The benefit of leadership servicemen and women gain while serving is one of the main topics we discuss with clients and potential clients when they are considering instituting a veteran hiring program.
We are often provided with stories and anecdotes some have had with veterans who stood out in their organization due to experiences they have and perceive to be typical of military culture, for example:
“I could hear a booming voice coming out of the conference room issuing orders with clarity and precision”
“She had her team on the phones by 8:01 am every morning, without fail…” “
“His shoes always look like he just shined them…”
Almost without fail, the discussion is about a leader within the organization that happens to be a veteran.
Strong leadership is a military tradition. Think of the greatest military leaders throughout history and names like Alexander the Great, Robert the Bruce, Napoleon, Washington, Patton easily come to mind.
However, the “leadership” that keeps the military on-mission is a way of life that begins on day one for every Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, Coasty and Guardian – regardless of their destiny or what they will do to earn their spot in a historical perspective.
Learning and practicing good leadership skills is essential to promotion and acquiring advanced levels of responsibility, which typically means a higher pay grade, access to competitive training programs and opportunities to expand one’s influence.
For business owners and hiring managers looking to build teams that scale and where leaders will need to be developed, ask these questions:
- Will the people you hire today be your future leaders?
- Is adaptability important?
- Is initiative and assertiveness rewarded in your organization?
- Are you looking for employees who have an innate service mentality?
- Are leadership and accountability characteristics your organization can benefit from?
Hiring Veterans Provides Numerous Benefits
The virtues of hiring veterans have been well documented on a variety of outlets and institutional studies.
Within the US industrial complex, leaders who served in the military fill employee rosters, lead companies and sit on boards in every market segment. Several Fortune 500 companies are run by veterans: Alex Gorsky, chairman and CEO of Johnson and Johnson (Army), Frederick Smith President and CEO of FedEx (USMC), Alan Miller, Founder and CEO of Universal Health Services (Army), just to name a few.
As much as the all-volunteer military we enjoy in the US is a cross-section of society in general, the deliberate emphasis the military places on leadership development is a key differentiator when assessing the short and long-term impact an employee can have on an organization. Intelligence, functional skillset and practical experience being equal, our money is always on the veteran.
Want to know if you have strong leadership? Do your leaders:
- Take responsibility for things that go wrong?
- Give credit to others when things go right?
- Say what they do and do what they say?
- Understand and assess a situation before acting?
- Put people first?
- Remain calm under pressure?
- Inspire?
- Genuinely care for every other member of the team?
- Have a succession plan by developing their replacement?
If so, congratulations, you’ve built or belong to a high-performing organization that is built to last. If not, contact TangoAlpha3 and let’s talk about how we can make that happen.
