Deeds, Not Words: enduring shared hardships and turning this philosophy into culturE
Alexander the Great lost hundreds of men to dehydration crossing the Gedrosian Desert during his Army’s return to Babylon from India in the year 325 BC. The southern region of modern Pakistan is known for his greatest tactical mistake, and is an epic tale of enduring shared hardship. The historian Arrian describes a group of men offering a helmet full of water to Alexander after finding a small oasis in the desert. Seeing that the oasis only had enough water for one man, Alexander refused the water offering, turning the helmet upside down. He explained to his men that he would not accept an offering until there was enough water for each man in the Army. Sharing this hardship with his men boosted the morale of the entire Army and encouraged the men to continue moving.
A philosophy to live by:
“Deeds, Not Words,” a phrase I first heard my Battalion Commander use while serving in Iraq as a Platoon Leader with the 101st Airborne Division. At the time, I understood that phrase to mean lead by example. No shortcuts accepted, no double standards offered and certainly no special treatment for those serving in leadership positions. In fact, the culture I was part of groomed leaders to endure more than what we asked of our direct reports. Carry more weight, put in more time, place the needs of your team first and lead from the front. Over time, “Deeds, not words” became more than just a phrase, it became a philosophy to live by. A constant reminder to live up to the promises I make, set the standard for others to follow, endure the same hardships I ask of my team and to never ask a teammate to give more than I am willing to give myself. No double standards.
Turning philosophy into organizational culture:
In 2014, I took command of my second company in the 1st Cavalry Division. My predecessor, a good friend who had also previously been a platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division, had been working hard to develop a culture centered on trust and respect, earned through leader actions. We shared similar feelings on leadership, and were both passionate and adamant about leading from the front and setting the standard for our team. The harsh realities we grew accustomed to earlier in our careers while deployed had intensified our feelings, and we understood the value of sharing hardships with the people we led.
I wasn’t surprised when I walked into the headquarters building my friend had been working in for the last year and found, painted on the walls in big bold letters, the phrase “Deeds, Not Words.” The words could be seen the moment you walked into the building. As I approached his office, I saw a picture in a wooden frame sitting over his desk. It was of Alexander the Great pouring the helmet full of water out in front of his Soldiers to help motivate them to move another day through the desert. He explained to me what the picture was, and how he was using it as a daily reminder that good leadership comes with sacrifice. Trust and respect are earned by action, not through words. There are no easy days when you’re striving for excellence and baking a new philosophy into organizational culture.
The unit wasn’t perfect, it had many flaws, but leader presence and commitment wasn’t one of them. It was clear that the leaders of the unit had established trust and loyalty through their invested interest in the team. Leaders were involved in every aspect of the operation, and were asking the right questions to show their engagement. There was a mutual understanding that no team member was too good for any task and no leader was too good to endure the hardships faced by the rest of the team.
I learned at an early age respect, trust and confidence from the people you lead takes time to earn, but it can be lost in a split second. Although most leaders expect loyalty, it is not unconditional. Your conduct as a leader drives the way your team feels about you and is the foundation for your reputation with direct reports and your peers. The pressure of earning your team’s respect, trust, confidence and maintaining it is a privilege. It’s a privilege because the pressure of establishing and upholding these attributes makes you a better leader both professionally and personally. I can attest the professional leadership positions I’ve held have made me a better father, husband, friend and baseball coach. Pressure is a privilege.
Head up. Back straight. Stay sharp.
