The 11 Leadership Priniciples will work for all business leader also.

The 11 Leadership Priniciples will work for all business leader also.

They are:

11 Leadership Principles of the US Armed Forces

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement - By properly evaluating your own weaknesses/strengths and looking to improve those areas daily, you will continually improve your ability & performance - Make sure your staff follows this also.

2. Be technically and tactically proficient - Keep current with the latest technical developments in your field of expertise and know how to deploy your resources for the maximum return on investment - another great development principle for your employees.

3. Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates - Drive accountability down to the base level among your staff - Make sure they are aware that you will hold them accountable for their actions and assignments.

4. Make sound and timely decisions - Make sure that your decisions are well thought out and take into account all relevant information - Don't act rashly or out of anger, desperation or any other emotional state.

5. Set the example - Lead from the front - make sure that your staff sees you as the role model Be visible in your daily activities - hold yourself to a higher standard - this will motivate subordinates to improve themselves.

6. Know your people and look out for their welfare - Only by demonstrating that you are interested and concerned for their welfare will you win their loyalty. A good leader is a compassionate listener and understands what motivates his/her staff.

7. Keep your people informed - Information is the life's blood of any organization and only good if it is shared across the widest possible spectrum. Share your ideas and knowledge with your staff - this will make them feel included and valuable.

8. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions - Be prepared for your next assignment and take charge of all areas of responsibility - if a mistake is made, stand up & take the heat. By doing so, you will demonstrate a key principle of leadership - We all make mistakes, we are all fallible but it is how we respond to our mistakes that separate the professionals from the pretenders.

9. Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished - You need to trust your people but verify - Trust your employees to do their job but verify it has been done to your standards. By doing so, you will make sure that you are involved, accountable and creditable with your superiors.

10. Train your people as a team - Have your staff work together as a team and cross train on each others responsibilities. This allows them to utilize each other's strengths and to feed off of the team synergy. Teamwork develops a sense of shared responsibility and commitment to the objective.

11. Employ your team in accordance with its' capabilities - Know the limitations of your self, your people and your department. Don't look to take on more than you should. By knowing your limitations, you'll know when to call in the reinforcements.


Kevin J. Cook - HR Manager