This widely circulated after-action report prepared by a 1stSgt Paul Berry, USMC following Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 offers priceless leadership advice for business owners and managers. While much of this may seem obscure or even irrelevant for people not making a career in
Marine Corps, looking after your people, coaching top performance, cutting through red tape, and letting savvy middle managers make calls, are sound business leadership practices and managerial common sense in anyone’s book.After almost a month of successfully conducting raids, convoys, civil affairs and other missions as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, members of Battalion Landing Team 2/2 ("The Warlords"), attached to 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), boarded ships and began long journey home. On their first night at sea, 1stSgt Paul Berry, 34, of battalion's Weapons Company, received an e-mail from his former battalion commander, who asked him to record his observations about experience. “From Warlords,” details Berry’s concerns as a Marine Corps Staff NCO: caring for his Marines and ensuring appropriate use of force.
In those details, a sense of what it means to be a combat Marine with small-unit leadership responsibilities comes through loud and clear. But this remarkable document can also teach business owners and managers priceless lessons about coaching, mentoring, leadership, and managerial common sense. Read on…
“From Warlords” -- Real-Life Applications of Management Principles
At first blush, much of information in 1stSgt Berry’s after-action report may seem obscure or even irrelevant for anyone not making a career in Marine Corps. But think about it. Aren’t hard-earned lessons Berry describes actually real-world applications of standard business practices and management principles and philosophies?
Sir, without making a big formal list at this time:
• Logistics drove operations…We made some long moves, as long as 15 hours on road at a time. Plan your supplies. Fuel was key more than water. There is always room for some chow.
• NVGs [night-vision goggles] work. Use them. All night devices worked great. Batteries can be an issue. Plan!
• A combat load is heavy on Marines and vehicles. Take only what you need.
• A clean weapon is a happy weapon. Plan for it. Inspect them.
• Always plan fire support. We held a major road intersection in middle of nowhere. We used Mortars as security and, out of blue, we needed mortar fire: Plan for it. Lay guns in all four directions for 360 coverage. Plan on call targets. Plan for and use illum.
