Stories

My Three Rules

During my Army years, I adopted three fundamental rules of life. I taught them to my soldiers. I am amazed at how many people have adopted them as their own.

Rule Number One: Be at the Right Place, at the Right Time, in the Right Uniform, and doing the Right Things.

This rule is the Drill Sergeant Nickerson Rule. Everyone remembers their Drill Sergeant, Right? My Drill was my first mentor.

Following this rule is easy for a Private. Leaders tell Privates where to be when to arrive, what to wear, and what to do. All they have to do is follow orders. The higher your rank, the harder Rule Number One becomes. Now, you have to make decisions. 

Rule Number One's success depends on Mission Assessment, problem-solving, Risk Management, backward planning, mission prep, technical and tactical expertise, leadership, and experience.

Failure of any of the tenets of this rule can make for a bad day.

The Scouts went to Canada in January of 1982. We exited the aircraft on time, right on target, using all our paratrooper skills, but were ill-dressed for the occasion. It was 40 degrees below zero that day, and we jumped into 3 feet of snow, wearing black boots, field jackets, and army black gloves. We had no snowshoes, so it took us two hours to get off the Drop Zone. We all had first and second-degree frostbite. Two of our guys almost lost fingers and toes.

Rule Number Two: You Can't Do It All, but You Can Do What You Can Do.

This rule is the Big Chill Rule. Yes, the movie.

All Systems are flawed and destined to fail. All we can do is prop these systems up for as long as possible, tweak them to make them better, and innovate within the system.

You can, however, do everything in your power to make things in your Sphere of Influence the best they can be. Privates are responsible for their rifles, protective masks, gear, and maybe the operator's maintenance of one vehicle, radio, or other items.

Every time you promote, your sphere gets larger. You become responsible for more people, millions of dollars in equipment, and the mission of your unit.

You can do what you can to make everything perfect, but you will fail. Because you can't do everything, you must learn to delegate authority, trust your subordinates, train them to do their jobs, teach them to operate as a team, and inspire them to do their best.

Imagine a unit, organization, or business where everyone follows Rule Number Two.

Rule Number Three: You are messed up if You are Not Having Fun

This rule is Mike's Rule.

Fun is infectious. So are stress, anger, fear, irritability, and gloominess. Loving what you do, giving it purpose and importance, and keeping a good sense of humor, no matter the circumstances, make the job go easier for everyone.

In 1994, I left my dream job of being a First Sergeant of a company of 110 young Parachute Infantrymen. My Battalion Commander asked me to take the First Sergeant job in the Headquarters Company with 220 medics, clerks, scouts, cooks, mortar men, communicators, drivers, mechanics, and staff. It was more than I could handle at first.  I was miserable.

In late March of 1994, while landing at Pope Air Force Base, an F-16 collided with a C-130. The C-130 was able to land, but the F-16 crashed. The fireball engulfed a group of Paratroopers on Green Ramp preparing for a jump. We lost Twenty-four paratroopers that day, including four troopers from my battalion.  Those who lived, including Mike, the brother of one of my best buddies, had burns over much of their bodies. The Air Force flew Mike and the others to the Texas Burn Center.

Fast forward a few months.

I was having a pretty bad day. I don't remember why, but I remember standing at my window, looking toward Lindsey Field, feeling sorry for myself. Around the corner of my barracks, walking down the sidewalk, came Mike and his wife. Mike was on crutches. He was missing an ear, his face showed the burn damage, and protective mesh covered a lot of his body. He and his wife were Laughing.

I knew it was time for me to do some inner assessment. If Mike and his bride could find fun during all their trials, why couldn't I do the same in my situation? It was a turning point in that job and my life.

Fun is a mental attitude of strength. If you can find fun during difficult circumstances, you, your mission, and your people will be better for it.