Command authority or command responsibility equates to leading as if lives matter. It is part of the military definition of leadership:

“An Army leader is anyone who by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals. Army leaders motivate people both inside and outside the chain of command to pursue actions, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization.”
- FM 6-22

In the military, command is a sacred trust because it extends beyond typical management responsibilities. Society expects military leaders to be accountable for the well being of soldiers and to ensure they receive proper training and care.

Corporate Responsibility

Definition of Responsibility: “a duty or obligation where someone is held accountable.”

Command is a specific and legal leadership responsibility that amounts to lawful authority and is unique to the military.
Businesses can achieve the same by publishing their corporate values and establishing an employee code of conduct.

Perhaps the greatest responsibility for every employer is to create a vision, provide direction, and establish common ground for everyone by:

• providing the basis for communication and common understanding
• creating an environment where teamwork flourishes
• fostering leadership through empowerment and delegation

Employers that facilitate leadership, teamwork and communication, create the environment for teams to be free to adapt and respond to changing circumstances.

Roles and Responsibilities

A key advantage in the military is the existence of written job descriptions for every position.

Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and they remain the same for identical positions in every organization. Everyone is trained accordingly and since responsibilities are known and understood, communication proceeds with that understanding.

Employers who hold themselves accountable have a similar view of command responsibility. They provide clear job descriptions that outline roles and separate responsibilities, allowing the team to divide and conquer and accomplish goals much more quickly than the competition.

Businesses that foster leadership and create a team environment communicate best. When everyone is able to contribute because of positive encouragement and the freedom to exercise initiative, the team adapts and achieves things unknown.

Leadership in Action

Army leadership development teaches commanders to delegate and empower, allowing junior leaders some room to learn and grow.

Great leaders establish a supportive environment with clear standards that teach it is a privilege to lead. They demonstrate that good leadership means setting the example and “living” the corporate values.

Command responsibility is not about exercising the authority leaders are entitled. Instead, it is about using that authority as little as possible. It is about motivating, inspiring, teaching, and above all, accepting responsibility for everything within your organization.

Good leaders always accept responsibility!

About the Author

Tom Crea has been developing leaders for more than 20 years. If you would like to know more about a values-based approach to leading, building teams, and improving communication, visit Tom’s website at http://www.all-about-leadership.com. For one-on-one coaching, contact Tom at http://www.all-about-leadership.com/contact.html.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson. Here are my top 10.5 Ways to Enhance Your Leadership Skills:

1. Have a clear vision. Who are you? What do you stand for? What is your life’s purpose? What is your business purpose? How do you want to influence others? How do you want to contribute to others? The answers to these questions will help you formulate a concrete vision of your career, business and your leadership skill sets.

2. Know and utilize your strengths and gifts. We all have unique gifts and personal strengths that have developed over our lifetime. Utilizing your gifts and strengths will cause you to uncover your hidden leadership potential.

3. Live according to your morals and values. When your choices and actions align with your morals and values, you will succeed almost effortlessly.

4. Lead others by recognizing others. The greatest leaders are those who include everyone in their sphere of influence. They do this by recognizing and acknowledging each person’s greatest value.

5. Set definitive goals with a result plan. It is obvious that you have to know where your destination is before you can map out a plan to get there. To improve your leadership skills, establish specific life and business results (goals) you want to achieve and develop a timeline that includes milestones and completion dates.

6. Maintain a positive attitude. Make sure that you always maintain a positive attitude. Everyone wants to be around a person with a positive attitude. Negative emotions are contagious as are positive emotions. Also, when people are not positive it is difficult to take action. Yet when we are hopeful, excited and happy, we are more likely to take action, take risks, and attract new clients.

7. Improve communication skills daily. Great leadership skills include being able to clearly and specifically communicate your vision, ideas, skills, intentions, and expectations to others.

8. Learn to motivate others. Create a new shared vision for your team or organization and then begin to align your actions with this new vision. Use the resources and talents of your team to open up to new ideas. Surround yourself with a powerful team and utilize their strengths, gifts, and potential. Remember the more your give, the more you receive.

9. Be willing to learn from failures and weaknesses. The most successful leaders know that the key to success is not in avoiding failing, but in learning how to get up and start again. Most successful leaders say that they have failed their way to success.

10. Continue to educate and improve yourself. Great leaders continue to improve themselves in every possible way. The person who thinks she is an expert has much more to learn. Remember, if you are always comfortable, there is probably little or no growth happening!

10.5 It’s all about greatness: You must vision great in order to success great. Without a vision there is no greatness.

Leaders who are known for developing their people become a destination area for the best, most talented people. They become the touchstone for the creation of the next generation of leaders for the organization and the trickle-down effect can be the continuous engine that drives their company or their business for years to come.

© 2010 Dr. Laureen – all rights reserved

About the Author

Dr. Laureen Wishom, the Positioning and Business Growth Expert produces powerful results for high-achieving women entrepreneurs, executives, and non-profit leaders who want to: 1) brand their brilliance; 2) form strategic alliances, partnerships and collaborations; 3) build high-end relationships and 4) market to the affluent™. Online: http://www/gahaw.com and http://bit.ly/eCyRAA.