It is said that there are leaders, and then there are followers. If you buy this then it should not be an earth-shattering secret that leadership is a trait that is just not possessed by everyone. There are those who are born leaders and there are those who develop into a leader. But despite the best efforts of some, they were just not cut out to serve as leaders.
In the midst of a SHTF scenario, there will be dire need for a leader to lead. This is especially true if you are part of a survival or mutual assistance group.
While it is valuable to be liked as a leader, it is more important to be effective and respected. Being a leader is more than just telling people when to do what and when to do it. Being a leader, a good leader, is about taking a group of people and achieving a goal without unnecessary stress, drama, or nonsense.
Some of the qualities that I have identified in the best leaders I have served with are outlined in the principles below:
Principle No. 1: Self reflection
Are you the best person for the job? Furthermore, you may actually be the best person for the job but because of the dynamics of the group you may need to consider letting someone else take the role and be there to provide support and assistance along the way.
Do you possess the capability to be perceptive to the needs of the group and the fortitude to follow through with addressing these needs, even when these decisions are not popular?
Always be truthful and follow through with what you say!
Principle No. 2: Who are they?
It is always important to know who each member of the group is. I am not talking about a name, knowing a spouse, and where they went to high school either. Try to learn what makes each team member tick. Take the time to learn each person’s personal and family history and how being a part of the group helps the person while he is also able to contribute to the team.
Individual motives are powerful and the last thing that you want to see happen as a leader is for someone to undermine your or other group members or for your team to be poorly influenced by an individual’s personal motives.
Consider these ideas when evaluating potential members of a survival or mutual assistance group:
- Is the person in the same geographic region that you and the rest of the group members are? While it is possible to open your group to geographically dispersed parties, this will make it hard to facilitate meetings and training.
- What is the availability of the individual for meetings and training?
- Is the person able to schedule long-range events and not just something in the short term?
- Does this individual have a similar values set that aligns with the group’s vision and goal.
- What skillsets and abilities might this person have that will benefit the group?
Principle No. 3: Position talent where it will best serve the group
At what does each member of the group excel?
Does this talent fit into the focus and mission of the group?
As a leader, you will be required to place each member of your team into the role that he or she is best equipped and trained to fill. Hopefully this will be something that the person enjoys doing but you will also have to ask your team members to do things that they do not want to do.
As an example, in the deserts of Iraq, no one ever wants to have to burn what is left behind in the latrine but it is a necessary evil. A leader will be straightforward and let the team know that it is what it is, and it has to get done.
Principle No. 4: Discipline
I suppose it is just assumed that each person that you find trustworthy enough to be a part of your group will possess the necessary discipline to do the right thing and safeguard the well-being of the group. While everyone can do his best to assess an individual, sometimes we don’t know the reality of the situation until it is too late.
There are many scenarios within a group where discipline can be too much of a problem… so much so that you may have to ask someone to leave the group. This is not only a difficult situation but it may result in additional risks to the remainder of the group because that individual who was once trusted has enough information to create major problems
Because of these risks, it will be necessary to have a group that is not only disciplined but also flexible. This will facilitate the adjustments to security protocols, etc., that will be mandatory when a discipline issue arises.
Don’t ever discount the possibility that someone may just lose the discipline and motivation to function within the group, as he should. In this case, you may need to ask the person to leave as well but not necessarily because of other disciplinary issues.
Principle No. 5: Morale
Keep those spirits up! Your group will be happier and more willing to work towards the common goal of survival if the groups’ morale is high.
Some of the ways to maintain the morale in a group can be with praise, rewards like time off or a special meal, or even a special activity like a game or challenge.
Principle No. 6: Delegate
Just like Rome was not built in a day, as a leader you cannot take on every task that needs to be done. It may not even be possible to oversee every task. I learned the art of delegation the hard way. As I rose through the ranks in the Army, more was asked of me and I took it all on. I took it all on. I became overwhelmed, stressed out, and ultimately ill because of it.
I had to learn that it is ok to ask those who work for, or with you, to lend a hand. When I did become comfortable with delegating tasks to others there was a new challenge that arose… following up on the status of the things that I delegated.
If you can master the art of delegation and follow up, there is probably nothing that you and your team can’t accomplish.
Principle No. 7: Motivate
Motivation can be difficult to inspire in some but it is vital to completing tasks and reaching goals. If you hope to motivate your team to conquer an objective, you must start with yourself.
- If you are not motivated, your team will not be motivated.
- Align the goals of the team with the goals of the individual team member.
- Tap back into the information that you learned about your team members when spending time with them and use their individual motivators to get them excited about the team’s goals.
More importantly than actually motivating your team is avoiding taking things the other way and de-motivating them. Some points to avoid are:
- Believing that whatever motivates you, will motivate anyone.
- Using fear as a motivation tool. It may get an immediate result but it will not work in the end.
Above all, never wait to reward and motivate. If time passes, your reward and encouragement will mean less.
Principle No. 8: Be humble and approachable
No one likes a leader who is cocky, who feels he is above and/or better than you.
You must be able to embrace the reality that you may be the best suited to lead the group but it is impossible for you to know and do everything. This humility will go a long way in making you better accepted.
Make time to meet and talk to others, even when it may not be all that convenient. Occasionally there will be tasks or processes that absolutely can’t be interrupted at the time but always provide a future opportunity to sit down with that person or the group at another time.
Principle No. 9: Practice what you preach
I am not a big fan of the, “do as I say, not as I do” crowd. It is just ignorant and the sign of an inexperienced leader, poor leader, or both. If you feel like you can ask someone to do something for you, it better be something that you are willing to do yourself (assuming you possess the identified capability).
From time to time it is absolutely vital that you actually get out there and lead from the front, performing tasks right along side your team. This will demonstrate that you care as a leader and in turn, motivate your team further.
Principle No. 10: Train as you fight
This is a phrase that became familiar to me while in the Army, and while it seems a little silly to some (it should be common sense, right?), it is very true.
Should you and your group fail to conduct yourselves in training as you will be expect to act during a “real life” scenario, the outcome is almost certain to be disastrous. Sometimes, even if you train as you fight, there will be variables that cause things different outcomes. As a result of this possibility, it is vital to anticipate the problems that may arise and practice tackling those problems in training.
Principle No. 11: Provide a clear vision and guidance
Without a clear idea of what the organizational goals are, it is not reasonable to expect your team to achieve them. Always be clear with your vision and provide the guidance needed, when it is needed, to those members of your team who can benefit from it. Providing guidance to your team can be done in a team setting or on an individual basis.
I feel that it is important to highlight that the best thing that you can do for your group if chosen to lead, aside from realizing that you are not infallible, is to make sure that your group is formed and well practiced prior to the balloon going up.
Keeping in mind that there may be another person who is better suited to be the leader of your group, which does not mean that you cannot be a leader yourself. Consider these principles and, along with your own lessons learned from leadership that you have worked with, think about what will make you the best leader that you can be.
–Tom Miller
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