The US Marine Corps Birthday Ball organized by the Marine Detachment of the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, was held recently to celebrate the 232nd anniversary of the establishment of the United States Marine Corps. The event was attended by senior American diplomats in town for important regional and bilateral negotiations, several NATO officers, a broad range of the American expatriate community, and numerous members of Turkish society.
Whether as a formal event by a group, or solitary contemplation by an individual, Marines celebrate this day wherever they are around the world. And the element around which it all revolves is the cake-cutting ceremony.
At our celebration, the Marine Detachment Commander, the Consul-General, and the oldest Marine present (me, this year) stood as the birthday cake was rolled in. The youngest Marine in the detachment then joined us. The first piece of cake was cut and offered to the Consul-General in reciprocation of the honor of her attendance.
The next was presented to me. My role was to take a bit of the cake, then to pass it on to the youngest Marine next to me. He accepted it, and took his own piece from it.
This simple ceremony symbolically represents the passing from one generation to another of the skills, knowledge, wisdom, and traditions of the Corps. The new generation shoulders this legacy, weaves its own accomplishments into it, and then passes it on in turn.
This is both a proud and painful role to play, whether symbolically or in real life, isn’t it? Whether for Marines or other military men and women, or for you in your own career, whether you are passing along the accumulated wisdom and traditions of your life’s work and calling, or assuming responsibility for their protection, growth, and perpetuation, it can be a terrifying, crucial moment.
Will you subordinate yourself to your work by relinquishing it when the time has come, allowing others to take it up? Indeed, will you develop them so that they are ready at any time to do so, and with greater assets, training, and ability than you?
Will you subordinate yourself to the work by taking its full weight upon your shoulders with humility and courage when it is passed to you? Moreover, will you constantly strive to develop your ability to execute that work, and to prepare it, whole and hopeful, for passage to the next generation?
Many of you know that the US Marine Corps has a hard-earned reputation in its field. I am here to tell you that it didn’t come from reading books on inspirational leadership, taking seminars on the latest management craze, or getting worked up about “cutting edge” organizational design theory.
It came from focusing on its charter, anticipating and examining the many ways this does or could translate into specific goals and duties, and then preparing itself materially, organizationally, and morally to attain them.
It is important for managers in the civilian world to understand that they have little to learn as “leaders” from examples of the great individual military captains in history. The realms of operation are too different to admit of broadly useful lessons drawn from one world for application in the other.
What they can learn from, however, is the internal dynamics of military organizations; the way they prepare for and respond to the stress of discharging their mission.
A key example of this is the inherent ability to prepare every individual in the organization to be ready for any eventuality, including taking command. And to prepare younger generations for every possibility, including being suddenly left alone with all the responsibility.
Is your organization ready?
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Today’s tips: Please take a moment to visit Cam Beck’s post at ChaosScenario, for some important videos and links related to today’s topic. You will want to view also this piece from the WSJ and this one from the San Jose Mercury News, which take slightly different approaches to the subject of succession planning; we’ll be discussing these differences at greater length soon.
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Jim,
I appreciate your service and that of all the US Military.
One of the things the military does without an iota of ambiguity is clarify accountabilities and authorities. Why? Because the consequence of ambiguity can be death.
If organizations adopted this one idea, instead of leaving employees to enter into power struggles, manipulation and even sabotage in order to get their work done, we would see a huge leap in productivity and engagement.
Regards,
Michelle Malay Carter
Thank you, Michelle, for your kind remarks, and your observation about accountability.
I agree with you that the military is very good at integrating the principle of accountability into its goal-selection, organization, processes, and assessment. And this does help greatly to remove or reduce the worst sorts of personal aggrandizement that one sees all too often.
This is a good example of what I mean by how civilian organizations can learn from the military organization – rather than the individual military leader. Thanks for pointing it out!
And thanks again for your visit, your insight, and your work.
Hi Jim,
Happy Marine Corps Anniversary! Thank you for sharing such a personal story. This relevance to your topic hones, clarifies, and carries the message.
“With a servant’s heart” is the management approach sorely missing in all those books, seminars, and ‘off-sites’.
Knowing the awesome responsibility that comes with leading people, more managers would do well by adopting your message:
Know your goals, make sure your people know their goals, and do whatever you’re able to help (not control, diminish, do for) them achieve these goals.
Best,
Joe
Hello Joe,
Thanks for stopping in with your birthday wishes, and with your kind comments.
If people took the time to consider the goal-oriented definition you provide of servant leadership, we’d be able to focus much more productively on a smaller number of more important things.
Thanks again for your visit and, as always, for your work.
What an incredible post, Jim. It’s filled with bits that are worth savoring. Here are two favorites.
“Many of you know that the US Marine Corps has a hard-earned reputation in its field. I am here to tell you that it didn’t come from reading books on inspirational leadership, taking seminars on the latest management craze, or getting worked up about “cutting edge” organizational design theory.”
And
“What they can learn from, however, is the internal dynamics of military organizations; the way they prepare for and respond to the stress of discharging their mission.”
Semper Fi.
Semper Fi, Wally.
Thanks for your visit, your generous comments, and your work.
Well said and right to the point. I would expect nothing less from a Marine. I agree with all your points. Working in education I often wonder how things might look if there was a little more Command Intent and “Gung Ho” philosophies in use.
From one Marine to another, Semper Fi.
Hello Rob,
Thanks for your visit, your (past and ongoing) service to the country and community, and your work and writing.
Semper Fi to you!