Tag: Training

How to master your craft – three leadership lessons learned in the 82nd

This week we celebrate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Despite many challenges the Allied invasion was successful and turned the tide of WWII. Thousands of brave men participated in this operation to include multiple US Army Airborne Divisions. Paratroopers actually jumped into France the day before D-day to secure critical roads, bridges, and other strategic objectives. Their bravery, valor, and courage contributed greatly to the success of the invasion. The 82nd was one of those units.

US Paratroopers before they boarded the planes for D-Day invasion.

All The Way Leadership! lineage is from the 82nd

My leadership lineage began at Fort Bragg North Carolina. The Army assigned me as a brand new Army Infantry Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. My job title was rifle platoon leader, and one of my roles was serving as a Jumpmaster. A Jumpmaster’s job is to make sure all the paratroopers aboard the planes exit the aircraft safely so that they can land and complete their assigned mission. Jumpmasters play a critical role in every airborne operation. It is expected that all leaders in the 82nd become Jumpmaster qualified, and serve in that role. I learned a lot as a Jumpmaster. Below are the top three leadership lessons learned in the 82nd.

The unit patch of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division.
Only the best can serve as leaders in the 82nd Airborne Division.

1. You must master your craft

The title Jumpmaster says it all. You are expected to become a master parachutist. Jumpmasters are required to complete intense special training to earn the title. The training includes multiple hands-on tests during which you have to clearly demonstrate you know your stuff. I remember being extremely nervous before one of my exams because so many students did not pass it. Once you complete that training, you are required to serve as a Jumpmaster on a regular basis so that your skills stay current.

Student completing JMPI test while blackhat instructor grades.
A student completing a hands-on test while blackhat instructor grades. This test is difficult.

You will get better over time

As they mature, Jumpmasters become experts in airborne operations. They usually earn special awards (e.g., the Senior Parachutist Badge) to recognize their expertise and experience. It is important that you master your craft over time. Become the best that you can at whatever it is you decide to do. Don’t be satisfied with just getting by. As a leader, you are expected to be an expert. Don’t let your team down. They deserve a leader who knows what she is doing.

The Master Parachutist badge is a sign of a true airborne expert.

2. Realistic rehearsals enhance execution

Before every airborne operation Jumpmasters walk everyone that is jumping that day through several realistic rehearsals. The first rehearsal takes the paratroopers through the steps involved when jumping. As the Jumpmaster talks, the paratroopers simulate exactly what will happen to them during the jump. The rehearsal also covers things that could happen such as your parachute does not open, or you have to land in the trees. In case you are wondering – tree landings are scary. Next, everyone practices landing…BTW it usually hurts when you land. Sometimes a lot.

Dirt flies off a paratroopers boots as he finishes a practice parachute landing fall with other paratroopers of 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division
(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod, 1/82 AAB, USD-C)

Rehearse the details as much as possible

After that, all jumpers practice “actions in the aircraft” as a group. During this step, you rehearse in detail everything that happens in the air on the ground. The reality is that everyone has jumped before. You are not teaching anything new. Rather, you are practicing so that every jumper knows exactly what they are supposed to do once you get in the air. No one wants any surprises in the aircraft. If there are issues during rehearsal it will only get worse in the plane.

Members of the 82 Airborne Division conduct pre-jump rehearsals.
Members of the 82 Airborne Division conduct pre-jump rehearsals.

Be prepared for when things go wrong

I have jumped over 50 times, and I can tell you that all these rehearsals work well to enhance execution. On more than one occasion something went wrong in the aircraft, or during the jump. For one operation the Air Force pilots flew along the edge of the drop zone thinking that the wind would blow us over the target. It didn’t. In fact, the opposite happened. Every jumper was forced to land in the trees. After exiting the aircraft, I gave the pilots a middle finger salute thanking them for their incompetence and then executed all the steps required for a successful tree landing. That one hurt.

Paratroopers practice landing to get ready for the real thing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alejandro Pena)
Paratroopers practice landing to prepare for the real thing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alejandro Pena)

Realistic rehearsals are key to success

I recommend that you use realistic rehearsals to enhance execution with your team, especially before major events. Practice every step as realistically as you can. It will pay dividends. I know from my own experience that rehearsing before any presentation is a really good idea. It prevents gremlins from showing up. If there is one key lesson the 82nd Airborne Division learned on D-Day it is that things never go as planned.

Pvt. John Steele, an 82nd Airborne Division soldier got caught on a church steeple when he jumped on D-Day. He played dead for hours but eventually was taken prisoner by the Germans. He later escaped and continued to fight in the war.

3. Leadership confidence calms fears

Jumpmasters are trained to be calm at all times in the aircraft. Your job is to set an example for the paratroopers to follow. Jumping out of a perfectly good plane at 800 feet with over 50 pounds of equipment, usually at night, is not a natural act. In case that does not scare you – every piece of equipment used in the operation, to include the plane, was built by the lowest bidder. It makes perfect sense for everyone to have fear and/or anxiety as you prepare to jump. I know that I was nervous during every jump I ever made. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or crazy.

Jumpmaster giving commands to paratroopers before the door is opened.
Jumpmaster giving commands to paratroopers before the door is opened.

Rituals help with anxious moments

To counter this fear, the Jumpmasters guide the paratroopers through a series of steps using loud and clear commands. The way it works is that the Jumpmaster yells the commands to all the jumpers along with a visual signal. The paratroopers all echo back the command indicating they heard it and then perform the action. These steps are completed so that everyone is ready to jump when the doors open. Once the doors open, the Jumpmaster inspects it and gets the first jumper ready. The pilot will turn on the green light and everyone exits the aircraft. It sounds simple, but it can be scary. Reality definitely hits you when the doors open and the light turns green. No time for fear at that point.

A jumpmaster checking to make sure everything is in order for the paratroopers.
A jumpmaster checking to make sure everything is in order for the paratroopers.

An effective leader knows how to control his fear

The final lesson to learn from this old Jumpmaster is that it is okay to have fear. What you do with that fear is important. If you master your craft and conduct realistic rehearsals, then you will have the confidence needed to overcome any fear. You will be able to jump when the time comes. If you neglect these lessons then do not be surprised if you are scared when it matters most. Instead of being at the top of your game, you will be worried about anything and everything possible going wrong. Your team will sense your fear and perhaps respond likewise, which is bad for everyone. Avoid that scenario. Do your part as the leader. Control your fear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfNq4fxVdgg
For anyone who is not familiar with airborne operations – this video is a nice summary.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

If you only have a minute, try this one. It is about Jumpmasters.

Why the best leaders train until it hurts

In 2017 the 82nd Airborne Division celebrated its 100th anniversary. The 82nd is a great unit. I learned a lot while serving there. Lessons that I have leverage over the years. I am sharing the top leadership lessons I learned as an All-American paratrooper in the 82d Airborne Division. Last week I wrote about the first lesson – the best leaders go out the door first. Below you will find the second lesson.

It takes a lot of training to learn how to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.

Lesson two – leaders train until it hurts

The mission of the 82nd Airborne Division is to, within 18 hours of notification, strategically deploy, conduct forcible entry parachute assault and secure key objectives for follow-on military operations in support of U.S. national interests. In other words, the division goes wherever it is needed to deal with the enemies of our country. Simply put – you have to be prepared to deploy anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. You are constantly preparing for war. It is what you do day in, and day out. This short video shows what the 82nd does to help keep our country safe.

Take care of your paratroopers

My father served in the 82d as an Infantry Lieutenant. When I arrived at Fort Bragg, I did know what I was supposed to do. I was school trained but lacked experience. I had completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ranger School, and Jumpmaster School at Fort Benning. The Army prepared me as a young officer but I lacked confidence. I called my dad seeking advice about how to be successful at Fort Bragg. My father emphasized above all else that “if you take care of your paratroopers they will take care of you”. I asked him what is the best thing you can do to take care of troops. His answer was firm – don’t coddle them. Train them hard so that they are prepared for war. You must learn to train until it hurts, and then keep going. Tough love from my dad.

Paratroopers training in the mountains to prepare for combat.
Paratroopers training in the mountains to prepare for combat.

In the business world, you must take care of your team

I have been in the business world longer than I was in the military. I can say with much confidence that the same advice my father offered me as a young officer is true for the business world. If you are going to be successful as a leader you must take care of your team. If you do, they will take care of you. The opposite is also true. Neglect your team and it will fall apart.

What training do your team members need?
What training do your team members need?

Training my body so that I was ready for action

Training became a major emphasis for me during my time at Fort Bragg. First, I increased my physical training. Paratroopers have to be in shape. Jumping from an airplane can be physically demanding. You must be able to jump with your equipment (which weighs well over 50 pounds with a full combat load) and carry it with you wherever you go after landing. My unit conducted physical training every single morning. We did lots of push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and other calisthenics. We ran a lot – miles and miles every week. The training had a specific purpose – get us into fighting shape.

You do lots of pull-ups as a paratrooper.

Getting in the best shape of my life

I worked for one company commander who had the officers perform physical training separate from our troops. At first, I thought it was odd. Shouldn’t we train with our platoons? He said the NCOs would take care of that – he was right. What I learned is that he trained us even harder than the troops. Many mornings we would start a run without knowing how far we would go. He didn’t know either. We simply ran until he got tired…which felt like never. All this physical training worked. I ended up being in the best shape of my life, fully prepared for the physical demands of airborne operations. I did not enjoy the pain of all that physical training, but it was necessary. As this video shows, running is a tradition for everyone in the 82d Airborne Division.

What training do you need to be prepared?

What about you? As a leader what skills do you need? Are you prepared for action? If the answer is yes, then good for you. Keep pushing and training hard so that you continue to mature as a leader. If not, you better get started. Your team deserves a competent and confident leader. No one likes working for someone who does not know what they are doing. If you lack the skills to lead, your team members will start to look for other opportunities. Or, they will wait for you to fail and hope you get replaced. Neither one of these scenarios is good for you. Avoid those outcomes, and do what it takes to be an effective leader. Train yourself first.

What leadership training do you need for success?
What leadership training do you need for success?

Make the most of every training opportunity

Next, I focused on operational training for my platoon. We spent a lot of time in the field and performed many airborne operations. It is difficult to simulate what it is like to jump out of a plane fully loaded with equipment, so we practiced on a regular basis. When I served as the Division Assault CP Commo Platoon Leader my unit jumped a lot – much more than most. And when we jumped – it was almost always with all of our combat equipment. Sometimes a unit will jump with only their parachutes, not their field gear. These jumps are referred to as “Hollywood” jumps.

Jumping without a lot of equipment is easier than the real deal.

Train as you fight whenever possible

“Hollywood” jumps are worthwhile training. But, as you would imagine, they are much easier than combat equipment jumps. My platoon jumped with our equipment all the time because I wanted to make sure they could handle the heavy loads we had to carry. The more practice the better was my approach. Occasionally I would hear grumbles from my platoon, but all that training paid big dividends when we performed full-scale airborne operations. My platoon was always prepared and performed magnificently when it counted. Tough love pays off.

Paratroopers loading the plan for a jump with full equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bradley C. Church/Released)
Paratroopers loading the plan for a jump with full equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bradley C. Church/Released)

Are you training your team for success?

Do you take every opportunity that you have to train your team? It is easy to simply go through the motions. It is more difficult to train your team whenever you get a chance. They may moan and groan about it, but their performance will improve over time. No one gets better by thinking about what it takes to improve. You get better with practice, lots and lots of practice. To me, training makes a huge difference between success and failure. Good leaders train their teams so that are always improving, preparing for the next big challenge. Bad leaders do not. They let their team become lazy and complacent. Don’t be that kind of leader.

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

Bruce Lee

Be sure to push yourself and the envelope

I pushed the envelope when it came to the equipment we used. We would experiment with our gear to try and get the best performance possible. Once I remember that we were having trouble getting a strong connection with our satellite radios, so we decided to jump with a much larger antenna than normal. The larger antenna would not fit into a normal rucksack or equipment bag. We had to pack it inside a Dragon Missile Jump Pack (DMJP). That meant somebody had to jump the DMJP. Several of us went through the special training required to jump this piece of equipment. In case you are not familiar with what the DMJP looks like – there is a picture below. It is a big piece of equipment, and awkward as hell to jump.

Dragon Missile Jump Pack
Dragon Missile Jump Pack is almost as tall as the jumper.

The dreaded dragon missile jump pack

Well, it came time for our next airborne operation and it was decided we would jump the larger antenna. I volunteered to jump the DMJP since leaders go out the door first. Man oh man was that jump an adventure. I immediately went into a rapid spin after exiting the aircraft door. My risers were twisted all the way down to my neck. I bicycle kicked and pulled at my risers to clear the twists. That step seemed to take forever. I almost panicked.

Some exits from the aircraft are ugly like mine was.

I could not tell how high off the ground I was

I decided to lower my rucksack and then the DMJP to avoid landing with it which would have been painful. When the DMJP reached the end of my lowering line I started oscillating more than normal. Swinging back and forth like a pendulum – not good for landing. I heard my equipment reach the ground. I hit next. Ugly landing – hit like a ton of bricks. Damn that hurt. Good news – the antenna worked well and the operation was successful. Bad news – I was sore for the next week. That landing hurt.

Paratroopers practice landing to get ready for the real thing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Alejandro Pena)
Some parachute landings are painful.

You set the example as a leader

Afterward several of my troops asked me about the jump. How did it go? I lied and told them that it went fine and the landing did not hurt much. Why would I stretch the truth…because I had been taught to train until it hurts, and then keep going. What can you learn from this leadership lesson? Training counts and makes a big difference. Figure out what kind of training you need to be successful, and then get after it. One final thought – don’t jump the DMJP. It sucks – trust me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXm_kBdu_94

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Why you can trust All The Way Leadership!

There are a lot of experts in the world

The list of leadership gurus is long. I know because I have read many of their books, listened to their podcasts, attended their events, and completed their training courses. Over the past 30 years, I have learned a lot from many leadership experts like Peter Drucker, Dale Carnegie, John Maxwell, Tom Peters, Arianna Huffington, Simon Sinek, John Kotter, Marcus Buckingham, Molly Fletcher, Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins, Marie Forleo, Michael Hyatt, Seth Godin, Brene Brown, Tony Robbins, and Sheryl Sandburg. I would list more names, but you get the point.

Peter Drucker is the original leadership guru - his books are excellent.
Peter Drucker is considered by many as the original business management and leadership guru.

All The Way Leadership! believes you need more

A company designed with one purpose in mind – to make you a better leader. I am not here to sell a book, or peddle a podcast, or try to get you to sign up for a seminar. Those things will come later. For now, I am focused on helping you grow and develop as a leader through curated compelling content and practical training. Nothing more, nothing less. The question then becomes – why should you turn to All The Way Leadership! for your professional leadership training needs.

Why trust me to serve as a guide for your journey?

Below you will find five compelling reasons why All The Way Leadership is well suited to help you achieve your goal of becoming a more effective leader. They are all true.

  1. Employed – all of us have real jobs that keep us busy. We work for a living as leaders. We do not live in an ivory tower or work from home on our next book project. Instead, we are in the trenches doing our best to be effective leaders ourselves.
  2. Experienced – all of us have served in leadership positions across a wide variety of organizations to include military, government, academic, private industry, and non-profits. We will share decades of lessons learned and best practices.
  3. Engaged – all of us do our best to stay current on leadership trends. We read leadership books, listen to podcasts, attend events, watch webinars, and complete leadership training on a regular basis. Currency and relevance matter.
  4. Educated – all of us earned degrees from leading universities and institutions. All great leaders are learners, and we want to set an example.
  5. Enthusiastic – all of us are passionate about training the next generation of leaders to make the world a better place. It is difficult to hide our enthusiasm for leadership.

“We” are currently an Army of One

I have been working on All The Way Leadership! for over a year. It has taken a long time to get here. I officially launched on March 1st, 2019. Yes – it is just me for now. I plan on adding business partners as the company grows over the next several years. If you meet the criteria outlined above, have a passion for leadership, and would like to collaborate on a project feel free to contact me at allthewayleadership@gmail.com

Why I called this company All The Way Leadership!

When creating this company I had to think of a name. All The Way Leadership! seemed appropriate. It is based on the motto of the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. My first duty assignment as an Infantry Officer in the US Army was at Fort Bragg, home of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division. It was a demanding assignment – only the best of the best get to serve in the 82nd.

The 82nd Airborne Division is over 100 years old.

No slackers allowed in the 82nd

Before going to Fort Bragg I was highly concerned that I might not have what it takes to be a successful leader. The challenge of leading an Airborne Infantry Platoon seemed daunting. Not to mention that when I arrived the Division was just returning from the first Iraq war. The reality was that I was a brand spanking new 2nd Lieutenant taking over a seasoned platoon of combat veterans. Imagine that being your first leadership role. To say I was intimidated by the job would be an understatement.

The unit patch of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division.
The unit patch of the 82nd All-American Airborne Division.

The Army prepared me well to lead

Let’s start with the good news. I had already completed several training courses such as Airborne School, Ranger School, and was Jumpmaster certified. On paper, I was a good fit for the job, but I completely lacked real-world experience. My father was a retired US Army Infantry Colonel at the time. He graduated from West Point, served multiple tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, and was a highly decorated leader with extensive combat experience. I respected my father and considered him a life-long mentor. I decided to call my father for advice.

My father during one of his tours in Vietnam
Photo of my father while serving in Vietnam.

My father gave me great advice

He recommended that I start working hard, really hard with an intense focus on learning the ropes, mastering my craft, and growing my leadership abilities. That is exactly what I did. I busted my ass to get better. I gave it my all, learning from my mistakes, taking notes about what worked and did not work as a young leader in a high-speed organization. Four years in the 82nd taught me a lot. The list of everyone I learned from is too long to list here.

General James Gavin is a personal hero of mine.

The 82nd motto – All The Way, Airborne!

It is actually more than a motto – it is a mindset. Basically, it means that paratroopers in the 82nd give their best to accomplish the mission and are willing to go all the way. I took that mentality with me into my next assignment and the next one, and the next one after that. It has served me well over the years in all my roles – military leadership, academic endeavors, and private industry. I hope to pass along that mindset to others as they look to increase their impact and change the world for the better.

My Company Commander photo - circa 1998.
My Company Commander photo – circa 1998.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

ATW Leadership!