By Jack Ruffer

Long ago in an earlier life I had the privilege of serving as a U.S. Marine Corps officer. The first thing you learn as a Marine Corps officer (or as an enlisted person for that matter) is that accomplishing the unit’s mission is your top priority, particularly in combat which is what the Marine Corps is all about. But, a very close second on your list of priorities is taking care of your troops. My first assignment was as an infantry platoon commander and the welfare of my men (all forty-five of them) was my responsibility twenty-four hours a day. Every young lieutenant maintains a platoon commander’s notebook containing data on every one of the people assigned to his platoon. In addition to name, rank and service number, the Lieutenant's notebook also lists the next of kin/spouse’s name and address, children by name and age, the Marine's home of record (home town), their rifle serial number, battle sights, their last rifle and/or pistol qualification scores, their quarterly physical fitness test scores, any specialized training or qualifications, everything down to and including the individual’s boot size. The Lieutenant is responsible for knowing all there is to know about his people and his Captain (the Company Commander) makes a point of asking the Lieutenant from time to time to make sure he does. In short, the Lieutenant is responsible for everything his platoon members do, or fail to do. He makes sure they have the equipment they need, the medical care they may require, appropriate billeting and food. He knows what their career aspirations are and the assignments or specialized schooling they’d like to attend. The Lieutenant will also find himself standing at “attention” along side any of his people who find themselves standing before the Company Commander for disciplinary action in the event they transgress by violating any of the articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He is responsible for their training and making sure that they are paid when pay is due. You name it and the Lieutenant is responsible for it.

There’s also a very meaningful and longstanding Corps-wide tradition that reinforces the concept that the welfare of the troops is important. I’m sure we’ve all heard the expression, “Rank has its privileges.” But rank also has its responsibilities and nowhere is that point driven home more forcefully than in the Marine Corps. When in garrison, officers and enlisted Marines have separate dining facilities and since there are far fewer officers than there are troops the lines in the officers mess go much faster meaning you get fed much more quickly. But when in the field, whether for training or in actual combat, when food is available, whether it’s hot prepared food, or MRE’s (the modern equivalent of the C-Rations of my day) it is distributed in inverse order of rank. That is, the Privates go first, then the Privates First Class, then the Lance Corporals, Corporals, Sergeants, Staff Sergeants, Gunnery Sergeants, First Sergeants and Sergeants Major. When all the enlisted people have been fed then its the officers turn beginning with the Second Lieutenants, then the First Lieutenants, the Captains, the Majors, the Lieutenant Colonels, the Colonels, etc. On more than a few occasions I went hungry because there wasn’t enough food for everyone. And that’s as it should have been. You see, the troops can see if their officers get food or not. When the officers go to the back of the line instead of the front of the line, or go without food altogether it reinforces the point that the welfare of the troops comes first and the troops truly appreciate the obvious sacrifice on the part of their officers. It pays enormous dividends in terms of loyalty and is well worth the price particularly when it’s you and your troops who have been ordered to, “take that (heavily defended) hill.” 

Now, compare that with one of my first experiences at a Fortune 100 company where shortly after I joined we were celebrating our ascendancy to full Division status. All the luminaries (President, Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, run-of-the- mill Vice Presidents) from the corporate headquarters four hundred miles away were present. During the seemingly endless speeches the caterers arranged a serving line with some of the finest food (lobster medallions, enormous shrimp, expensive champagne, etc.) many of our assembly line employees would ever see and then came the announcement from my Vice President and General Manager, “The serving line is open. Would our corporate guests and my managers please join me at the head of the line.” I got to him as fast as my legs would carry me and made it emphatically clear he should amend his comments (which he did though he wasn’t sure why other than the fact that his new Division Human Resource Manager was visibly angry with him and ranting that the employees must go first) inviting the Division’s employees to go to the head of the line. I guess I just assumed that everyone knew how to take care of their troops or I’d have explained all this to my GM before hand. There are any number of ways you can intentionally or unintentionally drive home the point that your people don’t count, whether that’s the way you actually feel or not. It may not be obvious to you but I can assure you it is obvious to them.

My point is that the welfare of the troops (your people) should be a priority regardless of the business your in. The Marine Corps doesn’t have a lock on the leadership market. Leadership is required in every successful endeavor whether in the private sector, the public sector, for profit or nonprofit, and taking care of the troops is a big part of that leadership responsibility which brings me to just how it is that you look out for the welfare of your “troops?”

Ask yourself:

1.  How much do I know (without prying into what is strictly personal) about my people?

2.  Is it obvious to me when all is not right (you can easily tell by their demeanor)? Am I comfortable asking them what’s bothering them? Are they comfortable being asked? Are they glad I ask?

3.  What is it that motivates my people (where are they on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs)? Remember, all your people are different!

4.  Do I give fair, balanced and timely performance appraisals that give full credit for accomplishments and constructive (as opposed to ‘biting’) criticism on areas for improvement?

5.  If credit is due do I praise them is public? If criticism is due, do I handle that individually and in private?

6.  What are their professional goals? Have I discussed with them what it will take to get them where they want to go? Do I encourage them? Am I willing to help them get there even if it means I may lose them?

7.  Do I put my welfare ahead of theirs or does their welfare come first? Is that obvious to them?

8.  Do I think that it’s my “privilege” to be the last one in to work in the morning and the first one out at night?

9.  If there is a project that requires extended hours to complete am I there with my people to help complete it or do I come in the next morning to see how they did?

10.  Do I extend the same level of respect to them as they do to me?

11.  When was the last time I told my people they are important to me, to our team and to the business?

12.  When am I going to start?

The above list is not all-inclusive, but you get the idea. They’re your people. You have the responsibility to lead them. You have the obligation to do it well and taking care of them is a big part of that responsibility.