In my last blog, we addressed the principle of doing what is right, and today we will cover the second part of Schwarzkopf’s leadership advice – “When placed in command, take charge.”

I made the mistake early on in my leadership journey by letting the caboose drive the train, because I didn’t have enough confidence in my own judgment. Many inexperienced leaders tend to fear the consequences of their own decisions, and as a result, they allow the opinions of their followers to drive their decision making.

Here me now and do not forget this concept, when placed in command, TAKE CHARGE.

This is how you learn to be a leader. You will make mistakes, and your judgment will never be perfect. It’s acceptable to make mistakes, and most leaders do. You cannot lead if you elevate the opinions of your team above your own. There is great wisdom in seeking the thoughts and opinions of your team, but you are the one to call that final shot. Do not let anyone else make that decision for you. 

Take in all the advice and opinions and then draw your own conclusion based on your decision.  If the people you are leading sense for a second that you are indecisive and waffling on an issue, they will not respect you. In your effort to appease them, you’ll lose them.

People want to follow a leader who is not afraid to lead, but they will very rarely follow a leader who hesitates.  It’s perfectly acceptable to seek advice and counsel prior to making a decision, but the one who is leading is responsible for stepping to the plate and making the final decision.

Do not apologize for your decisions, especially if you chose against someone’s advice. Advice is only advice, but the leader has to gather all the data together in order to make the best decision. This is the job of the leader, so don’t be afraid to do it.

I sometimes struggled with leading individuals who were more qualified or more experienced than me.  I would sometimes wonder if they were “second-guessing” my leadership and direction. It was not until I learned this valuable leadership principle that I later realized that you will always be “second-guessed”.  It comes with the territory.  

Instead of worrying about what other people think is or isn’t the right decision, I started leading. I soon discovered that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to lead.  I’m an excellent example of that truth. 

I do want to emphasize how important it is to solicit feedback and advice from key team members who can impart critical information to assist in the decision making process.  It is extremely valuable to have a team who can express their opinions openly and honestly without judgment.

The bible says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”. Your team should always feel safe that they can disagree with you and express their thoughts. But in the end, the leader calls the final shot.  You cannot be successful any other way.  When placed in command, take charge, and you will lead others to great things.

I had the opportunity to see General Normal Schwarzkopf speak several years ago, and he made a statement about two areas of leadership that changed my entire life.  He said, “Always do what is right and when placed in command, take charge”.   Today, we are going to address the principle of doing what is right, and in my next blog we will cover the idea of taking charge.

Over the years I have discovered in my own life there are millions of ways to bend the truth, push the limits, justify gray areas, and it is much easier to achieve so-called success by taking short-cuts and cheating.  Doing what is right on the other hand is usually the harder path to take.

Many professional athletes have discovered that using steroids can catapult their athletic ability faster and more effectively than working hard in the gym the old fashioned way. Countless politicians have learned that taking bribes and back-door agreements can get you ahead much faster than being honest and legal.

Every day you are faced with decisions that lead you down the high road or the low road, especially when you step into a leadership role, and the consequences multiply exponentially.   

Doing what is right will protect you every single time in the long run, and it will protect those whom you lead. The bible says, “There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret that will not come to light.” I assure you that if you choose to take the shortcut, your actions will be revealed some day, and you will pay tenfold. The easy road only leads to disaster in the end.

The low road never begins with major offenses in the beginning, but it starts with very small compromises. The man who finds himself in adultery usually doesn’t start his marriage off with that goal in mind. But as he chooses to make small compromises over time, he finds himself very far from his initial intentions.

The small compromises are the deadliest decisions you can make, because you often don’t see the consequences immediately.  Consequences usually do not become evident until it’s too late, and we are well down the path of destruction.

Our moral decisions not only affect our lives, but the lives of those around us. The decisions you make today will have a lasting impact on your life and almost everyone who comes in contact with you.  Most people tend to compartmentalize their lives, especially when making compromises.  We never think that the decisions we make in the work environment might one day affect the decisions our children might make.

Always do what is right, and you never have to fear. If your actions come into question, you will have no skeletons in your closet keeping you up late at night.  Your reputation and honor will be recognized, and you will never regret choices you’ve made in the past.  It sounds so easy, doesn’t it?  But it can be very difficult to do.  It is often the right choices that are the difficult choices. 

Another important aspect of doing what is right has to do with what we know to be true. I want to note that Schwarzkopf did not say, “do what others think is right”.  You have to do what you know is right independent of what others might think.

When you are leading ten people, there is a good chance that you will get 10 opinions on what the right choice might be in a particular situation. If you’re the leader, then make the decision you believe to be right.  Do not worry what anyone else thinks or says about your decision. 

Become addicted to making right choices. Make it a lifestyle and a habit, and you will be positioned to go out and do great things.