Always On Parade: Interview with CBS National Security Consultant Dr. Jeff McCausland
I recently went one on one with Dr. Jeff McCausland. Jeff is a Visiting Professor of National Security at Dickinson College, a National Security Consultant for CBS radio and television, and the co-author of Battle Tested! Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders. During his military career, Jeff served in a variety of command and staff positions both in the United States and Europe during the Kosovo crisis and Operations Desert Shield and Storm.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Jeff: My journey began in a small town in West Central Illinois. I realized as a youngster that the only way I was going to attend college was if I got a scholarship. I also thought I wanted to spend time in the military as my father had in World War II and was fortunate to receive an appointment to West Point. I was commissioned in Field Artillery and went on airborne and Ranger school prior to my first assignment in West Germany.
Over the next thirty years I served twelve years in Europe in various assignments, taught at West Point, and worked in the Pentagon. In 1990 I deployed the battalion I commanded from Germany to Saudi Arabia for Operations Desert Shield and Storm. My unit was among the first to enter Iraq, and this was clearly the most challenging as well as impactful leadership experience in my life.
Following the war, I served on the National Security Council staff in the White House during the Kosovo crisis. Another very challenging but fascinating leadership experience. I finished my military career as the Dean of the Army War College where the Army develops the next generation of strategic leaders.
Upon retiring from the Army, I accepted the chair of leadership education at the Naval Academy which was a fantastic experience for an old soldier! I also taught leadership at several colleges and universities as well as a law school. Since 2003 I have been a national security consultant for CBS Radio and Television and made several trips back to Iraq as well as to Afghanistan and even Guantanamo Bay.
My daughter and I formed Diamond6 Leadership and Strategy fifteen years ago. We have had the good fortune to work with major corporations including McDonald’s as well as law firms, medical professionals, corporate executives, and leaders in education across the United States.
Adam: What are the best leadership lessons learned from your military careers?
Jeff: Young officers are frequently told an “officer is always on parade”. This means that those you lead pay very close attention to your words and actions -- more than you realize. The leader sets the tone and establishes a climate – good and bad. Smart leaders do that intentionally and never do it unintentionally.
Military leaders are also taught to “manage by walking around” and stay connected with the “heartbeat” of their organization. We are an amazingly interconnected society today, and there are now more licenses for wireless devices in the US than people! Consequently, some leaders believe they can run their organization from their desk using their iPhone, computer, telephone, fax machine, iPad, etc.
But the Greek philosopher Aristotle once wisely observed that “man is by his nature a social animal”. Humans seek social interaction, and it is impossible for any leader to keep his or her “hand on their organization’s pulse” without interacting with their team. Certainly, our ability to do this has changed with the advent of the pandemic, but in many ways, it has made it even more important for leaders to redouble their efforts to communicate and stay connected with their team.
Let me give an example. Captain Richard Phillips commanded a supertanker that was seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia in 2009. He was rescued by Navy SEALS, and the story was made into a movie. Phillips later wrote a book about his experiences as a ship captain. He pointed out that twice a day during a voyage – first thing in the morning and last thing before he went to bed – he walked the length of the ship. He entered each compartment, the bridge, engine room, galley, sleeping compartments, etc. Captain Phillips was “managing by walking around.” He was constantly looking not only for potential problems but also for what was going well so he could tell the crew – “that’s great…keep doing that!”
Finally, the “enemy gets a vote” on your plan. Military organizations throughout history make elaborate plans on how they are going to attack “the enemy”. But your adversary whether it is an armed force or a business competitor is dynamic and not static. They can change and adapt. Your competitor also gets to plan and the opportunity not only to react to your plan but frustrate your best efforts.
Adam: What compelled you to write about Gettysburg? What do you hope readers take away from the book?
Jeff: I have always been fascinated by the American Civil War even as a young child. Ken Burns, who created the monumental documentary about that war once said everything before the Civil War led to it, and everything since has been a consequence. I think that is very true.
Throughout our history our country’s armed forces have fought many battles. We have won many and lost some. But there have only been two battles where the very fate of the nation hung in the balance. The first was Yorktown. Had the Continental Army failed we might well have lost the American Revolution. The second was Gettysburg. On the afternoon of July 3, 1863 Confederate General George Pickett led his division in a famous attack against Union lines. Had he been successful, and the South won a victory that day we might still be divided into two nations.
While I was Dean at the Army War College, we annually took the students to Gettysburg for what the military calls a “staff ride”. It is an effort to use a battlefield as a “classroom” to discuss strategy, tactics, maneuver, as well as leadership. During one of these exercises, it occurred to me that the Battle of Gettysburg could serve as an effective leadership case study for any group of leaders.
Consider this -- if we were allowed full access to any organization after a few days we could provide some valuable insights on how well or poorly it was led. But if we had the same access when the organization was undergoing a crisis both good leadership and bad would “stick out” clearly. A crisis compresses time and allows us greater clarity. A battle is two organizations in crisis.
So, I hope readers gain two broad insights from our book. First, good leadership is fungible and immutable. The leadership scholar John Maxwell once said that it does not matter if you are leading the Hebrews out of Egypt, the rulers of modern Europe, pastor of a local church, or a modern corporate leader. “Leadership principles stand the test of time. They are irrefutable.”
That brings me to the second insight. We are currently experiencing three crises that are mutually reinforcing – the pandemic, a crisis of social justice and political unity, as well as enormous economic challenges. We had completed the final draft for the book and sent it to the publisher prior to the onset of the pandemic. But I firmly believe the leadership lessons, insights, and principles discussed in Battle Tested! will be invaluable to any leader at this moment of multiple national crises.
Adam: What are the key leadership lessons from Gettysburg leaders can apply today?
Jeff: First, we use a definition for leadership provided by President Dwight Eisenhower. Ironically, Ike retired to a farm on the edge of the Gettysburg battlefield and spent the last years of his life there. He defined leadership as “deciding what has to be done and getting others to want to do it.” An organization can only reach its maximum performance if all its members buy into the direction its leadership provides. That fact is seen vividly and frequently during the battle.
For example, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain commanded the 20th Maine Regiment that occupied Little Roundtop on the second day. His position was critical. If it had fallen to the Confederates, it would have been a two-day battle and a Rebel victory. Despite overwhelming odds, heavy casualties, and a shortage of ammunition Chamberlain inspired his men to conduct a bayonet charge. This halted the Confederate attack and preserved Union control of this critical terrain.
Second, the difference between management and leadership is also clearly illustrated. Both are important if an army or corporation are going to be successful. Management is about standards, resource allocation, and organizational design. It is about dealing with complexity.
Leadership is about vision, motivation, and trust. Leadership is about dealing with change. A general I once worked for used to say, “if you don’t like change…you are going to like irrelevance even less.”
Third, creating a climate of initiative and innovation is a primary responsibility for any leader and critical to any organization’s success. Initiative is the ability to assess and act independently or without receiving specific direction. Obviously, this is crucial in combat.
In many ways, the battle occurred due to the initiative of one officer -- Union cavalry General John Buford. Buford arrived in Gettysburg on the afternoon of June 30th and learned Confederate troops were massing west of the town. He evaluated the situation and ordered his men to occupy a ridgeline outside the city to ensure the Union Army maintained control of the key terrain – Cemetery Hill and the Roundtops. That evening he sent a message to his boss, Union General John Reynolds informing him of his actions and urging him to get the main body to Gettysburg as soon as possible.
According to Peter Drucker “innovation” is change that brings on a new level of performance. It can be a new “product”, process, or organizational structure. The Union Army made significant “innovations” prior to Gettysburg in providing medical care to wounded soldiers. These efforts largely occurred at the urging of a Union medical officer, Jonathan Letterman. One innovation was a new process for prioritizing treatment based on the severity of the patient’s wounds or illness. It was known as “triage” and is still employed today for mass casualties.
By 1863 the Union Army was starting to see the success of this and other medical innovations. More Northern soldiers were recovering and in many cases returning to the ranks after being wounded. You might call this a “return on investment”. The North also had a greater population and consequently more military manpower. But these innovations resulted in greater survival rates. The South had a smaller population and did not innovate. Consequently, as the war continued it became increasingly difficult for the Confederacy to man its armies.
Finally, leaders must convey a strategic vision to their organization and revise that vision when necessary. On 19 November 1863 Abraham Lincoln walked to a podium to deliver “a few appropriate remarks” at the inauguration of the first national military cemetery at Gettysburg. In 272 words Lincoln delivered a revised vision to the nation and did so using an outline any leader can use when speaking to their organization.
The Gettysburg Address has three parts: Where have we been? Where are we now? Where are we going? The speech begins “Fourscore and seven years ago” which hearkens back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence which Lincoln believed was the country’s foundational document. It begins with those immortal words, “we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.” He then discussed “where are we now?” The nation was “met on a great battlefield” of the war, and “it is altogether fitting and proper” that we consecrate this ground.
He concluded the speech by suggesting “where the nation was going”. The United States “shall have a new birth of freedom.” The purpose of the war to that point was to preserve the Union. As the fifteen thousand spectators departed the cemetery the vision for the war had evolved. It was now about preserving the Union and ending slavery. They were inextricably linked.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
Jeff: I worked for General Norman Schwarzkopf in the Pentagon, and he was also my commander during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. After the war he delivered an address to the Corps of Cadets at West Point. In his remarks Schwarzkopf argued that there are two fundamental leadership qualities -- competence and character. They are essential. You might like someone a great deal, but if they are incompetent it is very unlikely they can lead an organization to success.
More importantly, if a leader lacks integrity or character they will never be able to gain the trust of their team. As a result, the organization will fail to reach its maximum potential. Everyone will expect that if things go awry the leader will simply look for someone to blame or “throw under the bus”. The team will further believe their leader is motivated solely for his or her own personal gratification and cares little or nothing for them. In fact, some have said that “leadership is ultimately character in action.”
So, I totally agree with Schwarzkopf and have adopted character and competence as the fundamental building blocks of effective leadership.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Jeff: First and foremost, leaders need to understand that it is a journey and not a destination. You are constantly learning, and you want your organization to be a “learning organization”.
Second, as a leader moves up to greater and greater responsibility, they must spend time thinking about what to stop doing as well as where they will devote their time and efforts. The effective leader must empower others and realize they cannot do everything. This means embracing a degree of risk and being willing to accept the fact that everything will not be done exactly the way you would have done it!
Third, I believe it is important to maintain and develop your network. Your colleagues and friends outside your respective organization are essential. They can provide perspective and the unvarnished truth. It is also not a bad idea to periodically participate in a formal coaching program particularly when you are taking on new responsibilities. Finally, I always encourage young professional to survey the organization they are part of carefully looking for leaders they admire. After six months they should approach one about becoming their mentor to provide them advice and assistance.
Finally, it is important to realize that there are three levels of leadership. In the military we call them tactical, operational, and strategic. In a corporate culture they would be direct, organizational, and strategic. At the direct and organizational levels, you solve problems. But when you move to the strategic level you rarely achieve closure because timelines are longer (sometimes several years), and the environment is often very ambiguous. Strategic leaders rarely solve problems…they manage them. You must realize that you can make things better or worse but that is as good as it gets as the environment will continue to evolve.
Sadly, I have often found that some leaders cannot deal with that level of ambiguity. Consequently, they immerse themselves with “tactical” problems that have immediate deadlines and results and fail to empower the team. They are often very, very busy, BUT they are not dealing with change or preparing their organization for the future.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?
Jeff: First, do not confuse strategy and tactics. Jeff Bezos often says that he rarely if ever looks at how Amazon is doing in the current quarter. He is thinking and making plans for where his organization will be six months, a year, or even five years in the future. Every leader must determine how they manage their time so they can deal with the immediate problems of today while preparing their organization for tomorrow.
Second, ultimately the one thing a leader does that no one else gets to do is – they decide! Leaders also decide when they are going to decide. They control the organization’s clock. We often think about the resources leaders bring to bear on problems and focus on people, money, capital equipment, etc. But time is also a resource and the most inelastic. When you decide can be more important than the decision you take.
Third, leadership is often lonely. Colin Powell used to say being responsible sometimes means pissing people off. The leader must focus on what is ultimately best for the organization and the welfare of the entire team. As a leader your actions and decisions will make some people angry. It is inevitable. If your focus is being popular with everyone you will avoid hard decisions your organization and team desperately need. I recall when working in the White House that senior leaders would say one rule in Washington was “If you want a friend…buy a dog.”
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?
Jeff: Yogi Berra was once asked, “Yogi, how do you build a world championship team?” Berra quickly replied, “hire world championship players.” Consequently, a leader must constantly seek to recruit, develop, and retain the best and the brightest. I firmly believe that those companies that did their best for their employees during the pandemic will emerge the strongest.
Second, effective leaders learn to listen. That may sound silly, but communications is both speaking and listening. It is not just waiting patiently for the next opportunity to speak. Abraham Lincoln once said, “There is a reason why God gave us two ears but only one mouth…he was trying to tell us something.” That is good advice for any leader.
I recall at the height of the pandemic speaking to a psychologist. He told me that when people have experienced loss or significant stress, we often think we need to speak to them. He said if you really care about someone…listen to them.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Jeff: Upon graduating from West Point, we received sixty days of leave as a graduation present. So, I hitched a ride on an Air Force cargo plane and headed to Honolulu to lay on the beach, drink beer, and chase girls! When I ran out of money, I got a ride home on a C5A cargo plane. This is an enormous aircraft, and you climb a ladder to the passenger’s compartment. It was a nine-hour flight. There was no movies or alcohol, and the meal was a box lunch. So, I struck up a conversation with a Navy Corpsman sitting next to me.
He was assigned as a medic to a Marine infantry company and was heading home on leave. I asked him, “how’s your unit?” He replied that it was fine, but his new company commander was “a real jerk”. He then quickly added, “but I took care of him.” Now in those days if an enlisted man said that about an officer it could mean a lot of things! So, I gingerly asked him, “what did you do?” He replied, “Oh, I just lost his shot records!” He then said, “You know what I did after he got all his shots a second time? I lost those damned shot records again! But he is coming around. He is starting to realize that everyone in the company is important and has a job to do.” I never forgot that – every member of the team is critical to the organization’s success and should be treated well.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Jeff: I enjoyed the interview and thinking about the questions. It was a learning experience for me so thanks very much!
Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.
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