What I learned as a platoon leader in the finnish military part 2 - How to lead people

Hey guys.

So this time I'm going two of the most important lessons I learned while serving as a platoon leader. Now I know it doesn't sound like much, but for me it changed my leadership style fundamentally. This lies at the core of my leadership style, and what kind of leader I strive to be.

1. Don't hoard intel. Now this seems to be something that can't be applied to civilian life, but bear with me. Starting out, I was overwhelmed by all the info I was given, and didn't quite know what to do with it. It came in the form of deadlines, tasks to delegate, what vehicles I had at my disposal for moving something and so on. I wrote it all down, and crafted a plan, a perfect plan, that was really going to impress my superior officers. At least that's what I thought. At this point I thought all my information was need to know only, even though there wasn't anything classified or secret about it. This was a big mistake.

   Time and time again things didn't go as planned, and I couldn't see why. I just couldn't see where it all went wrong. Someone was a the wrong place, didn't have the right equipment or didn't know how to react to a changing situation. After the fact it seems obvious, but it took me longer than I am proud of to realize what I was doing wrong: they didn't see the bigger picture, nor did they have any idea what the end goal was.

   I think this lesson is perfectly applicable to civilian life as well, and I sure do use it. Let the people under you know what you aim to accomplish instead of only telling them what to do.

2. Don't just criticize. Most people who haven't had the pleasure of serving, think this is what the military is all about. Sure you get critized on a daily (read hourly) basis, but the military (at least in Finland) actually wants you to learn and get better. It wasn't before the end of my service that I realized that critique simply isn't cutting it. I wouldn't say that I was an asshole the the people under me, but I sure did critize them. I realize now that even though my critique was well deserved, it simply didn't have the impact I wanted, which was to make them better, to make them learn. But they didn't see that, and got defensive, explaining why what went wrong sure wasn't their fault.

   You probably think this sound cliché, and you're right, but it has been one of the most important lessons I have ever learned. People need validation that they're good enough. They need to hear that their effort is appreciated, and that it wasn't in vain. If you can step in and be the one that assures them that they are valued, they will strive to earn your appreciation, and will work harder.

These are a few tips I have to increase your leadership ability in all aspects of your life. One being practical and the other being psychological. I truly hope you will test them out, and find them useful. Thank you for reading.

Kent

Pic from this summer