The Verbs are the same, it’s just the Nouns which are different.
"Leadership is not a position or title, it is action and example." Donald McGannon
The verbs are the same, it’s just the nouns which are different. I always repeat this pearl of wisdom when speaking with an audience or a single person. I heard it years ago from a retired Army officer in a large private sector medical company. It hit me like a punch in the face – like that profound statement which freezes you in your tracks and preoccupies your mind for hours, even days. I’ve never forgotten it and I’ve used it to teach others.
At the time I heard it, I was working on a business plan to help organizations and communities attract, onboard, and retain military veterans and their spouses. I experienced the chasm which exists between society and the military firsthand early in my transition. Indeed, I feel it today. In this conversation with the retired officer, on how to help non-veterans, especially employers understand ‘who’ veterans are, we came upon a familiar occurrence in interviews. “Rob, what an amazing resume you have here! Thank you for your service. This is very impressive, but you do not have industry experience…” The response of course, is captured in the subject line of this blog. An employer would hire me to coordinate, collaborate, problem-solve, build consensus between stake holders, and lead - verbs. I and many other veterans can demonstrate that 100-fold in our military experience. We can learn the ‘nouns’ of the industry. This is not to simplify or marginalize any industry, but this leap of learning is not a new phenomenon to a veteran. Many of them (and their spouses) can demonstrate when they had to step out of their ‘job description’ (military MOS) to learn and adapt.
This same statement applies to leadership. We should select leaders who demonstrate the potential to ‘do’ the verbs and to ‘learn’ the nouns. I’ve come across few if any job descriptions which perfectly capture what a person may be required to do in a company. Instead, I find most people – indeed, those who wish to excel, must cross the boundaries of their job description to contribute to the mission, the cause, and their teammates.
"The verbs are the same, it’s just the nouns which are different," brings clarity to our reasoning behind selecting people to do what we need them to do – to lead. Teach, coach, and mentor future leaders. Develop their skills for the verbs. Ensure they have the cognitive ability and hunger to learn and grow – to become students of a profession or industry. When you have that person – veteran or not, you’ve got the makings of a great leader.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell