December 10, 2024
by Stephen T. Messenger
This entire year we’ve been walking through the BRAG+1 Leadership Framework. This model is key for leaders to connect with our people and make great gains in the process. The foundation to being in charge is to serve the people around us, and the basis of the BRAG+1 model is to lift others up while achieving organizational goals.
Critical to being a successful leader is to brag about those on our teams. When was the last time we bragged about our teammates, employees, bosses, spouses, kids, neighbors, or anyone we know about their achievements? Probably recently. And the reason was that we’re proud of them! They work so hard at something they’re talented and passionate about—we should lift those successes up every chance we get.
It is our people who are working so hard to achieve the organizational strategy, vision, objectives, and goals that deserve recognition and accolades on behalf of those in charge. When in a leadership position, we owe it to our people to lift them up, recognize their achievements, help them accomplish personal goals, and bring everyone along together.
The best leaders understand this and place people at the forefront of their activities. We go out of their way to ensure the employees, volunteers, or family members feel like valued members of the team. At the end of the day, it is our job to not only accomplish organizational objectives but lift everyone else up in the process.
The best way to do this is to BRAG+1 about our teams. Each of the five letters in the acronym stands for part of the equipment soldiers carry into battle.
B – Boots. Be Present with Our People
The boots of a soldier represent our need to be present and where our people are. The number one thing we can do is be present in our people’s lives. It’s quite simple; interact with our people and find them at their places of work.
If our soldier is pulling guard in a tower, go visit her. If our son has a soccer game, be there. If our employee has to work late to finish a project, join him. Leaders need to be where our people are for two reasons. First, we need to let them know we care. Second, we need to see what’s actually happening on the ground. By walking in the same places as our people, we make a difference.
R – Regimental. Place Service Over Self
The regimentals are synonymous with the uniform a soldier wears. Like most service jobs, a military uniform has a soldier’s name on the right side of the chest and who they work for on the left side, in this case, the U.S. Army. Our personal name tag is interesting, but our organizational name is compelling. It’s always about the team and not ourselves.
Our job is to place service over self. Leadership is never about the person in charge. It’s about achieving our organizational goals and serving the people who work for us. It is our job to sacrifice for others. The phrase leaders eat last has significant meaning where we let others get the perks before we do. Service is a calling, and one needed in those that lead.
A – Armor. Be Resilient to Life’s Attacks
Life is going to attack us and at times attack us hard, which is why we need to wear the soldier’s armor. Whether it is sickness, injury, work failures, social media jabs, talking behind our backs, public attacks, family problems, or a host of other issues, we’re going to face trials and tribulations. Instead of rolling over, we must be able to stand strong in the face of these attacks and keep moving forward.
Leaders cannot appear frustrated. The organization takes on the attitude and characteristics of us. If we appear defeated and sullen, so will our people. This doesn’t mean having a fake positive attitude, but a real one. We must always have the resiliency to stand strong against adversity and encourage our team to tackle whatever problem lay ahead.
G – Gun. Close with and Destroy the Enemy
A leader’s job first and foremost is to accomplish the mission, and the soldier’s weapon is the instrument to do so. While victory is accomplished by serving our people, our end result must always be focused on success. The best leaders are ruthlessly working on accomplishing organizational objectives.
The two keys are to define what success looks like and then knock down the proverbial targets by engaging them with the tools at our disposal. Once we know what to accomplish through defining decisive points, we lead our teams by affixing bayonets and tackling hard problems. The best of us knows how to effectively use our full array of weapons to solve problems and move the team to the next objective.
+1 – Belt. Not Have a Hint, Sniff, or Whiff of Impropriety about Us
The final required trait is the belt of leadership that keeps our pants from falling down. It is a leader’s job to never have a hint of impropriety about us. In every decision, we must ensure that it is ethically sound where no one can question our legality or morality.
When in charge, all eyes are upon us, and we are constantly being watched to see if our actions are above reproach. Every time we are not, we set a lower ethical standard for our team. This is why it is critical that no one can ever say about our decisions that we are cheating the system, trying to get over, bending the rules, or immorally benefiting from our actions. Always follow the rules!
The Five Characteristics of Leaders
If we can follow these five characteristics, others will follow us. Teams look for leaders who support their people and generate results. That’s it. Leaders who truly love their people while delivering organizational objectives are incredibly successful.
Our job is simple: Be with our people, make it about others and not ourselves, stand in the face of adversity, win, and do all of this while setting the highest ethical standard.
This is the BRAG+1 leadership model that our people need and desire. It is founded in love and care to look out for others’ best interests while delivering success after success. We must always put on the five qualities of leadership while engaging within the battlefield or the boardroom, and our people will thank us!
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This series is part of our BRAG+1 Leadership Philosophy. If you’re just joining us, start from the beginning on 16 January: A Team to BRAG about and continue from there:
Boots: Put Boots on the Ground
Regimentals: Place Service over Self
Armor: Be Resilient to Life’s Attacks
Gun: Close with and Destroy the Enemy
+1 (Belt): Not a Hint, Sniff, nor Whiff of Impropriety
This website is a personal blog and all writings, podcasts, opinions, and posts are the authors’ own and do not represent the views of the United States Army nor any other organization. Podcast music credit in this audio file is to: “Alex Productions – Legends” is under a Creative Commons license (CC BY 3.0). / @alexproductionsnocopyright
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