Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Marine Corps' 14 leadership traits - ENDURANCE



The last Marine Corps leadership trait in JJDIDTIEBUCKLE is ENDURANCE, which is, "... the mental and physical stamina that is measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship. For example, enduring pain during a conditioning march in order to improve stamina is crucial in the development of leadership."

This series has been a challenge in ENDURANCE for me, that's for sure! Even though it takes a relatively short period of time to "pen" one of these, finding those precious moments is often difficult.

However, in a leadership regard, the truest sense of ENDURANCE is found at the end of a Marine's tour when they are tempted to "drop their pack" and really slack off. I've found myself guilty of this in the past and am working hard to stave off that temptation as I wind down my time on this duty. Looking myself in the mirror each day and reminding myself of my goals helps me keep going at a consistent pace.

As leaders, we must set the example in ENDURANCE. We must show our subordinates we have the ENDURANCE to see through whatever it is we're doing - whether it's a 36-month duty or a 6-mile run.

Marine Corps leaders are expected to lead by example and, therefore, shouldn't expect anything from their subordinates that they can't do themselves. In talking with a few people from across the civilian job spectrum, it's become apparent that that sentiment is not present in most work places.

If you're a civilian leader (manager, supervisor, etc.), I implore you to consider adopting this sentiment. Lead from the front; lead by example.

1 comment:

  1. Hough Rough...Nice post. That was a very interesting article you wrote.
    Semper-Fi, Devil. Check out my Motivating Blog.
    USMC Veteran Blog http://usmc-veteran.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

Midwest Marines encourages posts that are frank, honest, and professional. Posts containing foul language, racial or ethnic slurs, extremist propaganda, advertising, anti-American sentiments, or links to these types of sites (except in reference to current news or other relevant content) will be removed with a request sent to the author to repost without this prohibited content. This is not an attempt at censorship, but rather an effort to ensure mutual respect and profesionalism by all.