First of all, for those reading this article who served our great country in uniform, I thank you for defending our freedom and allowing me to breathe the fresh air. I realize you probably hear this a lot, and you should, but it wouldn’t be right to talk about your life after military service if I didn’t first thank you for your sacrifice.
The military not only builds great warriors, but also great leaders. Each rank carries not only a position of authority, but responsibility for the lives under that command. It is a responsibility that is not taken lightly either in times of peace or in times of war. Even during the Vietnam era when our nation’s media ran poor reports showing destitute soldiers begging on the streets and calling it “typical” of returning soldiers, national statistics show that Vietnam veterans had a employment rate, college education and finances in general much higher. success compared to those of our population who never served their country.
In general, military service men and women have a greater sense of responsibility toward themselves, their careers, and their families. It is this self-possession and simplicity of communication that makes them great leaders. People thrive under such command. As many famous leaders have eloquently expressed regarding leadership…
- “Leadership: The art of getting another person to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
- “The true leader has no need to lead. He is content to point the way.” -Henry Miller
- “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and be more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams
- “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” -George Patton
Understanding these fine points of leadership is what draws many former military veterans to serve on the board of a company, or in an executive capacity, or as a manager or technical leader, a position that allows them to shape the agenda, lead its people and meet its goals. Unfortunately, as corporations move away from such leadership to where good intentions are seen as more important than good results, many great managers are being pushed out of their jobs; some mentally, some physically, some both.
As stated above, leadership is a great feature of military life, but veterans primarily feel the misery of corporate downsizing and changes in management environments due to the most negative aspect of military life: reliance on a large corporate entity. The military is experienced as a large corporation with managers, executives, top executives, even the president of the company (such as general, admiral, joint chiefs of staff, etc.). A serving man or woman sees their branch of the military as a safe, if sometimes dangerous, career working for a large entity. Coming out of the military, a veteran is drawn to a large corporation for perceived job security, loyalty, and advancement through hard work. But it is within the corporate structure that he buries initiative, rewards complacency and mediocrity, and drains motivation.
There is a better way. Let me explain.
There are 2 types of heroes: those who risk their lives to protect their family and countrymen, and those who risk their financial security to preserve the foundations of their country’s principles. You have served our grateful nation and protected us from the evil that surrounds us, and we are forever in your debt. You are a true hero, although I know your honor does not allow you to think of yourself that way. You, more than anyone, understand what it means to live for something and be prepared to stand up for something. That’s why I think the entrepreneur is the second type of hero. Our county was founded on resilient individualism and the opportunity to follow our own path to success, not letting someone else dictate and determine our success. The entrepreneur does not depend on a safe and secure wage or salary, but prefers to take the calculated risks necessary to generate lasting income and profits.
It is this willingness to take leveraged risk in the face of uncertainty that makes owning a business perfect for a military veteran. He is also the businessman who defines our great country and makes it worth protecting with the incredible sacrifices of our military heroes.
So when you’re pondering what you need to do to feed your family after leaving the military, think about what really fits your personality and leadership style. I believe you will find it more to your liking to run your own business and have a profound positive impact on the development of your followers. Through leadership, coaching and mentoring, you can command a business that your customers and employees can admire, where you decide its direction, where you decide its integrity.
I encourage you to review my information and contact me for further discussions once you are ready to launch a business designed specifically around your personal leadership style. We can define goals and benchmarks together, and get you to a place of success, so you’re in a position to do what all great leaders do: develop your people to become even better leaders.
God bless you, thank you for reading this article and thank you for your service to our great nation.
