Chapter 1Leadership Challenges In The Business World
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
“The Star-Spangled Banner” By Francis Scott Key
When I reflect back on the real catalyst of my leadership development, it clearly began at Camp Red Cloud in the town of Uijeongbu, South Korea. It was July 1983. I had the privilege of being selected to command an army company of 220 soldiers. I was a twenty-seven-year-old captain, five years out of graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point. My goal was simply to succeed.
The challenges were many. It was a high-risk job with a critical wartime mission thirty-five miles from the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. I had never been in charge of so many troops with so much responsibility and authority. I had to deal with good and not-so-good bosses. I was concerned about failure. I wondered if I had all the right skills to make good decisions. Would I be an effective coach for my new lieutenants and other senior leaders? Would I be able to develop mutual trust quickly with my superiors, my team of leaders, and the soldiers? My immediate supervisor was two hours away, so I was on my own in many ways and not very comfortable asking for help.
I had to recommit myself to learning about leadership. Values, leadership skills, coaching and developing others, and building trust all became monumental tasks that I had to address. Over the course of the year, I am happy to report that we achieved success. While I did not know it at the time, the BRAVE methodology for growing competence and confidence in my ability to lead was taking shape. What I also came to realize that year was that the army was the right place for me.
This book is intended as a guide to help business leaders, including sports coaches, grow competence and confidence in themselves and, in turn, help their organizations achieve greater results. However, the fundamentals addressed here can help leaders at all levels, from high school students to senior executives. This book is not about military strategy, tactics, doctrine, or operational planning. It does not address business objectives, budget planning, or sales strategies. It is entirely about inspiring a call to action to develop leaders. Outstanding performance does not happen by accident.
The Leadership Issues Facing Businesses Today
The research is clear: CEOs and business owners today are facing enormous challenges in developing the leadership necessary to position their organizations for future success.
BRAVE Thoughts
“Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head.”
—Euripides, Ancient Greek playwright
Development Dimensions International (DDI), a global leader in the leadership development industry, reports “from 2022 to 2024, trust in immediate managers took a dramatic nosedive from 46% to 29%. This 17-point decline exposes an increasing skepticism toward managers, who are the frontline connection to the workforce and vital to team cohesion and morale. Trust in senior leaders remained low for the second consecutive p
