Linkage

It's only been TWO YEARS between posts (Counting?  Who's counting?) but there's new stuff up at SN1's blog.  Buck is using his blog as a medium for publishing some of his course work at the Army Command & General Staff College... and it's some interesting stuff.  Really.  Here's an excerpt from his post on leadership:

Leaders lead from the front of the organization. Physically, you must get "eyes-on" with the majority of your troops on a regular basis. Leadership by emails, orders from behind the desk or memos from "on-high" accomplish nothing, but create needless space between you and your organization. Set the example in all aspects of your job. Know your "core business" better than anyone else. Get to know your people and their workspaces. Know your place in the "big picture" and be able to explain it to anyone. Understand not only the mission of your unit, but how your people make that mission happen, what tools they use and what systems or other units they depend on to make the mission happen. Know all these things and ensure your people and processes are all geared toward accomplishing the units’ mission. Set clear expectations for everyone’s performance...especially yours!

Buck mentions one of my pet peeves in civilian life: the manager who managed via e-mail and memo.  I was fortunate not to have run into any of these guys, which is to say report to one, during my civilian career.  But I sure knew a lot of the asshats.  I also knew more than my share of managers, as opposed to leaders.  That's one of the best things about the military: you learn the difference between the two.