What makes a good leader?
One of the less brilliant ideas I had as a young man was to try for Officer Selection in the RAF. In the early seventies as a young airman, I had loads of ambition and brains, but no real direction.
I’d been joined up by exasperated parents to get me out of the booze swilling, drug taking motorcycle gangs to which I seemed to be gravitating.
I quickly settled into Air Force life, booze swilling and hell raising but being paid to do it my HM Government. No drug taking, well not that anymore saw. But we could certainly drink. It gave me a lifelong battle to quit booze anyway.
Top of the boozers was the Officers Mess, where, literally, under the auspices of “high spirits” almost anything goes.
Following on in the Second Division was the Sergeant’s Mess. This was where the truly serious drinkers hung out. These guys ran the Air Force. They knew how many beans made five. They kept the Officers from making monumental fuck-ups by subtly suggesting better options that made the Officers think the idea was theirs in the first place.
Third Division players were the poor old Corporals. Neither leaders like the Sergeants nor followers like the erks below them. Shit upon from above and below simultaneously. This was a seriously miserable existence, necessary to become a Sergeant.
Of course to escape this rat-race you could try playing the trump card (unfortunate name) by applying for the Officer Selection Course. Here lies my sorry tale.
At an old WW2 air base in Kent, called Biggin Hill, there was a small part designated for Officer Selection. Here, candidates were put through various tests to see if they “had what it takes” to be a leader of men. I realised, that despite a high IQ and good fitness, that intelligence was not the prerequisite for being a “leader of men”. In fact in some cases, (like mine) it was a bloody hindrance.
“Why?” is not a word that exists in military hierarchy. No matter how high up the food chain you were, “Why?” was not a word you used if you wanted to succeed. I used it once to often. I questioned orders which I could see were downright stupid. You see, leaders aren’t necessarily the most intelligent. Leaders are the ones who can inspire and be seen to be playing the team game .
So being borderline autistic, a loner and not a team player, despite being intelligent, I was no good as a leader. I was told—“thanks, don’t call us, we’ll call you.”
No problem, I’d tried, and learned some important lessons about running in the herd.
So what makes a good leader? Number One— be a good follower. Number Two—Enthusiasm to carry out your superiors instructions with a smile on your face and confidence. Number Three—banish “Why?” from your vocabulary.
There. You have the secrets to being a good leader. Apply them diligently and you can take as many with you as you want. Anywhere. Good Luck, you’ll need it.