From the Battlefield to the Boardroom: 4 Lessons in Leadership

International Women’s Day is around the corner, which makes it a good time to not only reflect on women of the past but also those still blazing trails on our behalf.  What can we learn from?

Brigadier General Becky Halstead served 27 years in the U.S. Army and became the first female commanding general to lead at a strategic level in combat.

She retired in 2008 and built upon her experience as a leader to inspire leaders in the private sector and writing her book, 24/7: The First Person You Must Lead is YOU.

Her military background also comes through in her love for acronyms: her time-tested STEADFAST leadership method notes traits like trust, accountability and teamwork.

“The ‘D’ — the discipline — is the most important of all of those tips,” Halstead says. “If you’re a disciplined person, all the rest of those things will fall into place.”

What else does Halstead believe successful leaders do to separate themselves from the rest?

Use “we,” not “me.”
Leaders serve.  They don’t act like they do it all themselves. “A better me is a better ‘we’, and if I don’t lead myself as an example then how can I expect my team to live up to the highest standards?” Halstead says.

See faces, not dollar signs.
Halstead uses the recent financial crisis as an example of the dangers of losing perspective . Someone’s life savings can’t just be numbers on a screen. “You will do a better job if, when you’re working on those portfolios, instead of seeing data you see faces,” Halstead says.

Take a second to pause.
Actually, take three. “We don’t take that three-second pause and just stop before we say or do something,” Halstead says. The problem can get worse when you’re in a leadership position. “The higher up we go, the more powerful we think we are, and the more we think we can control,” Halstead says. Don’t let it go to your head; take a timeout to look at other viewpoints.

Stay authentic.
As a woman in a male-dominated environment, Halstead admits she tried too hard at first to act like one of the guys — and quickly realized it wouldn’t work. “It’s very important that you’re comfortable in your own skin, because that’s when you’re going to perform your best,” Halstead says. You know you’re getting sized-up when you walk into an all-male room, but if you’re your authentic self, they know you measure up.

What are your top leadership tips? Tell us!

BONUS PINK Link: When love bucks the glass ceiling – find out how one woman’s love for horses changed equestrian forever.

By Alison Loughman

“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” Marion Wright Edelman