Leaders, Leadership and their attributes.

I recently received a list of 101 Soldierly Thoughts authored by a Special Forces Major on the subject of Soldiering. And soldiering comes down to one thing, leadership.

At the front gate of Ft Benning GA, the home of the Army Infantry School is a statue named Iron Mike. Engraved on the monument is a two word definition of leadership, Follow Me!.

Points worth contemplating and far too many to go over on this. But two really caught my eye.

ABOVE ALL, IF YOU ARE NOT INFANTRY, YOU ARE SUPPORT!

From a now retired (yes you can snicker) Military Intelligence officer I can't agree more.

But I really was drawn to this one:

85. A Commander who bad-mouths his predecessor will never be truly respected.

When I took my company command I knew one thing I would never do was criticize my predecessor and what he did. No commander does. I wonder if the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Washington DC could ever understand that as he is not and will never be a leader. And that is why he will never be respected.