Do CEOs With Military Background Hit The Bull's Eye?

"Much of our success reflects what I learned as a Marine. The basic principles of leading people are the bedrock of the Corps. I can still recite them from memory, and they are firmly embedded in the FedEx culture. We teach them daily in our own Leadership Institute, which turns out the thousands of managers needed to run our operating companies." ? Frederick W. Smith, CEO, FedEx

Iconic CEOs such as Frederick W. Smith of FedEx; Daniel Akerson of General Motors; Alex Gorsky of Johnson & Johnson; Robert A. McDonald of Proctor and Gamble; Robert Myers of Casey's General Store; James A. Skinner of Walgreens; Herb Vest of H.D. Vest; Richard Kinder of Kinder Morgan; Ken Hicks of FootLocker; Sumner Redstone of Viacom; Clayton M. Jones of Rockwell Collins; Tom Dent of Lumetra; Lowell McAdam of Verizon; James Mulva of ConocoPhillips; Robert J. Stevens of Lockheed Martin, all hailed from military background.

Does Military Training Make Better Leaders?
The military training equips soldiers with several qualities such as leadership, emotional intelligence, team building, communication skills, tenacity, resilience, confidence, adaptability, fraternity and honesty. Soldiers excel as strong leaders since they work under grueling conditions. In fact, testing times make them as tough leaders. They are filled with energy and enthusiasm with a heart to serve others. They are strategic thinkers, trustworthy, risk takers, learn lessons from failures, and motivate others when there is no light at the end of the tunnel. They are highly focused hitting the bull's eye. However, military leaders must develop flexibility to adjust with civilians. They are honest and straightforward but often lack tact and diplomacy.

Soldiers can work under pressure. They are resourceful and work with what they have and from where they are. They lead by example and take care of their people. They are highly disciplined, dedicated, prompt and punctual. They maintain elegant dress code. Frederick W. Smith once remarked, "Even in a blue pin-striped suit, I still make sure that the right-hand edge of my belt buckle lines up with my shirt front and trouser fly. I shine my own shoes, and I feel uncomfortable if they aren't polished."

Soldiers look for similarities, not differences. They believe in fraternity and equality. They are fair and just. They are good time managers and smart in making decisions quickly in spite of not being equipped with adequate information. They are competent to handle volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) successfully. They are bold to encounter organizational challenges and elegant in overcoming them effectively. Those who made use of their military background succeeded as leaders and CEOs.

Military Training Emphasizes Transferable Skills
Military training teaches beyond domain skills such as conceptual skills and human skills. Soldiers turn out to be jack of all trades and master of their domains. They are equipped with transferable skills which are crucial to succeed irrespective of the industry and in civilian life. However, most of them don't get adjusted quickly with the civilian life. Hence, they must develop flexibility to gel with civilian society to succeed as professionals and leaders.

My Experience in Indian Air Force
I served in Indian Air Force and I understand the challenges involved in armed forces. When I entered into civilian life after leaving defence, I found it very tough and challenging to mould with civilian life. However, it took some years for me to get along with civilian life. The qualities that I inculcated in Indian Air Force helped me grow globally as an International Leadership Guru and author of 30 leadership books. Additionally, when I joined Indian Air Force, I was only 18 years old without any degree. But I worked hard under grueling conditions and earned several qualifications including BSc, MA, MBA, PGDCLL, PGDBM and finally earned my PhD in Soft Skills in 2011. Drawing from my defence experience, it is obvious that the soldiers can succeed in civilian life if they have self-discipline, and are highly focused on their goals.

Battlefield to Boardroom
It is often observed that CEOs with civilian background emphasize on "ends" whereas the CEOs with military background emphasize on "means." Although we cannot conclude that the CEOs with military background alone will succeed, the fact is that the military background is definitely an asset. Hence, success rate of leaders and CEOs with military background is certainly higher because they build trust in others and stick to their commitments. Additionally, their confidence and communication help them stand out from others. Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, founding chairman and CEO emeritus for Qualcomm once remarked, "A great leader must lead by example, not by fiat. He or she must set an example of integrity, of openness to new ideas, of understanding details as well as the larger picture, of communicating well, and of not shooting the messenger when a problem arises but helping find a solution." Most military leaders possess these qualities to excel as successful leaders and CEOs.