How Military Leadership Skills Translate to Civilian Careers
by Matthew Croslin
Do military leadership skills translate to the civilian world? Military leadership education and experience are highly regarded as of form of learning to lead organizations. This education and experience can carry over to the business world at the various levels of civilian organizations. The military leader brings focused leadership education along with practical leadership experience to the civilian market. The military leader is also typically adept at adjusting leadership styles to match the environment. The biggest hurdle for the former military leader is likely adapting to the culture and norms of their new civilian organization. The pace and work attitude can vary from that experienced in the military.
Professional military leadership education combined with the practical experience gained from various assignments leads former military leaders to become better trained business leaders. They are equipped to handle a greater variety of situations with better results. The business environment does have unique challenges that military leadership will not directly prepare a leader to overcome. However, leadership education combined with experience will better prepare any leader to achieve success. The military expends a great deal of time and resources focused specifically on creating better leaders. Military leaders are put through a range of positions and opportunities to further develop abilities through the application of the leadership training. The ongoing leadership education and subsequent rotation through leadership positions are inherent to the military leadership model. Leaders can and should be grown.
Military and civilian leadership are somewhat similar, and each can benefit from the other. Normally, business benefits from those who are or have been military leaders, but sometimes it goes the other way. Leadership is fundamentally leadership, regardless of military, business, or any other organization.
The military focuses a great deal on leadership education. This is probably the biggest up-front difference between how the military grows leaders versus the corporate world. In the business world, less corporate time is spent on educating leaders. It is more up to the individual to pursue education. Business leaders are expected to spend personal time and expense in obtaining leadership education both before employment and after normal work hours, especially at lower levels of business management. The military encourages the pursuit of additional civilian education, and often subsidizes the cost of pursuing higher education through various benefits.
Another aspect of leadership is the practical application of leadership lessons or on the job training. Military leaders are always engaged in leadership, most often 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Military leaders get to apply the leadership management skills all throughout their careers, in ever increasing levels of the organization from the very junior to the most senior. The military leader experiences multiple levels of management through a variety of positions during their career. This applies to careers that only span one enlistment all the way to 20 plus years. How many in business ever achieve more than one or two levels of experience in a corporation? Most business leaders do not achieve more than a few levels on the corporate ladder.
Another benefit that a military leader may bring is they typically have at least some, and often a great deal of, international experience. Many military leaders also have experience working with businesses in other countries as a part of their duties. This experience, even if limited, is more than the average business school graduate obtains. Many leaders in business have no direct international experience.
The business world has much to benefit from a military leader in terms of leadership training and education, experience under fire, international experience, and the variety of positions that the military leader undertakes. The military also can benefit from those who have left the military for the corporate world and returned. Leadership education and experience is valuable, no matter where it is obtained.
While not an absolute requirement to be a great leader, experience is essential to make sound leadership decisions. The military provides nonstop experience as leaders are repeatedly given the chance to lead and to both succeed and fail. It is from these experiences that the military leader can advance his leadership past what is taught in the classroom.
Military leaders are exposed to concepts such as vision, mission statement, and objectives. Implementing and executing strategy and monitoring and evaluating the performance of the organization are also fundamental.
Military leadership education and experience is in a state of constant evolvement since the beginning of military leadership. Business leadership is also evolving and being developed. Most will agree that leadership is leadership, no matter where it is learned. The military leader has not only “learned” how to be a leader, he/she has applied that learning to a multitude of leadership situations and gained valuable experience in return. When a business school graduate applies for the same position as a former military leader, experience is no question. Some authors that study and write about leadership and management have argued that military leadership is in fact a desirable trait for business managers and leaders.
Military leaders are sought after by corporations for the qualities and experience that they possess. Business school graduates also possess varying degrees of leadership training but not necessarily experience. Those who hire leaders for businesses and corporations must look at the individual and not merely the fact that they were a military leader or just a business school graduate. What traits does the candidate possess that the organization finds valuable. The chances are high that the former military leader will succeed and provide benefit to the civilian organization. There have been and will continue to be successful business leaders with zero experience in the military. The military has even borrowed from business in teaching leadership. The military leader is a valuable source of talent for business. The basic leadership lessons taught in the military are transferrable to the civilian business market. This is one reason the military professional is sought by corporations.
Yes, military leadership skills do translate to the civilian work force. Leadership is leadership and experience is experience and military leaders bring both to the table. While there will likely need to be a shift in mindset due to the differences in work culture, a former military leader will succeed. Give veterans a serious look when you are looking to hire. From junior leaders with just a few years in the military to senior leaders with a decade or three, they will bring education and experience to your organization that meet or exceed those of their civilian peers.
