ALESSONONLEADERSHIP StanleyMcChrystal:Listen,learn...

thenlead
10yearsago,onaTuesdaymorning,IconductedaparachutejumpatFortBragg,NorthCarolina.Itwas aroutinetrainingjumplikemanymoreI'ddonesinceIbecameaparatrooper27yearsbefore.Wewent downtotheairfieldearlybecausethisistheArmyandyoualwaysgoearly.Youdosomeroutine refreshertraining,andthenyougotoputonyourparachuteandabuddyhelpsyou.Andyouputonthe T10parachute.Andyou'reverycarefulhowyouputthestraps,particularlythelegstrapsbecausethey gobetweenyourlegs.Andthenyouputonyourreserve,andthenyouputonyourheavyrucksack.And thenajumpmastercomes,andhe'sanexperiencedNCOinparachuteoperations.Hechecksyouout,he grabsyouradjustingstraps,andhetightenseverythingsothatyourchestiscrushed,yourshouldersare crusheddown,and,ofcourse,he'stightenedsoyourvoicegoesupacoupleoctavesaswell.Thenyou sitdown,andyouwaitalittlewhile,becausethisistheArmy.Thenyouloadtheaircraft,andthenyou standupandyougeton,andyoukindoflumbertotheaircraftlikethisinalineofpeopleandyousit downoncanvasseatsoneithersideoftheaircraft.Andyouwaitalittlebitlonger,becausethisisthe AirForceteachingtheArmyhowtowait. Thenyoutakeoff.Andit'spainfulenoughnowandIthinkit'sdesignedthiswayit'spainfulenoughso youwanttojump.Youdon'treallywanttojump,butyouwantout.Soyougetintheaircraft,you're flyingalong,andat20minutesout,thesejumpmastersstartgivingyoucommands.Theygive20 minutesthat'satimewarning.Yousitthere,okay.Thentheygiveyou10minutes.Andofcourse, you'rerespondingwithallofthese.Andthat'stoboosteverybody'sconfidence,toshowthatyou'renot scared.Thentheygiveyou,"getready."Thentheygo,"Outboardpersonnel,standup."Ifyou'rean outboardpersonnel,nowyoustandup.Ifyou'reaninboardpersonnel,standup.Andthenyouhookup, andyouhookupyourstaticline.Andatthatpoint,youthink,"Hey,guesswhat?I'mprobablygoingto jump.There'snowaytogetoutofthisatthispoint."Yougothroughsomeadditionalchecks,andthen theyopenthedoor. AndthiswasthatTuesdaymorninginSeptember,anditwasprettyniceoutside.Soniceaircomes flowingin.Thejumpmastersstarttocheckthedoor.Andthenwhenit'stimetogo,agreenlightgoes andthejumpmastergoes,"Go."Thefirstguygoes,andyou'rejustinline,andyoujustkindoflumberto thedoor.Jumpisamisnomer;youfall.Youfalloutsidethedoor,you'recaughtintheslipstream.The firstthingyoudoislockintoatightbodypositionheaddowninyourchest,yourarmsextended,put overyourreserveparachute.Youdothatbecause,27yearsbefore,anairbornesergeanthadtaughtme todothat.Ihavenoideawhetheritmakesanydifference,butheseemedtomakesense,andIwasn't goingtotestthehypothesisthathe'dbewrong.Andthenyouwaitfortheopeningshockforyour parachutetoopen.Ifyoudon'tgetanopeningshock,youdon'tgetaparachuteyou'vegotawhole newproblemset.Buttypicallyyoudo;typicallyitopens.Andofcourse,ifyourlegstrapsaren'tsetright, atthatpointyougetanotherlittlethrill.Boom. Sothenyoulookaround,yourunderacademyissaying,"Thisisgood."Nowyouprepareforthe inevitable.Youaregoingtohittheground.Youcan'tdelaythatmuch.Andyoureallycan'tdecidewhere youhitverymuch,becausetheypretendyoucansteer,butyou'rebeingdelivered.Soyoulookaround, whereyou'regoingtoland,youtrytomakeyourselfready.Andthenasyougetclose,youloweryour rucksackbelowyouonaloweringline,soit'snotonyouwhenyouland,andyoupreparetodoa parachutelandingfall.NowtheArmyteachesyoutodofivepointsofperformancethetoesofyour feet,yourcalves,yourthighs,yourbuttocksandyourpushupmuscles.It'sthiselegantlittleland,twist

androll.Andthat'snotgoingtohurt.In30someyearsofjumping,Ineverdidone.(Laughter)Ialways landedlikeawatermelonoutofathirdfloorwindow. (Laughter) AndassoonasIhit,thefirstthingIdidisI'dseeifI'dbrokenanythingthatIneeded.I'dshakemyhead, andI'daskmyselftheeternalquestion:"Whydidn'tIgointobanking?"(Laughter)AndI'dlookaround, andthenI'dseeanotherparatrooper,ayoungguyorgirl,andthey'dhavepulledouttheirM4carbine andthey'dbepickinguptheirequipment.They'dbedoingeverythingthatwehadtaughtthem.AndI realizedthat,iftheyhadtogointocombat,theywoulddowhatwehadtaughtthemandtheywould followleaders.AndIrealizedthat,iftheycameoutofcombat,itwouldbebecauseweledthemwell. AndIwashookedagainontheimportanceofwhatIdid. SonowIdothatTuesdaymorningjump,butit'snotanyjumpthatwasSeptember11th2001.And whenwetookofffromtheairfield,Americawasatpeace.Whenwelandedonthedropzone, everythinghadchanged.Andwhatwethoughtaboutthepossibilityofthoseyoungsoldiersgoinginto combatasbeingtheoreticalwasnowvery,veryrealandleadershipseemedimportant.Butthingshad changedIwasa46yearoldbrigadiergeneral.I'dbeensuccessful,butthingschangedsomuchthatI wasgoingtohavetomakesomesignificantchangesandonthatmorning,Ididn'tknowit. Iwasraisedwithtraditionalstoriesofleadership:RobertE.Lee,JohnBufordatGettysburg.AndIalso wasraisedwithpersonalexamplesofleadership.ThiswasmyfatherinVietnam.AndIwasraisedto believethatsoldierswerestrongandwiseandbraveandfaithfultheydidn'tlie,cheat,stealor abandontheircomrades.AndIstillbelieverealleadersarelikethat.Butinmyfirst25yearsofcareer,I hadabunchofdifferentexperiences. Oneofmyfirstbattalioncommanders,Iworkedinhisbattalionfor18monthsandtheonlyconversation heeverhadwithLt.McChrystalwasatmile18ofa25mileroadmarch,andhechewedmyassfor about40seconds.AndI'mnotsurethatwasrealinteraction.Butthenacoupleofyearslater,whenI wasacompanycommander,Iwentouttothenationaltrainingcenter.Andwedidanoperation,andmy companydidadawnattackyouknow,theclassicdawnattack:youprepareallnight,movetotheline ofdeparture.AndIhadanarmoredorganizationatthatpoint.Wemoveforward,andwegetwipedout Imean,wipedoutimmediately.Theenemydidn'tbreakasweatdoingit.Andafterthebattle,they bringthismobiletheaterandtheydowhattheycallan"afteractionreview"toteachyouwhatyou've donewrong.Sortofleadershipbyhumiliation.Theyputabigscreenup,andtheytakeyouthrough everything."...Andthenyoudidn'tdothis,andyoudidn'tdothis,etc."Iwalkedoutfeelingaslowasa snake'sbellyinawagonrut.AndIsawmybattalioncommander,becauseIhadlethimdown.AndI wentuptoapologizetohim,andhesaid,"Stanley,Ithoughtyoudidgreat."Andinonesentence,he liftedme,putmebackonmyfeet,andtaughtmethatleaderscanletyoufailandyetnotletyoubea failure. When9/11came,46yearoldBrig.Gen.McChrystalseesawholenewworld.First,thethingsthatare obvious,thatyou'refamiliarwith:theenvironmentchangedthespeed,thescrutiny,thesensitivityof everythingnowissofast,sometimesitevolvesfasterthanpeoplehavetimetoreallyreflectonit.But everythingwedoisinadifferentcontext.Moreimportantly,theforcethatIledwasspreadovermore than20countries.Andinsteadofbeingabletogetallthekeyleadersforadecisiontogetherinasingle roomandlookthemintheeyeandbuildtheirconfidenceandgettrustfromthem,I'mnowleadinga forcethat'sdispersed,andI'vegottouseothertechniques.I'vegottousevideoteleconferences,I've gottousechat,I'vegottouseemail,I'vegottousephonecallsI'vegottouseeverythingIcan,notjust forcommunication,butforleadership.A22yearoldindividualoperatingalonethousandsofmilesfrom mehasgottocommunicatetomewithconfidence.Ihavetohavetrustinthemandviceversa.AndI alsohavetobuildtheirfaith.Andthat'sanewkindofleadershipforme. Wehadoneoperationwherewehadtocoordinateitfrommultiplelocations.Anemergingopportunity camedidn'thavetimetogeteverybodytogether.Sowehadtogetcomplexintelligencetogether,we

hadtolineuptheabilitytoact.Itwassensitive,wehadtogoupthechainofcommand,convincethem thatthiswastherightthingtodo,anddoallofthisonelectronicmedium.Wefailed.Themissiondidn't work.Andsonowwhatwehadtodo,isIhadtoreachouttotrytorebuildthetrustofthatforce, rebuildtheirconfidencemeandthemandthemandmeandourseniorsandusasaforceallwithout theabilitytoputahandonashoulder.Entirelynewrequirement. Also,thepeoplehadchanged.YouprobablythinkthattheforcethatIledwasallsteelyeyed commandoswithbigknucklefistscarryingexoticweapons.Inreality,muchoftheforceIledlooked exactlylikeyou.Itwasmen,women,young,oldnotjustfrommilitary;fromdifferentorganizations, manyofthemdetailedtousjustfromahandshake.Andsoinsteadofgivingorders,you'renowbuilding consensusandyou'rebuildingasenseofsharedpurpose.Probablythebiggestchangewas understandingthatthegenerationaldifference,theages,hadchangedsomuch.Iwentdowntobewith aRangerplatoononanoperationinAfghanistan,andonthatoperation,asergeantintheplatoonhad lostabouthalfhisarmthrowingaTalibanhandgrenadebackattheenemyafterithadlandedinhisfire team.Wetalkedabouttheoperation,andthenattheendIdidwhatIoftendowithaforcelikethat.I asked,"Wherewereyouon9/11?"AndoneyoungRangerinthebackhishairtussledandhisfacered andwindblownfrombeingincombatinthecoldAfghanwindhesaid,"Sir,Iwasinthesixthgrade." Anditremindedmethatwe'reoperatingaforcethatmusthavesharedpurposeandshared consciousness,andyethehasdifferentexperiences,inmanycasesadifferentvocabulary,acompletely differentskillsetintermsofdigitalmediathanIdoandmanyoftheotherseniorleaders.Andyet,we needtohavethatsharedsense. ItalsoproducedsomethingwhichIcallaninversionofexpertise,becausewehadsomanychangesat thelowerlevelsintechnologyandtacticsandwhatnot,thatsuddenlythethingsthatwegrewupdoing wasn'twhattheforcewasdoinganymore.Sohowdoesaleaderstaycredibleandlegitimatewhenthey haven'tdonewhatthepeopleyou'releadingaredoing?Andit'sabrandnewleadershipchallenge.And itforcedmetobecomealotmoretransparent,alotmorewillingtolisten,alotmorewillingtobe reversementoredfromlower.Andyet,again,you'renotallinoneroom.Thenanotherthing.There'san effectonyouandonyourleaders.There'sanimpact,it'scumulative.Youdon'treset,orrecharge,your batteryeverytime. IstoodinfrontofascreenonenightinIraqwithoneofmyseniorofficersandwewatchedafirefight fromoneofourforces.AndIrememberedhissonwasinourforce.AndIsaid,"John,where'syourson? Andhowishe?"Andhesaid,"Sir,he'sfine.Thanksforasking."Isaid,"Whereishenow?"Andhe pointedatthescreen,hesaid,"He'sinthatfirefight."Thinkaboutwatchingyourbrother,father, daughter,son,wifeinafirefightinrealtimeandyoucan'tdoanythingaboutit.Thinkaboutknowing thatovertime.Andit'sanewcumulativepressureonleaders. Andyouhavetowatchandtakecareofeachother.Iprobablylearnedthemostaboutrelationships.I learnedtheyarethesinewwhichholdtheforcetogether.IgrewupmuchofmycareerintheRanger regiment.AndeverymorningintheRangerregiment,everyRangerandtherearemorethan2,000of themsaysasixstanzaRangercreed.Youmayknowonelineofit,itsays,"I'llneverleaveafallen comradetofallintothehandsoftheenemy."Andit'snotamindlessmantra,andit'snotapoem.It'sa promise.EveryRangerpromiseseveryotherRangernowmatterwhathappens,nomatterwhatitcosts me,ifyouneedme,I'mcoming.AndeveryRangergetsthatsamepromisefromeveryotherRanger. Thinkaboutit.It'sextraordinarilypowerful.It'sprobablymorepowerfulthanmarriagevows.And they'veliveduptoit,whichgivesitspecialpower.Andsotheorganizationalrelationshipthatbonds themisjustamazing. AndIlearnedpersonalrelationshipsweremoreimportantthanever.Wewereinadifficultoperationin Afghanistanin2007,andanoldfriendofmine,thatIhadspentmanyyearsatvariouspointsofmy careerwithgodfathertooneoftheirkidshesentmeanote,justinanenvelope,thathadaquote

fromShermantoGrantthatsaid,"IknewifIevergotinatightspot,thatyouwouldcome,ifalive."And havingthatkindofrelationship,forme,turnedouttobecriticalatmanypointsinmycareer. AndIlearnedthatyouhavetogivethatinthisenvironment,becauseit'stough.Thatwasmyjourney.I hopeit'snotover.Icametobelievethataleaderisn'tgoodbecausethey'reright;they'regoodbecause they'rewillingtolearnandtotrust.Thisisn'teasystuff.It'snotlikethatelectronicabsmachinewhere, 15minutesamonth,yougetwashboardabs.(Laughter)Anditisn'talwaysfair.Youcangetknocked down,andithurtsanditleavesscars.Butifyou'realeader,thepeopleyou'vecountedonwillhelpyou up.Andifyou'realeader,thepeoplewhocountonyouneedyouonyourfeet. Thankyou. Read more:http://www.sweetspeeches.com/s/1782stanleymcchrystallistenlearnthen lead#ixzz1Qu4v62xs