| PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may
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| | robust tradition of small-unit
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| be republished in newsletters and on web
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| | leadership, has institutionalized
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| sites provided attribution is provided to
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| | high-level commitment to small-unit
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| the author, and it appears with the
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| | leaders. For instance, in chow lines in
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| included copyright, resource box and live
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| | the field, the lowest ranking troops eat
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| web site link. Email notice of intent to
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| | first, the highest ranking last.
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| publish is appreciated but not required:
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| | (How might the cultures of some
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| mail to: Word count: 828
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| | organizations start to be changed for the
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| A New Age Of Small-Unit Leadership
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| | better if, for instance, its executives
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| By Brent Filson
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| | gave small-unit leaders parking perks,
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| Recent mergers in many industries remind
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| | while they, the executives, took their
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| me of a point that
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| | chances in the main lot?)
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| Gen. Dwight Eisenhower often made,
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| | Top leaders who demonstrate commitment to
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| "Generals move the pins on a map," he
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| | their small-unit leaders will have
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| would say, "but the front-line troops
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| | committed small-unit leaders.
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| have to get the job done."
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| | Without top-down commitment, effective
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| And the key to the job is leadership,
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| | small-unit leadership will not flourish
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| small-unit leadership, leadership of the
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| | through the whole business but instead
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| most basic units or teams of an
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| | in relatively ineffective, scattered
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| organization.
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| | islands.
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| Without good leadership in front-line
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| | But top-level commitment, though
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| units the squad leaders and platoon
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| | necessary, is not sufficient. A passion
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| commanders or their business
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| | for small-unit leadership should soak the
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| counterparts, the supervisors and
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| | entire culture of the organization.
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| first-level managers organizations
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| | Everybody must catch the spirit of and
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| stumble, no matter how skillfully the
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| | contribute to maintaining a culture of
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| pins are moved on the map.
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| | small-unit leadership excellence.
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| Yet in bringing leadership programs to
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| | The word culture comes from the Latin
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| many businesses in a variety of
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| | root meaning "to cultivate." To grow
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| industries during the past 20 plus years,
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| | small-unit leaders, everybody in the
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| I've seen many companies neglecting
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| | organization must cultivate them. Spot
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| small-unit leadership.
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| | them early. Bring mentors into their
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| Time and again, I have seen technologists
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| | lives. Set their expectations high, not
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| promoted right off the lab bench to
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| | only for themselves but for their
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| become team leaders; I've seen assembly
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| | colleagues and leaders above them.
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| workers promoted off the line to be
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| | Encourage them to develop leadership in
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| supervisors; and salespeople made local
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| | others.
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| managers and yet they were not helped
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| | A successful executive told me that his
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| in substantive ways with their leadership
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| | career was changed by a small-unit
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| skills.
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| | leader. At one time, the executive was a
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| Instead, their employers were focusing on
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| | high school dropout working on the
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| the pins and maps, the re-engineering,
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| | assembly line.
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| acquisitions and divestitures.
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| | "During breaks," he said, "I always had
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| Sure, the stocks of those businesses got
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| | people gathered around me. I had this
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| quick boosts, but I wonder how
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| | knack of getting them interested in what
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| well-positioned the businesses are to
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| | I had to say. One day, my supervisor
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| achieve consistent earnings growth over
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| | told me something that changed my life.
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| the long haul without skilled, small-unit
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| | He said, 'I've been watching you with
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| leadership.
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| | people, and you're a natural leader.
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| Consistent earnings' growth is linked to
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| | With more education, you could go far.'"
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| consistent top-line growth. Such growth
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| | The executive said, "Until then, I had
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| rests on a tripod. One leg is strategy,
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| | never looked at myself as a leader.
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| the pins on the map; the other leg is
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| | Suddenly, I had a vision in life. I was
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| resources; and the third leg is
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| | something I didn't know I was: a leader.
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| execution. Small-unit leadership is the
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| | I finished high school, went to college,
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| execution leg.
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| | and came back here.
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| So I submit that in the coming years,
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| | "That supervisor 's passion for
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| businesses will come to realize the
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| | leadership defined my career.. He was
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| importance of small-unit leadership to
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| | always spotting potential leaders and
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| top-line growth and earnings' growth.
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| | helping them become leaders. His teams
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| In fact, the coming years will reveal an
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| | consistently racked up the numbers
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| exciting new age in small-unit
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| | because of his leadership. He had me
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| leadership. Businesses that champion
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| | understand that his level of leadership
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| such leadership will be tremendously
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| | is tremendously important in our
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| competitive.
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| | company."
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| Here are a few ideas on how to make it
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| | Finally, the business that is serious
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| happen.
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| | about small-unit leadership must
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| First, the CEO and senior executives must
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| | systematically develop them through
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| recognize the vital importance of
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| | well-thought-out, comprehensive training
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| small-unit leadership. I'm not talking
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| | programs.
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| about their simply paying lip service but
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| | In the coming New Age of Small-Unit
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| having instead a passionate conviction
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| | Leadership, leadership development people
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| that small-unit leadership is
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| | will have extremely important roles to
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| indispensable to growth.
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| | play. They will be seen as some of the
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| Senior executives must encourage
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| | most important leaders in the
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| small-unit leaders. Celebrate their
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| | organization, since their interaction
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| achievements. Help them overcome their
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| | with small-unit leaders will be
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| failures. Measure their leadership
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| | contributing directly to top-line growth,
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| performance. Develop compensation that
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| | to having people get the job done where
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| stimulates them to advance as leaders.
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| | ever the generals place their pins in the
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| The Marine Corps, an organization with a
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| | map.
|
