What's the best advice on leadership you ever received from a leader?

When in charge, be in charge. Leadership by example. Sometimes, the hardest person to lead is yourself.

I think Sun Tzu has a few good quotes on this question -- "A Leader leads by example, not by force." AND "Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. and they will follow you into the deepest valley."

HOWEVER, he also has great advice for predicting outcome of battle, which I believe is just as important for a leader to recognize. "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

The greatest piece of advice I have ever received you can not shove a square peg in a triangle hole with out some serious damage to the peg or structure. Always think outside of the box. I have noticed soldiers including myself at one time struggling, then caught in bad leadership which creates toxicity. From thier it's human nature a spriral out of control, overwhelming and placing a target on thier back from all angles multiplying issues. With leadership thinking that tough love and making that person the gopher wearing down making that target larger. Greatest success I had and i have tested on soldiers later on was to remove them from that AO to a different section no bulls eye on the back, visited often reinforcing the value of a second chance passing on the knoweledge you gained when once standing in thier boots.worked for me, than 3 others so far that I noticed and persuaded the powers that be to try my theory. Glad to say they flourished and later returned to thier section redeemed and successful to awards standing out to become the pride of that section. I can only hope this gains traction through tradition from those whom I got helped from, whom I helped and the ones who need this help.

-Yukna Alexander
E4 Mafia vice chairman

A good Master Chief once told me you are entitled to a bad day, what you are not entitled to is to share that S#!+ with your Sailors.

When I was a you g Sgt and was getting promoted to SSgt I understood I would become a professional Marine Ora career Marine, if you will. I sought out the counsel of Marine SNCOs I knew whose leadership wS obvious to me. I received all kinds of advice but none struck score with me. Then a MGySgt said, "Do you think SSgt A is a good SNCO?" I said yes I did. "Do you think SSgt B is a good SNCO?" I said certainly not. "Good. Do what the good ones do and don't do what the bad ones do!" You have seen good & bad leadership in action. Follow the examples set by the good leaders and do not follow the example set by the bad ones.

Don't ever try to make your subordinates do things you yourself would never do-meaning if the task is something that you would not do ever do not expect others to do it. And do not belittle them as negative reinforcement does nothing but create problems later.

"You argue with a fool, you get what you deserve"

One of my Chiefs told me a long time ago... Get to know your people. Find out what motivates them, find out who they are leaving behind and make sure they are communicating (be mindful of OPSEC), remember that it is ok to be friendly outside of working hours without being their friend (be mindful of fraternization.)

From CSM Betty Rice: "Surround yourself with excellence; push yourself up from below; train your replacement; and network, network, network!"

Always say no take time to analyzed the situation after doing so come back and change your answer or give further information on why you say no