This is a picture of my son when he was commanding alpha company of The Old Guard in Washington DC. He is a West Point graduate and he has taught me a lot about leadership. “Tactics lag technology” is a great example. I was recently thanking him for his tips on this topic and he said he still reviews the 12 principles of leadership internally when facing tough decisions. I think these principles relate to leadership generally. We need effective leadership more than even before in medicine to produce the quadruple aim for the benefit of patients and other stakeholders.
12 Principles of Modern Military Leadership
1 Lead from the front. Lead by example. Don’t ask your team to do anything you wouldn’t do. Don’t say “forward”! Say “follow me!”
2 Have self-confidence, not egoism. A capable leader has confidence, but egoism is an indication of a lack of assurance. Egoism is completely counterproductive to effective team function.
3 Moral courage. Doing the right thing regardless of the consequences is moral courage.
4 Physical courage. Doing your duty in spite of fear.
5 Foster teamwork. It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Teamwork is more important than personal recognition for accomplishing the mission. It is critical to the quadruple aim and optimal medical therapy.
6 Have fitness and energy Leaders must be tough physically and mentally
7 Be aggressive and bold Be willing to make the changes in systems that the evidence demands
8 Take care of your soldiers A competent leader preserves combat power by putting his Soldiers first and doing the most to improve their situation. Take care of your team. Set them up for success.
9 Be a student of the past History offers a wealth of information to those who have the foresight to examine it. Tactics lag technology.
10 Be decisive "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." -President Theodore Roosevelt
11 Show determination A leader must show determination even when others do not. This "never say die" attitude is necessary for your Soldiers to be tirelessly persistent during desperate, bleak, or challenging situations.
12 Be strong of character "Duty, Honor, Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be ... They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the Nation's defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid."
The science and systems to produce optimal medical therapy have been available for two decades. Americans still don’t have access to this highly effective approach to cardiovascular and related conditions. That is a failure of leadership. It is time to act-decisively!
Excellent!