Episode 223: West Point leadership lessons, with Stephen Woessner.
Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward\nNation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker,\ntrainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in\nSUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine,\nand other media.
\nGood Morning Onward Nation -- I\u2019m Stephen Woessner. It is an\nhonor to be with you here this morning, and my hope for you is that\nthis week -- the final week of April 2016 -- has brought you\nhappiness, that this week has also brought you success, that this\nweek has brought you opportunity, that this week has brought you\nsome challenges that have pushed you to expand your knowledge -- to\nlearn new things -- and most of all -- I hope during this week --\nand right now specifically -- you will give yourself the time to\nconsciously consider whether or you have given you and your team\nthe FREEDOM TO FAIL.
\nYes...you heard me right. I said the FREEDOM TO\nFAIL.
\nIt is fascinating to me how the word failure has become all the\nrage -- almost a buzzword or mantra -- and is being used by\npersonal development gurus, digital marketing consultants, business\nleaders, to politicians. But these three simple words --\nFREEDOM TO FAIL -- have a completely different meaning to\nme because of my experience this past weekend.
\nI spent Saturday at West Point...the United States Military\nAcademy in New York State. To say that spending the day at West\nPoint was a life-changing experience would be a significant\nunderstatement.
\nI was in awe.
\nMy pride as an American citizen soared. The honor I felt since\nserving our country in the Air Force was taken to a whole new\nlevel. And to top it off...I was able to share the experience with\na group of friends who we affectionately refer to ourselves as the\nCircle of Greatness.
\nAt the center of our group -- our founder father so to speak --\nthe man who pulled us all together, first to meet one another, and\nthen to develop some wonderful friendships, is Don Yaeger.
\nI hear me mention Don in nearly every episode of Onward Nation\nbecause he has been one of my most influential mentors, my weekly\naccountability partner, and has become one of my closest\nfriends.
\nThree years ago, Don decided to organize a group of people who\nhave had a significant impact on his life from both a professional\nand personal perspective. Don\u2019s wife, Jeanette began referring to\nus as Don\u2019s Circle of Greatness...an appropriate moniker\nsince researching and studying the topic of \u201cGreatness\u201d\nhas become Don\u2019s passion and life\u2019s work. In fact, one of the books\nDon author is entitled, "The 16 Characteristics of Greatness."
\nThere are about 30 of us in the Circle -- and this weekend -- 20\nof us were able to make it to New York City for a weekend together.\nAll of which was masterfully orchestrated by Jeanette Yaeger, Don\u2019s\nwife. Jeanette -- if you are listening -- thank you so much, my\nfriend. You are beyond amazing!!!
\nOne of the members of our Circle is Colonel Bernard Banks,\nprofessor and department head of behavioral sciences and leadership\nat West Point. Colonel Banks invited all of us to West Point to\nspend the day as his guest and to learn about the values and\nleadership development process they apply to create our nation\u2019s\nnext military leaders. When we all read that West Point was on the\nagenda for the weekend...we were all excited for the lessons that\nwere about to come our way and extremely grateful that such an\nuncommon opportunity came our way.
\nTo be the guest of Colonel Banks -- at West Point -- for the\nday...are you kidding me? Incredible!
\nOnward Nation, being at West Point was one of the most\nintimidating -- inspirational -- and humbling experiences of my\nprofessional career.
\nSo for today\u2019s solocast...I am going to share with you the major\nhighlights -- the core lessons -- that I learned from the cadets\nwho guided us through the breathtaking campus -- and the leadership\nlessons Colonel Banks shared with us during a private leadership\nclass with just our \u201cCircle.\u201d
\nSo buckle in, Onward Nation...I promise...this discussion will\nhelp you move your leadership development process within your\nbusiness to the next level.
\nLeadership Lesson 1: Honor your history and core values\n\nI want to start off this first leadership lesson by sharing\nsomething that is deeply personal among all of the cadets at West\nPoint. And it goes like this...
\n\u201cMake us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong\nand never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be\nwon.\u201d
\nWhat I just read to you is know as the Cadet Prayer. Anyone can\nsee it -- read it -- as they enter the academy. It is proudly\ndisplayed inside the Thayer Hotel at the entrance to West\nPoint.
\nThe prayer also embodies the Cadet\u2019s honor code, which reads,\n\u201cA cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who\ndo.\u201d
\nWhen I thought deeply about both of these powerful statements --\nthese core values -- I was taken back to episode 18 of Onward\nNation and my powerful conversation with Larry Broughton.\nDuring our conversation -- it was Larry -- who first taught me the\nCadet Prayer -- in fact, he recited it during our interview. After\nall these years...the Cadet Prayer was still his mantra -- the\ncreed by which Larry lives each day and how he leads his\ncompany.
\nLarry had learned it during his 9 years of service in the US\nArmy Green Berets. So to read it at West Point brought me full\ncircle and reaffirmed how important it is that we honor our core\nvalues -- that we as leaders personally stand for something our\nemployees and customers can believe in -- and that our business\nlives our core values every day -- just like the cadets and faculty\nat West Point do. Day in and day out.
\n\nLeadership Lesson #1 also involves honoring our history because\nour past is critical to our future success. Our ability to study\nthe failures, the challenges, the tribulations, and the triumphs of\nleaders who have gone before us -- and then applying what we have\nlearned -- will almost assuredly accelerate our own\naccomplishments.
\nAt West Point, when you walk around campus, you will see\nstatues, monuments, and buildings dedicated to our country\u2019s\ngreatest military and political leaders -- as well as the conflicts\nand wars where they lead.
\nWhy?
\nSo our cadets -- this country\u2019s future leaders -- have an\nopportunity to be reminded of what has already been learned so that\nexperience, wisdom, and perspective can become their guide\nthroughout their own leadership development process.
\nLeadership Lesson 2: Preparation ensures success\nOur Circle members were able to see first-hand how seriously the\ncadets at West Point take leadership. And I was reminded of this\nquote.
\n\u201cThere are no bad crews -- only bad leaders.\u201d -- United\nStates Navy Seals
\nEven though that mantra -- that purpose -- was created and used\nby the Navy Seals...it was evident the West Point cadets believed\nits message throughout their corps of cadets.
\nWhen we arrived at West Point, we were greeted by three cadets\nand Colonel Banks waiting outside the Thayer Hotel. The cadets were\nin charge of escorting us from the hotel to the athletic complex so\nwe could watch the opening ceremony and the Special Olympics\ncompetition taking place.
\nEvery year, West Point hosts the largest Special Olympics\ncompetition in New York State, and the cadets play a very active\nrole in service to the Olympians. An amazing site to see.
\n\nOur cadets briefed us on the logistics and schedule of the day\nwith precision. We had a lot of places to be and not much time in\neach location. Plus, there were 20 of us to keep track of. Not an\neasy task.
\nBut, the cadets were prepared with every detail. It was evident\nthey didn\u2019t just show up to be our guides for the day because\nColonel Banks had asked them to...or because Don Yaeger also serves\nas a senior fellow at West Point. The cadets had studied, they had\nplanned, and they were ready to help us make this a day to\nremember.
\nThe cadets also served as our historians for the day. They\ntaught us about the pivotal role West Point had played during the\nRevolutionary War including the story of Benedict Arnold and the\nplan he and the British had conspired to create with the goal of\ncapturing General George Washington during his visit to West\nPoint.
\nOur cadets also took the time to explain -- and -- to take us\ninside the day and life of a cadet. They shared their passion --\ntheir desire -- to ultimately receive the reward of active duty\nstatus in the Army upon graduation. Amazing.
\nWest Point is home to 4,400 cadets who all share the same\npassion, drive, and determination to become prepared to serve our\ncountry as military leaders and beyond.
\nOur cadets -- all of the cadets -- are an extraordinary group of\npeople and I look forward to my next opportunity to visit West\nPoint and learn more leadership lessons from them.
\nLeadership Lesson 3: Seek opportunities to serve and encourage\nothers\nI mentioned a few minutes ago how West Point, its faculty, and\nits corps of cadets host New York State\u2019s largest Special Olympics\ncompetition every year. Why? Because Leadership Lesson\n#3 that I learned at West Point is about seeking out\nopportunities to serve and encourage others.
\nTo illustrate how the cadets not only serve -- but encourage --\nI included a short 30-second video of the cadets and several\nSpecial Olympians during the javelin competition.
\nAs I watched the Olympians and the genuine, authentic\nencouragement and love they received from their cadets -- I was\nmoved. It was such an emotional experience to see a group of young\nmen fully focused, devoted, and present for their mission for the\nday. And they did their duty -- not out of responsibility because\nthey had been assigned -- but as you will see in the video -- they\ndid their duty because they loved performing the service. They were\noverjoyed to celebrate the successes of the Special Olympians.
\n\nOnward Nation, our cadets, actively seek out opportunities to\nserve and encourage each other -- and they are also committed to\nliving these values outside of West Point as an example of\nexcellence. West Point\u2019s upperclassmen mentor, coach, and lead\ntheir underclassmen -- not by yelling, hazing, or by rank.
\nInstead...and this may seem counterintuitive when thinking about\nthe United States Army...but the cadets \u201chug\u201d and then \u201cpush\u201d each\nother. They hug and then push. Each cadet -- along with the faculty\nof this impressive campus -- is there to serve one another to help\nevery one growth, develop, and become the leader they were meant to\nbecome.
\nPlus, as we later learned from Colonel Banks, many of these\n4,400 cadets will serve and work alongside one another for decades\ninto the future. They will be forever bonded by service and\nencouragement to each other and to their core values.
\nSo it was a very special sight to see the cadets live their\nvalues -- in how they treat each other -- and how they stand\nshoulder-to-shoulder with their Special Olympians to serve and\nencourage.
\nWhat an incredible display to have the privilege to witness.
\nLeadership Lesson 4: Provide your future leaders with the\nFREEDOM TO FAIL\nDuring our day at West Point, Colonel Banks surprised us by\ninviting us into his classroom for a private leadership session. He\nasked if he could take some time to share and illustrate to us West\nPoint\u2019s three stage leadership development process as well as the\ncurriculum cadets need to master before they can graduate and\nbecome officers in the United States Army. West Point created --\nthen applies -- an intentional process for leader development. The\nfaculty at West Point believes that great leaders are developed --\nit doesn\u2019t happen by accident.
\nColonel Banks began by sharing that leaders first need to\ninspire the people around them every day. As you will see and hear\nColonel Banks say, \u201cThe English word 'inspire' comes from the\nLatin word \u2018inspirare,\u2019 which means to breathe. Leaders have the\nopportunity to help others take the next breath in their journey.\nMany times, we, as leaders, are the ones who make people feel as if\nthey cannot breathe. Research has indicated that 75 percent of all\nemployees report that the most stressful part of their job is their\nimmediate supervisor. The research is quite clear. People don\u2019t\nquit the company. Your people quit you. And so that\u2019s the\nopportunity you have every day -- to help your people take that\nnext breath -- to inspire them -- to live their life in a better\nway.\u201d
\n\nBreakdown of West Point\u2019s Leadership Development Process\nStage 1: Developmental Experiences\nChallenge:
\n- \n
- Novelty \n
- Difficult goals \n
- Conflict \n
- Loss, failure \n
Variety:
\n- \n
- Broad range of situations and\ndemands \n
Assessment:
\n- \n
- Feedback \n
- 360 degree and\nself-assessment \n
- Formal and informal \n
Support:
\n- \n
- Confirming advice \n
- Encouragement \n
- Acceptance \n
- Resources \n
+
\nStage 2: Individual Readiness\n- \n
- Openness \n
- Reflection \n
+
\nStage 3: Time\n= Leader of Character
\nBut this leader development process would not be possible\nwithout two critical foundational philosophies...and those\nare...cadets must be given the FREEDOM TO FAIL and cadets must be\nclear on WHO OWNS THE EXPERIENCE.
\nIf cadets are not given the freedom to fail -- to make their own\ndecisions based on what they have learned from other cadets and\nfaculty -- then they will never learn. Instead, West Point will\nhave created cadet robots and not leaders who can think under\nextreme pressures and situations. However, if they are given the\nfreedom to fail and then mentored on the path to improved\nperformance -- mastery can be reached and excellence obtained.\nColonel Banks told us that they are in the business of tearing\nmuscle with purpose -- so that it can be rebuilt and it becomes\nstronger where the initial tear was. Awesomeness.
\n\nAnd the cadets know they own the experience. They are not alone\nin their journey -- they have all of the resources of West Point\navailable to them -- but ultimately, success or failure is their\nresponsibility. No excuses. No pointing fingers. They own the\nexperience. Impactful lessons taught at an institution I am so\nproud to have been able to visit and spend time at in such a deep\nand meaningful way.
\nColonel Banks...if you are listening...thank you so very much\nfor generously sharing your expertise and wisdom with us -- we are\nall so grateful.
\nLeadership Lesson 5: Protect your inner circle\nOne of the most valuable lessons I have learned from Don is\nsomething he learned during the 12-years of one-on-one mentorship\nwith the late Coach John Wooden. Coach taught Don that he would\nnever outperform the people he spent the most time with. In fact,\nthe people you spend the most time with -- in effect -- become your\ninner circle. So, you need to protect your inner circle by being\nvery selective and deliberate about who gets access into your\ncircle.
\nDon practices this lesson with precision. How?
\n\nDon investing the time and energy to create our Circle of\nGreatness is an excellent, tangible example of being\ndeliberate with Coach Wooden\u2019s strategy. And I encourage you to\ntake the same lesson out of Coach Wooden\u2019s playbook.
\nSo Onward Nation, my challenge to you is to think about who you\nspend the most time with. Are they moving at the same, or even\nbetter yet, a faster pace and tempo then you? Are they doing things\nin their life or business that challenge your own perspectives of\nwhat is possible? Are they growing personally and professionally in\nways that push your comfort zone? If so -- good -- these are people\nyou should spend more time with.
\nOr, are they content with life and not learning anything new?\nAre they so full of potential but don\u2019t seek out any new ways to\napply their talents and gifts?
\nOne of our guests shared a metaphor with me that I thought was\nperfect...and it was this...let\u2019s say you walked into your house\nand found Superman with his boots kick up on your ottoman and he\nwas laying down on your couch, eating a bowl of ice cream and some\ncookies, while vegging and watching TV. And let\u2019s say that he had\nbeen doing that for days to where it became a habit for him. Would\nyou look at Superman and think to yourself, \u201cRock solid\nawesome...way to go Superman.\u201d Or, would you think to\nyourself\u2026 \u201cWhat in the world are you doing...you should be out\nsaving the planet! Stop wasting your potential.\u201d
\nOnward Nation, my hope is that you will begin to think carefully\nabout each person in your inner circle. Ask yourself...are they\nheaded in the same direction as you?
\nIf not, you need to make changes so the people closest to you\nbecome your own version of a Circle of Greatness. We all need a\nCircle of Greatness in our lives to \u201chug and push us\u201d to that next\nlevel -- just like the West Point cadets do for each other.
\nSo with that...I want to thank you again for taking the time to\nbe here with me today. It is an honor to have you here -- thank you\nfor tuning in -- I am delighted you chose this episode to be what\nyou listen to, study, and take with you on your morning run, or\nmaybe Onward Nation has become part of your daily commute, or in\nsome other way has become part of your morning routine.
\nHowever our daily podcast fits into your daily routine -- I want\nyou to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your\ninvaluable 86,400 seconds you have in your day with me and the\nstrategies we learn and share each day from today\u2019s top business\nowners.
\nAnd please continue to let me know what you think of Onward\nNation...good or bad...I always want your feedback. My direct email\naddress is stephen@onwardnation.com --\nand yes -- that is my actual Inbox. No fancy filters or filing\nsystem and I read and reply to every single email.
\nSo please let me know how you think we are doing. I look forward\nto hearing from you.
\nWe will be back tomorrow with an incredible encore interview\nwith Dave Denniston, host of the Freedom Formula for Physicians\npodcast. You will not want to miss this discussion, Onward\nNation!
\nUntil then, onward with gusto!