As a Marine I have been trained to accomplish the mission; that has always been the hallmark for Marines. From the yellow footprints in boot camp, to becoming a senior leader; mission accomplishment has always been the single most important thing early on in my career. As I matured and came across respectable leadership, I was enlightened. I learned that the commander’s intent, the purpose, was more important than all of the tasks assigned. That’s not to say that mission accomplishment was no longer imperative, but that the purpose to the mission took precedence. The situation will always change, but understanding the commander’s intent allows you to adjust in order to ultimately achieve his or her end-state. On occasion, it can be easy to
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I was reminded of that realization when I saw the 2 videos by Simon Sinek: “First Why Then Trust” and “Start With Why”. Simon explained that the key to success for so many great visionaries was because of his or her ability to stay focused on the purpose of the task. He mentioned Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King, and the Wright Brothers for their purpose, dedication, and persistence. He linked purposeful leadership with achieving immeasurable, true success. His grasp of this concept was intriguing and lead me to take a deeper look within myself and the Marine Corps. Great leaders uphold the purpose as to “why” they must be successful; which subsequently fuels “how” they will do “what” it takes to succeed. It is easy to lose focus in a long career; but the Senior Enlisted Professional Military Education (SEPME) course has reminded me that "why" I joined and love the Marine Corps keeps me grounded in true leadership, and not fixated on authority. To commence, let us take a look at “authority” and why it derails so many …show more content…
He says: “Authority tells us what to do or what goal to achieve, but leadership tells us why we are here primarily”. In other words, the purpose for what we are doing is far more important than the actual task. Then, in Simon’s video “Start With Why” he talks about his “Inside out thinking” theory. He explains that many people concentrate on “what” and “how” they will accomplish a specific task; when it is “why” they are doing the task that is significantly more important. His theory immediately reminded me of the commander’s intent to an operation; and how I was taught that understanding the purpose of an operation was more important than the mission itself. This was because at any given time, whether it was training or during combat operations, the situation will always change. But understanding the commander’s intent gives Marines the purpose and vision for the unit, which subsequently encourages and stimulates initiative. Simon’s theory along with the SEPME course has reminded me “why” I joined and ultimately came to love the Marine Corps. I joined the Marine Corps because the Lord wanted me to change my life by leaving the streets of New York City behind. He wanted me to learn how to accept, and thrive when challenged, because challenge inspired growth and forced me to learn more about myself. What is especially interesting about this revelation for me is God wanted me to
I was reminded of that realization when I saw the 2 videos by Simon Sinek: “First Why Then Trust” and “Start With Why”. Simon explained that the key to success for so many great visionaries was because of his or her ability to stay focused on the purpose of the task. He mentioned Steve Jobs, Martin Luther King, and the Wright Brothers for their purpose, dedication, and persistence. He linked purposeful leadership with achieving immeasurable, true success. His grasp of this concept was intriguing and lead me to take a deeper look within myself and the Marine Corps. Great leaders uphold the purpose as to “why” they must be successful; which subsequently fuels “how” they will do “what” it takes to succeed. It is easy to lose focus in a long career; but the Senior Enlisted Professional Military Education (SEPME) course has reminded me that "why" I joined and love the Marine Corps keeps me grounded in true leadership, and not fixated on authority. To commence, let us take a look at “authority” and why it derails so many …show more content…
He says: “Authority tells us what to do or what goal to achieve, but leadership tells us why we are here primarily”. In other words, the purpose for what we are doing is far more important than the actual task. Then, in Simon’s video “Start With Why” he talks about his “Inside out thinking” theory. He explains that many people concentrate on “what” and “how” they will accomplish a specific task; when it is “why” they are doing the task that is significantly more important. His theory immediately reminded me of the commander’s intent to an operation; and how I was taught that understanding the purpose of an operation was more important than the mission itself. This was because at any given time, whether it was training or during combat operations, the situation will always change. But understanding the commander’s intent gives Marines the purpose and vision for the unit, which subsequently encourages and stimulates initiative. Simon’s theory along with the SEPME course has reminded me “why” I joined and ultimately came to love the Marine Corps. I joined the Marine Corps because the Lord wanted me to change my life by leaving the streets of New York City behind. He wanted me to learn how to accept, and thrive when challenged, because challenge inspired growth and forced me to learn more about myself. What is especially interesting about this revelation for me is God wanted me to