Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done. There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. Command is lonely. Don't be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard. Don't be buffaloed by experts and elites. Experts often possess more data than judgment. Elites can become so inbred that they produce haemophiliacs who bleed to death as soon as they are nicked by the real world. Fit no stereotypes. Don't chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team's mission. Have fun in your command. Don't always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave when you've earned it: Spend time with your families. If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms. |