want them to do, and to what standard.  These tasks could range from following a well-defined process to a completely open-ended effort in an uncharted realm.
  • Build the team by training and cross-training your team Rangers until they are confident in their technical and tactical abilities. Develop a team spirit that motivates them to go perform their taskswillingly and confidently into combat.
  • Know your unit team’s capabilities and limitations, and employ them accordingly.