Posted on Feb 26, 2015
Does the military give us a false sense of capability? What does the military NOT teach you...
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In reading on RP, talking to transitioning co-workers, etc...
does the military give us a false sense of "we can do anything!!" ? Does our "can do" attitude not really translate to civilian life.
we tell ourselves and each other that after being in one leadership position, I can be in ANY leadership position....I can open up my own business or run for office...but yet, no one outside of uniform seems to think this (from what I have seen/read/heard so far). @SFC John Gates @ Mark Merino
In the military, we talk about how much equipment we signed for, how many people we were in charge of, and some other random numbers. We talk about discipline in PT scores and adherence to a uniform regulation. Yet, this doesnt impress civilians, as they dont operate like this. There is no civilian eqiuvalent to the 'No Limit Soldier' or, 'High Speed, Low Drag.'
does the military give us a false sense of "we can do anything!!" ? Does our "can do" attitude not really translate to civilian life.
we tell ourselves and each other that after being in one leadership position, I can be in ANY leadership position....I can open up my own business or run for office...but yet, no one outside of uniform seems to think this (from what I have seen/read/heard so far). @SFC John Gates @ Mark Merino
In the military, we talk about how much equipment we signed for, how many people we were in charge of, and some other random numbers. We talk about discipline in PT scores and adherence to a uniform regulation. Yet, this doesnt impress civilians, as they dont operate like this. There is no civilian eqiuvalent to the 'No Limit Soldier' or, 'High Speed, Low Drag.'
Leadership
Motivation
Civilian Career
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 11
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A few thoughts:
- A positive mental attitude is always a good thing whether in the military or civilian worlds.
- A "can do" attitude is a good thing in either the military or civilian worlds as long as it is tempered in reality and expectations as to what is feasible, acceptable, suitable.
- Not all leaders can succeed in any/all leadership positions whether military or civilian. Technical expertise, personality, culture, and timing all play a role. For example, Patton would have failed as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and Ike would not have been as successful as Patton as Commander, 3rd Army.
- A positive mental attitude is always a good thing whether in the military or civilian worlds.
- A "can do" attitude is a good thing in either the military or civilian worlds as long as it is tempered in reality and expectations as to what is feasible, acceptable, suitable.
- Not all leaders can succeed in any/all leadership positions whether military or civilian. Technical expertise, personality, culture, and timing all play a role. For example, Patton would have failed as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and Ike would not have been as successful as Patton as Commander, 3rd Army.
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After leaving active duty several years ago, I've really come to appreciate how insulated the military is. Transition takes humility.
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I think the 'can do' attitude isn't a detriment unless it has led you to hubris. Instead of "I've totally done this, so I can do similar things anywhere." the statement should be "Man, I've done all that...so I will be able to LEARN this." The lessons I took from my active duty time only served as a foundation to build a successful career on.
We often forget that learning is a process that NEVER stops. A crusty pissed off Sergeant Major years ago said to our battalion "You can fix ignorant, you can't fix stupid. The day you stop learning is the day they're shoveling dirt on your coffin".
While yes, many of us have led soldiers or had responsibility for millions of dollars of equipment...unless we are going into a career field that matches that description word for word we have to understand that while the general skill set we have is good, we will always have something we need to go learn.
We often forget that learning is a process that NEVER stops. A crusty pissed off Sergeant Major years ago said to our battalion "You can fix ignorant, you can't fix stupid. The day you stop learning is the day they're shoveling dirt on your coffin".
While yes, many of us have led soldiers or had responsibility for millions of dollars of equipment...unless we are going into a career field that matches that description word for word we have to understand that while the general skill set we have is good, we will always have something we need to go learn.
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