The Leader And The Professional
The Leader
When I was doing my service in the armed forces (army) I was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas with the first battalion of the 46th infantry division for awhile. It was there that I met sergeant Johnson and sergeant Wolfe. And the reason I remember both of them well is because they stood out as leaders; they knew what leadership was.
As an example, there was a particular week in which my platoon worked really hard doing war games out on the field. It was the month of January; there was snow on the ground and we worked throughout the week facing cold and unrelenting wind. That Saturday night we finished exhausted after cleaning and washing our vehicles and equipment at the motor pool.
On Sunday morning, sergeant Wolfe, the war veteran who was our platoon leader, brought himself donuts and coffee to each and every soldier of his platoon while we were still in bed. He didn’t have to do this at all, believe me, but he understood what a leader was. He was showing his appreciation for a job well done; he was showing he was there for his men. He understood that a worthy leader does not oppress and dominates; he serves and motivates.
The Professional
If we want to be considered professionals we have to behave like professionals; there are guidelines that we must follow. For instance, we should return our e-mails and phone calls promptly, and if we can’t for any reason state so in our answer. Delivering on our commitments is essential–to not deliver on our promises in a timely manner is unacceptable.
Be punctual! Even if you are the CEO and you can make people wait, don’t! Be on time for meetings and appointments. Be aware that tardiness will also reflect on your personality, for being late will create negative thoughts in the mind of those waiting. Tardiness (especially if it is habitual) shows a lack of respect for whoever is waiting. And it is important, by the way, to treat people with respect, especially your subordinates. For the fact is that how we treat our fellow human beings is what shows (among other things) how professional we are.
S (Rio) Guzman was lucky when he missed the Vietnam war due to the time frame in which he served; in his ignorance he would have welcomed the transition from harsh training to the “real thing”–ignorance is bliss.
He is the owner of The Network and the author of A Vagabond in Mexico published originally by Nomads Press in 1993; he is currently working on his second book. To know more please visit: http://www.networkone.ws
Tags: Motivation, Professional, Rio Guzman, Service, Worthy leader, Leadership
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