What Military Leadership Can Teach the American Workforce

Here’s something most people get wrong about leadership. It’s not about having stripes on your sleeve or a title on your business card. It’s about responsibility. I learned that in the dirt, sweating next to my guys, not in some classroom.

Lesson 1: Lead From the Front

Nobody respects the boss who barks orders from the truck. Respect comes from the guy who grabs the heaviest load, takes the first risk, and shows he’s willing to bleed with his crew.

Lesson 2: Discipline Creates Freedom

In the Guard, we drilled until we were sick of it. Why? Because when it mattered, that discipline gave us freedom. We didn’t hesitate. We just moved. The same holds true on the jobsite. Show up on time. Follow the process. Nail the details. Do that and suddenly the big challenges aren’t so overwhelming.

Lesson 3: Trust Is Everything

In combat, trust was oxygen. Without it, you suffocated. On the jobsite, it’s no different. You want your crew to perform when things go wrong? Build trust now, not later.

The Takeaway

America doesn’t need more bosses. It needs more leaders. Leaders who know how to serve, how to build trust, and how to bring their people home safe. That’s what we teach, and it’s what the workforce needs if we’re going to stay strong.