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Marine Corps Leadership TraitsPurposeThis lesson explains and provides examples of the fourteen leadership traits used in the Marine Corps.Introduction31908754150360It requires an endless list of traits to be a good and effective leader. The fourteen Marine Corps leadership traits will help you to be a good leader in this program. Your personal development of these traits will take time and effort. First, evaluate yourself and see what traits you have or want to develop. Ask yourself the hard questions… are you living up to the expectations of your peers, subordinates, and seniors?UnselfishnessThe trait “Unselfishness” will be discussed first because it is widely perceived as the cornerstone of leadership. Col. James Brennan (USMC) wrote a short essay for the Quantico Sentry wherein he described the process of leading others as “a human endeavor, not a science that can be quantified and categorized to fit into a neat set of instructions for success.” We are all is blessed with varying degrees of natural leadership ability. Fortunately, in some cases, that natural ability does not necessarily foretell of our triumph or collapse as leaders. As John C. Maxwell (Author and Leadership Lecturer) wrote in the 360° Leader, Leadership can be learned and improved. There have been plenty of leadership failures by men and women with considerable “leadership talent”. It’s what you do with that talent that makes for success or failure. The traits of a good leader have been defined for us. They are listed in your text… they have been printed and reprinted in many publications. No one leadership trait more essential than any other. All leadership traits and principles play an important role in developing our leadership philosophy and giving us the metric by which we can measure ourselves as leaders. However, as Brennan states, “some traits rise to a higher distinction than others and mold the foundation of our individual philosophies, influencing how we will lead when called to do so. One of those essential traits to setting the foundation of a good leader is the willingness to sacrifice for others; putting our own personal needs and desires second to do what is in the best interests of those we lead — to act with unselfishness.”Unselfishness is a trait we expect in our leaders, but is one of the hardest qualities to sustain and is much easier to accomplish in theory vice in application. Human nature as an evolutionary imperative compels us to act selfishly and “look out for No. 1” as part of a basic survival mechanism. Author Andre Maurois, who wrote “The Art of Living”, said “Modesty and unselfishness - these are the virtues which men praise - and pass by.” In other words, we often talk the talk, but won’t walk the walk when it comes to unselfish behavior. This foundational trait of “unselfishness” goes against our nature as humans.. Unselfishness is hard to attain and even harder to maintain because it requires constant vigilance. Like many of the other leadership traits it’s something each of us own. It cannot be taken away, but once you’ve given away, much like trust, it is nearly impossible to get back.Brennan explains that as leaders we are constantly being watched by those we lead, we set the example for them to follow in all we do and fail to do in our daily lives. The example we set in this regard is essential to many aspects of a healthy and positive working environment.In our daily routine the sacrifice we most closely associate with this trait is that of time. Leaders are expected to work long hours and have exceedingly busy schedules to meet the demands of their assignments, but the time we give to those whom we lead at the expense of those duties is essential regardless of the sacrifices leaders make in the form of longer hours and loss of personal time. This is just one example of the “we and our,” versus the “I and my” mentality.An unselfish leader always puts his/her followers first; An unselfish leader is the first to step into harm’s way and the last to eat when hot chow is available. Consider one of the finest Marines to wear the uniform, MGen. Fred Padilla, who, as a Battalion Commander in Iraq, was observed to have never eaten a decent meal (on those rare occasions when it was served) because he made sure he was always the last to eat. “Leaders are expected to sacrifice their comfort, food, time, effort, sweat and sometime blood for those they have been given the honor of serving. The demonstrated ability of a leader to consistently act in an unselfish manner and set an example for all to follow is at the heart of leadership. This in many ways defines a command and its ability to succeed in the face of adversity.Leaders are defined by the example they set, the environment they foster, the standard they hold themselves and others to and the sacrifices they make for the good of every Marine and sailor in their command. The willingness of a leader to give unselfishly of oneself is a key element of the foundation leadership is built upon. Without this quality an example cannot be set; a positive environment cannot be developed; a standard of conduct cannot be adhered to; and a solid ethical and moral manner of conduct cannot be expected. To paraphrase a long held axiom, “there is no greater sacrifice than to lay down your life for another,” the pinnacle of sacrifice and unselfishness toward others. We hope when our time comes to be challenged we will rise to the occasion.The daily actions and sacrifices we make for our fellow Marines and sailors brings us one step closer each day to this apex and builds a foundation all can stand securely upon in times of trouble.” [Brennan, 2012] An accolade written anonymously in honor of all those serving in the military goes, “Unselfishly, you left your fathers and your mothers, you left behind your sisters and your brothers. Leaving your beloved children and wives, you put on hold, your dreams.” ?Unselfish service is our instinct, our routine, and our second nature. It is this second nature that sets military leaders apart and sought after as leaders forged in the crucible of combat leadership.Courage13487403274060There are numerous first-hand accounts of Marines in combat performing extraordinary feats in the face of danger. I’ll go on to say that courage is something that you do, not just something that you have. Every man or woman is capable of courageous acts. It is within each of you to overcome your fears and do what must be done.The call for courage most often does not involve the likelihood of death or even the possibility of death… or even injury. Most likely, if you haven’t already experienced it, your first test of courage will be in the form of standing up for what you feel in your guts to be the right thing, even though speaking up will undoubtedly make you unpopular. You’re faced with it every time we meet in uniform. Like clockwork, someone will do something prohibited with one or more article of their uniform (supposedly because it looks cooler) and sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, you will come face to face with that person and the look in his/her eyes will all but call you a coward to your face. Not the “out loud” kind… but the “just between you and me” kind. The kind that eats away at your insides because you knew you should have said something… but you lacked the courage. Decisiveness47434501245235Any decision is better than no decision... Even the wrong one. Nothing screams “incompetence” louder than a person who will consistently miss opportunities as a result of not being able to make a decision. If you are proficient at your job and have the knowledge to make the right decisions, even making a wrong decision can be overcome. It’s worth mentioning, however, that consistently making the wrong decision demonstrates that you are not proficient and lack the knowledge to be the leader. Suffer this and you will be OUT as the leader. It’s that simple. 46291504493260DependabilityIt’s not easy being “the dependable one”. If you find that being dependable doesn’t come naturally, it’s because it isn’t natural. Human nature is to be selfish and self-concerned. It’s not like the pretty girl who won the genetic lotto and has perfect skin, high cheek bones, and a tall and lean build… you have to work at being dependable. It is a choice that you make and an arduous, endless responsibility. Endurance390525902335We could debate till the end of time as to what traits are more important than others. This quote by Napoleon spells out plainly what he thought about endurance. You don’t have to be a master strategist to understand that whereas courage comes to fat and fit alike… endurance is a quality that must be built on a foundation of blood, sweat, and tears over a period of time that makes this clearly a part of the planning phase and not the execution phase. Whether you believe endurance trumps courage (or any other trait for that matter) or not, you have to agree that endurance takes work… and lack of endurance is a show-stopper. Imagine you were the leader of a unit and you were also the first person to be hauled off in a stretcher every time you practiced charging up the hill. Now imagine it’s time to take the hill… what confidence are you inspiring in your Marines?1771650174625 EnthusiasmThis quote by Emerson sums up nicely the proper place for “enthusiasm” in the list of leadership traits. Enthusiasm, as Emerson so aptly said, is the Mother of effort. Imagine trying to get motivated for a difficult task if enthusiasm was not allowed. It would be nearly impossible to even get started. Enthusiasm is inspiring… enthusiasm is contagious… enthusiasm is essential. As the leader, you will often find yourself being the first one on the enthusiasm dance-floor. When no one else is dancing, you will have to be the person that gets everyone else fired-up and… enthused. 1854835213360Initiative-21381396152145966641Initiative is doing the thing that needs to be done without having to be told to do it. For you, that “thing” is most likely in the form of taking out the trash, or mowing the lawn, or cleaning your room. Initiative in this form is more of a “good follower” trait. All leaders want more followers that don’t have to be told to do every little thing. But there is a leadership aspect of this trait… In that sense it is a close cousin of decisiveness. A good leader acts decisively when he/she takes the initiative and acts when others delay. There is a great quote by Astronaut Jim Lovell and best illustrates the spirit of the word “initiative” as it pertains to you as a leader, “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.” 197167592710IntegrityA quote by Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson sums up the importance of “integrity” for a leader, “If you have integrity, nothing else matters.? If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.” Without it, you’re nothing. 1743075178435JudgmentSome things just take time. Your level of judgment should be proportionate with your age and experience. That is why we have a rank structure that considers experience as well as performance. Though some of you seem to be, I will never ask you to be “wise beyond your years”. Everyone makes mistakes… but not everyone learns from them. Those who demonstrate good judgment will succeed and prosper as leaders… those who demonstrate poor judgment will fall along the way. Justice174307573025A compelling quote by Plato says, “He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it.”. In essence, it means that the person who commits an injustice on another has harmed him/herself far more gravely than the person on whom the injustice was inflicted. It is vitally important to be “just” in your dealings with others for you will either define your reputation with truth and justice, or deceit and treachery. At the end of the day, you direct how others perceive you. Justice is a powerful of the leadership traits… and a dangerous one. 1323975-154940KnowledgeJames Madison (4th US President) once said, “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.” What this means is that those who “don’t know” will always be at the mercy of those who do “know”. Never assume that you know more than those who follow you. 2047875210185TactTact is a very useful skill to have. Often, how you say something makes all the difference. When used together with “courage”, that uniform discrepancy that you were confronted with earlier in the lecture could have had a better ending. 1613535203835BearingThis trait was intentionally saved for last. “Bearing” or “Military Bearing” is a hard thing to explain in words. It is a statement about yourself, your character, your discipline, that is said loudest when no words are used. It is that quiet assurance to your followers that you are unafraid, undeterred, unaffected, and unstoppable. It tells those who would appose you, “I am the pitt-bull in the yard you’re afraid to go into.” It tells those who rely on you, “Don’t worry about the yard… I’ve got it covered.” Importance of Leadership TraitsThese fourteen leadership traits are important characteristics for a leaders. If subordinates think that you are not concerned with their welfare, they will follow you unwillingly. Consider these three leadership myths that John C. Maxwell outlines in his book “The 360 Degree Leader”:The Position Myth: “I can’t lead if I’m not at the top.”This is perhaps the number one misconception people have about leadership. It is the belief that leadership comes simply from having a position or title. But nothing could be further from the truth. You don’t need to possess a position at the top of your squad, platoon, company, or organization in order to lead. If you think you do, then you have bought into the position myth. A place at the top will not make anyone a leader. The Law of Influence [Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership] states clearly: “The true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”Unfortunately, many people become tied up by the position myth. When people who buy into this myth are identified as potential leaders and put on a team, they are very uncomfortable if they have not been given some kind of title or position that labels them as leaders in the eyes of other team members. Instead of working to build relationships with others on the team and to gain influence naturally, they wait for the positional leader to invest them with authority and give them a title. After a while, they become more and more unhappy, until they finally decide to try another team, another leader, or another organization.People who follow this pattern don’t understand how effective leadership develops. John Maxwell indentifies the “Five Levels of Leadership” in his book The Leader Within You. It captures the dynamics of leadership development as well as anything can. Here’s what it looks like:26670076835Position. Rights. People follow because they have to. NOTE: Your influence will not extend beyond the lines of your job description. The longer you stay here, the higher the turnover and the lower the morale.Permission. Relationships. People follow because they want to. NOTE: People will follow you behond your stated authority. This level allows work to be fun. Caution: Staying too long on this level without rising will cause highly motivated people to become restless.Production. Results. People follow because of what you have done for the organization. NOTE: This is where success is sensed by most people. They like you and what you are doing. Problems are fixed with very little effort because of momentum.People Development. Reproduction. People follow because of what you have done for them. NOTE: This is where long-range growth occurs. Your commitment to developing leaders will ensure ongoing growth to the organization and to people. Do whatever you can to achieve and stay on this level.Personhood. Respect. People follow because of who you are and what you represent. NOTE: This step is reserved for leaders who have spent years growing people and organizations. Few make it. Those who do are bigger than life. [Maxwell, 2007]The Influence Myth: “If I were on top, people would follow me.” President Woodrow Wilson had a housekeeper who constantly lamented that she and her husband didn’t possess more prestigious positions in life. One day the lady approached the president after she heard that the secretary of labor had resigned from he administration.“President Wilson,” she said, “my husband is perfect for his vacant position. He is a laboring man, knows what labor is, and understands laboring people. Please consider him when you appoint the new secretary of labor.”“I appreciate your recommendation,” answered Wilson, “but you must remember, the secretary of labor is an important position. It requires an influential person.”“But,” the housekeeper said, “if you made my husband the secretary of labor, he would be an influential person!”People who have no leadership experience have a tendency to overestimate the importance of a leadership title. That was the case for President Wilson’s housekeeper. She thought that leadership was a reward that someone of importance could grant. But influence doesn’t work that way. You may be able to grant someone a position, but you cannot grant him real leadership. Influence must be earned. A position gives you a chance. It gives you the opportunity to try out your leadership. It asks people to give you the benefit of the doubt for a while. But given some time, you will earn your level of influence – for better or worse. Good leaders will gain in influence beyond their stated position. Bad leaders will shrink their influence down so that it is actually less than what originally came with the position. Remember, a position doesn’t make a leader, but a leader can make the position. [Mawell, 2007]The Inexperience Myth: “When I get to the top, I’ll be in control.”Have you ever found yourself saying something like, “You know, if I were in charge, we wouldn’t have done this, and we wouldn’t have don’t that. Things sure would be different around here if I were the boss:? If so, let me tell you that there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the desire to improve an organization and the belief that you're capable of doing it are often the marks of a leader. Andy Stanley (Pastor and founder of North Point Ministries) once said, “If you're a leader and leaders work for you, they think they can do a better job than you. They just do (just like you do). And that’s not wrong; that’s just leadership.” The desires to innovate, to improve, to create, and to find a better way are all leadership characteristics.Now here’s the bad news. Without experience being the top person in an organization, you would likely overestimate the amount of control you have at the top. The higher you go – and the larger the organization – the more you realize that many factors control the organization. More than ever, when you are at the top, you need every bit of influence you can muster. Your position does not give you total control – or protect you. [Maxwell, 2007] ConclusionIt is up to you to see that you become the kind of person that others will follow. You have just reviewed the fourteen Marine Corps Leadership Traits. If you are going to be a strong leader, you must develop within yourself, the traits of a good leader. The process is one that takes place from within. Works Cited:Maxwell, John C. “The 360? Leader – Developing Your Influence From Anywhere in the Organization” Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc. 2005Maxwell, John C. “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc. 1998 and 2007Brennan, James C. “The Cornerstone Leadership Trait: Unselfishness” Quantico Sentry Sep. 2012 <; ................
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