| Words are TOOLS which automatically carve concepts out of experience. | Julian S. Huxley | 1877-1975, British Writer, Biologist |
I use words to carve leadership concepts out of the Army’s[i] ways that win. I present them here to you, the taxpayers who paid me to experience the Military’s Way of Winning. Use them to build a better life, a better America and a better you.
These concepts belong to you. They were created by the blood sweat and tears of your children, your fathers, and your fellow Americans.
In 40 years I had the good fortune to learn from military people of all backgrounds, races, genders, creeds and colors. Each of these people taught me something important! They devoted their working lives to a mission in which they truly believed. Their sworn duty to protect the Constitution of the United States was and continues to be a mission of winning freedom for all generations of Americans.
Their devotion was my teacher.
I write in the jargon of the American military. I hope that as you read you will learn, as I learned, the art of Winning the Army Way!
Winning Is a Predatory Act! Those who study animals know that animals with eyes on the front of their head are predators. Look in the mirror. You see that you, like all humans, are a predator.
Winning Is Not Politically Correct! { Political correctness :language that appears calculated to provide a minimum of offense.}
This Blog Is Not Politically Correct. We follow the development of winning strategies inside the military by looking at its jargon. Military jargon is direct, heavy on impact and clearly expressed through slang. Slang is rarely used to minimize offense.
Winning Requires Efficiency. For 40 years I worked around the rank-and-file military. From the military I learned that:efficiency is essential to winning. From rocket science I learned that efficiency is essential to system performance.
One pound of payload added to a rocket, requires an additional 20 to 80 pounds increase in the total weight of the rocket in order to keep the performance unchanged. If an 80 to 1 penalty is not an argument for efficiency, what is? On one hand a rocket scientist, on the other hand the military rank-and-file. What do we both believe in? Efficiency! Why? In order to win!
When many different people lead dedicated lives, they are guided by underlying wisdom. The wisdom of military efficiency is buried in military jargon. Jargon which is compact, often crude and which points to greater truths learned through hard experience.
MILITARY WISDOM EVOLVED FROM THE DESIRE TO WIN.
- For the individual in war, winning is a very personal thing.
- Winning is surviving.
- For a nation at war, winning is the only thing.
- If a nation loses, then its future is in the hands of the victor.
Please Note: When names of individuals are given, they may have been changed for protection of all concerned.
[i] whenever I use “Army” you should interpret that to include all Military. Traditionally the Army is considered to be the oldest service. Therefore, “The Army Way” is a surrogate for the way of leadership in each of the services. When you see me write about my experiences in the Air Force keep in mind that it was originally The US Army Air Corps.