We begin with an excerpt of John Boyd presenting his famous briefing “Patterns of Conflict” to a group of Marine officers in Quantico in 1989:
“[The] Most important thing you can do is build up bonds of trust between the commander and subordinates, or among the subordinates themselves. Because when you do that, then you've got an organic whole. And if you don't do it, you don't have it. And when the squeeze comes on, you're going to come apart.”1
Putting a team together to execute a mission captures the essence of effective leadership. The process can be intense. You select the right team members. You then train them, learn and plan together, and equip them with the right things. And as the team embarks on their mission, a crucial transition occurs: the leader must step back.
The leader won't always be present on the ground. They won't always be able to see through the team's eyes, encounter their challenges, or track every action in real-time. Chaos sets in, and those you lead may not have the luxury to pause for questions or seek permissions. What then empowers team members, enhancing their ability to sense, decide, act, and succeed?
Mutual trust.
Mutual trust is the bedrock upon which teams stand ready and capable, assured by their leader's faith in their preparedness. It's a two-way street. The leader believes in the team's readiness. The team trusts that their leader has done everything to ensure their success. This trust extends to an understanding that plans often become obsolete the moment they encounter reality. The value of planning itself remains unmatched. It's about trusting the learning that prepares the team for a broad range of possibilities.
Moreover, mutual trust ensures that the team unites on the mission. With this cohesion they can make decisions, act, and adapt with more effectiveness. This embodies the leader's vision even in their absence. It's the belief that the leader has empowered them to navigate through challenges with autonomy. fostering an environment where adaptability and decision-making thrive.
This concept of trust as an indispensable element of leadership is not new. Famed management guru Peter Drucker summed it up well:
“You cannot prevent a major catastrophe, but you can build an organization that is battle-ready, where people trust one another. In military training, the first rule is to instill soldiers with trust in their officers - because without trust, they won't fight.” 2
This quote highlights the critical nature of trust in any team setup. Trust is not just a moral value but a vital necessity. It's about building a culture where trust amongst all teammates and the mission inspires and motivates. Trust in turn empowers individuals to navigate through VUCA with confidence and resilience.
In essence, mutual trust transcends mere faith in each other's abilities. Rather it's about creating a culture where harmony amongst teammates flourishes. Deep-seated trust empowers teams across industries and situations. Together they can face adversities, adapt to changing dynamics, and achieve their goals. Mutual trust is an absolute requirement for the success of any team. It is a concept that every leader should place at the core of their leadership philosophy.
We close as we began, with a direct quote of John Boyd delivering “Patterns of Conflict” to Marine officers:
“Well, how is this atmosphere achieved? I only know one way, by example. The leaders have to set the example. If they're going to be a leader, they're going to have to set the example. If they don't want to set the example, kick the bastards out. Or at least don't put them in a situation that goddamn, is going to pull you apart. You have to set the example if you want to run the show.
“If you want to be good, and you like to win, which I sort of, I think that's more attractive than losing. I don't know why I have that funny feeling. It's a lot more fun winning than losing. So that's the only way. You have to have the physical energy, mental agility, and moral authority. Which leads back to the trust.”3
Emphasis mine. Remember that Drucker makes a reference to a concept easily seen in the military, he is talking about applying it in civilian companies. Here on this site my goal is never to convince you to run your team or company “like we did it in the military.” Rather it is to encourage you to learn and apply universal concepts that are easily identifiable in military examples. When we use and or refer to military examples, the goal is always to extract the universal concept, reflect on it, and consider ways that it can help you and your team improve capacity for free and independent action. In other words, to get better to become more Collaborative, Creative, Cooperative and, most importantly, more Competitive!
My favorite kid's soccer coach emphasized teamwork and told the team "We're out there to have fun. Winning is a lot more fun than losing!"
Today I learned that lesson on winning is straight out of John Boyd.
I would go a little farther. Leaders have to set an example of being trustworthy. I've seen too many "leaders" who thought the way to win trust was to say, "Trust me" and then do whatever they wanted.