U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 – Leadership Traits
Marine Corps Leadership Traits
improved. There have been plenty of leadership
failures by men and women with considerable
“leadership talent”. It’s what you do with that
talent that makes for success or failure.
PURPOSE
This lesson explains and provides examples of
The traits of a good leader have been
defined for us. They are listed in your text… they
have been printed and reprinted in many
publications. No one leadership trait more
essential than any other. All leadership traits and
principles play an important role in developing our
leadership philosophy and giving us the metric by
which we can measure ourselves as leaders.
However, as Brennan states, “some traits rise to a
higher distinction than others and mold the
foundation of our individual philosophies,
influencing how we will lead when called to do so.
One of those essential traits to setting the
foundation of a good leader is the willingness to
sacrifice for others; putting our own personal
the fourteen leadership traits used in the Marine
Corps.
Introduction
It requires an endless list of traits to be a
good and effective leader. The fourteen Marine
Corps leadership traits will help you to be a good
leader in this program.
Your personal
development of these traits will take time and
effort. First, evaluate yourself and see what traits
you have or want to develop. Ask yourself the
hard questions… are you living up to the
expectations of your peers, subordinates, and
seniors?
Unselfishness
The trait “Unselfishness” will be
discussed first because it is widely perceived as the
cornerstone of leadership. Col. James Brennan
(USMC) wrote a short essay for the Quantico
Sentry wherein he described the process of leading
others as “a human endeavor, not a science that
can be quantified and categorized to fit into a neat
set of instructions for success.” We are all is
blessed with varying degrees of natural leadership
ability. Fortunately, in some cases, that natural
ability does not necessarily foretell of our triumph
or collapse as leaders. As John C. Maxwell
(Author and Leadership Lecturer) wrote in the
360° Leader, Leadership can be learned and
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
needs and desires second to do what is in the best
interests of those we lead — to act with
unselfishness.”
An unselfish leader always puts his/her
followers first; An unselfish leader is the first to
step into harm’s way and the last to eat when hot
chow is available. Consider one of the finest
Marines to wear the uniform, MGen. Fred Padilla,
who, as a Battalion Commander in Iraq, was
observed to have never eaten a decent meal (on
those rare occasions when it was served) because
he made sure he was always the last to eat.
Unselfishness is a trait we expect in our
leaders, but is one of the hardest qualities to
sustain and is much easier to accomplish in theory
vice in application. Human nature as an
evolutionary imperative compels us to act selfishly
and “look out for No. 1” as part of a basic
survival mechanism. Author Andre Maurois, who
wrote “The Art of Living”, said “Modesty and
unselfishness - these are the virtues which men
praise - and pass by.” In other words, we often
talk the talk, but won’t walk the walk when it
comes to unselfish behavior.
“Leaders are expected to sacrifice their
comfort, food, time, effort, sweat and sometime
blood for those they have been given the honor of
serving. The demonstrated ability of a leader to
consistently act in an unselfish manner and set an
example for all to follow is at the heart of
leadership. This in many ways defines a command
and its ability to succeed in the face of adversity.
This foundational trait of “unselfishness”
goes against our nature as humans.. Unselfishness
is hard to attain and even harder to maintain
because it requires constant vigilance. Like many
of the other leadership traits it’s something each
of us own. It cannot be taken away, but once
you’ve given away, much like trust, it is nearly
impossible to get back.
Leaders are defined by the example they
set, the environment they foster, the standard they
hold themselves and others to and the sacrifices
they make for the good of every Marine and sailor
in their command. The willingness of a leader to
give unselfishly of oneself is a key element of the
foundation leadership is built upon. Without this
quality an example cannot be set; a positive
environment cannot be developed; a standard of
conduct cannot be adhered to; and a solid ethical
and moral manner of conduct cannot be expected.
To paraphrase a long held axiom, “there is no
greater sacrifice than to lay down your life for
another,” the pinnacle of sacrifice and
unselfishness toward others. We hope when our
time comes to be challenged we will rise to the
occasion.
Brennan explains that as leaders we are
constantly being watched by those we lead, we set
the example for them to follow in all we do and
fail to do in our daily lives. The example we set in
this regard is essential to many aspects of a healthy
and positive working environment.
In our daily routine the sacrifice we most
closely associate with this trait is that of time.
Leaders are expected to work long hours and have
exceedingly busy schedules to meet the demands
of their assignments, but the time we give to those
whom we lead at the expense of those duties is
essential regardless of the sacrifices leaders make
in the form of longer hours and loss of personal
time. This is just one example of the “we and
our,” versus the “I and my” mentality.
The daily actions and sacrifices we make
for our fellow Marines and sailors brings us one
step closer each day to this apex and builds a
foundation all can stand securely upon in times of
trouble.” [Brennan, 2012]
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
An accolade written anonymously in
honor of all those serving in the military goes,
“Unselfishly, you left your fathers and your
mothers, you left behind your sisters and your
brothers. Leaving your beloved children and
wives, you put on hold, your dreams.” Unselfish
service is our instinct, our routine, and our second
nature. It is this second nature that sets military
leaders apart and sought after as leaders forged in
the crucible of combat leadership.
because you knew you should have said
something… but you lacked the courage.
Decisiveness
Any decision is better than no
decision...
Even the wrong one.
Nothing screams “incompetence”
louder than a person who will
consistently miss opportunities
as a result of not being able to
make a decision. If you are
proficient at your job and have
the knowledge to make the
right decisions, even making a
wrong decision can be overcome. It’s worth
mentioning, however, that consistently making the
wrong decision demonstrates that you are not
proficient and lack the knowledge to be the leader.
Suffer this and you will be OUT as the leader. It’s
that simple.
Courage
There are numerous first-hand accounts
of Marines in combat performing extraordinary
feats in the face of danger. I’ll go on to say that
courage is something that you do, not just
something that you have. Every man or woman is
capable of courageous
acts. It is within each
of you to overcome
your fears and do
what must be done.
The call for
courage most often
does not involve the likelihood of death or even
the possibility of death… or even injury. Most
likely, if you haven’t already experienced it, your
first test of courage will be in the form of standing
up for what you feel in your guts to be the right
thing, even though speaking up will undoubtedly
make you unpopular. You’re faced with it every
time we meet in uniform. Like clockwork,
someone will do something prohibited with one
or more article of their uniform (supposedly
because it looks cooler) and sure as the sun will
rise tomorrow, you will come face to face with
that person and the look in his/her eyes will all
but call you a coward to your face. Not the “out
loud” kind… but the “just between you and me”
kind. The kind that eats away at your insides
Dependability
It’s not easy
being “the dependable
one”. If you find that
being
dependable
doesn’t come naturally,
it’s because it isn’t
natural. Human nature is to be selfish and selfconcerned. It’s not like the pretty girl who won
the genetic lotto and has perfect skin, high cheek
bones, and a tall and lean build… you have to
work at being dependable. It is a choice that you
make and an arduous, endless responsibility.
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
Endurance
inspiring…
enthusiasm
is
contagious…
enthusiasm is essential. As the leader, you will
often find yourself being the first one on the
enthusiasm dance-floor. When no one else is
dancing, you will have to be the person that gets
everyone else fired-up and… enthused.
We could debate till the end of time as to
what traits are more important than others. This
quote by Napoleon spells out plainly what he
Initiative
Initiative is doing the thing that
needs to be done without having to be
told to do it. For you, that “thing”
is most likely in the form of taking
out the trash, or mowing the lawn, or
cleaning your room. Initiative in
this form is more of a “good
follower” trait. All leaders want
more followers that don’t have to be
told to do every little thing. But there is a
leadership aspect of this trait… In that sense it is a
close cousin of decisiveness. A good leader acts
decisively when he/she takes the initiative and acts
when others delay.
thought about endurance. You don’t have to be a
master strategist to understand that whereas
courage comes to fat and fit alike… endurance is a
quality that must be built on a foundation of
blood, sweat, and tears over a period of time that
makes this clearly a part of the planning phase and
not the execution phase. Whether you believe
endurance trumps courage (or any other trait for
that matter) or not, you have to agree that
endurance takes work… and lack of endurance is
a show-stopper. Imagine you were the leader of a
unit and you were also the first person to be
hauled off in a stretcher every time you practiced
charging up the hill. Now imagine it’s time to take
the hill… what confidence are you inspiring in
your Marines?
There is a great quote by Astronaut Jim
Lovell and best illustrates the spirit of the word
“initiative” as it pertains to you as a leader, “There
are people who make things happen, there are
people who watch things happen, and there are
people who wonder what happened. To be
successful, you need to be a person who makes
things happen.”
Enthusiasm
This quote by Emerson
sums up nicely the proper place
for “enthusiasm” in the list of
leadership traits. Enthusiasm,
as Emerson so aptly said, is
the Mother of effort. Imagine
trying to get motivated for a difficult task if
enthusiasm was not allowed. It would be nearly
impossible to even get started. Enthusiasm is
Integrity
A quote by Wyoming
Senator Alan Simpson sums up the
importance of “integrity” for a
leader, “If you have integrity,
nothing else matters. If you don't
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
Knowledge
have integrity, nothing else matters.” Without it,
you’re nothing.
James Madison (4th
US President) once said,
“Knowledge
will
forever
govern
ignorance; and a people
who mean to be their own governors must arm
themselves with the power which knowledge
gives.” What this means is that those who “don’t
know” will always be at the mercy of those who
do “know”. Never assume that you know more
than those who follow you.
Judgment
Some things just take time.
Your level of judgment should be
proportionate with your age and
experience. That is why we have a
rank structure that considers
experience
as
well
as
performance. Though some of
you seem to be, I will never ask
you to be “wise beyond your years”. Everyone
makes mistakes… but not everyone learns from
them. Those who demonstrate good judgment
will succeed and prosper as leaders… those who
demonstrate poor judgment will fall along the
way.
Tact
Tact is a very useful skill to have.
Often, how you say something makes
all the difference.
When used
together with “courage”, that
uniform discrepancy that you were
confronted with earlier in the lecture
could have had a better ending.
Justice
A compelling quote by
Plato says, “He who commits
injustice is ever made more
wretched than he who suffers
it.”. In essence, it means that
the person who commits an
injustice on another has harmed
him/herself far more gravely
than the person on whom the
injustice was inflicted. It is vitally important to be
“just” in your dealings with others for you will
either define your reputation with truth and
justice, or deceit and treachery. At the end of the
day, you direct how others perceive you. Justice is
a powerful of the leadership traits… and a
dangerous one.
Bearing
This trait was
intentionally saved for last.
“Bearing” or “Military
Bearing” is a hard thing to
explain in words. It is a
statement about yourself,
your
character,
your
discipline, that is said loudest when no words are
used. It is that quiet assurance to your followers
that you are unafraid, undeterred, unaffected, and
unstoppable. It tells those who would appose
you, “I am the pitt-bull in the yard you’re afraid to
go into.” It tells those who rely on you, “Don’t
worry about the yard… I’ve got it covered.”
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
Importance of Leadership
Traits
John Maxwell indentifies the “Five Levels of
Leadership” in his book The Leader Within You. It
captures the dynamics of leadership development
as well as anything can. Here’s what it looks like:
These fourteen leadership traits are
important characteristics for a leaders.
If
subordinates think that you are not concerned
with their welfare, they will follow you unwillingly.
Consider these three leadership myths
that John C. Maxwell outlines in his book “The
360 Degree Leader”:
The Position Myth: “I can’t lead if I’m not at
the top.”
This is perhaps the number one
misconception people have about leadership. It is
the belief that leadership comes simply from
having a position or title. But nothing could be
further from the truth. You don’t need to possess
a position at the top of your squad, platoon,
company, or organization in order to lead. If you
think you do, then you have bought into the
position myth. A place at the top will not make
anyone a leader. The Law of Influence [Maxwell,
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership] states clearly:
“The true measure of leadership is influence –
nothing more, nothing less.”
1.
Position. Rights. People
follow because they have to. NOTE:
Your influence will not extend beyond
the lines of your job description. The
longer you stay here, the higher the
turnover and the lower the morale.
2.
Permission. Relationships.
People follow because they want to.
NOTE: People will follow you behond
your stated authority. This level allows
work to be fun. Caution: Staying too long
on this level without rising will cause
highly motivated people to become
restless.
Unfortunately, many people become tied
up by the position myth. When people who buy
into this myth are identified as potential leaders
and put on a team, they are very uncomfortable if
they have not been given some kind of title or
position that labels them as leaders in the eyes of
other team members. Instead of working to build
relationships with others on the team and to gain
influence naturally, they wait for the positional
leader to invest them with authority and give them
a title. After a while, they become more and more
unhappy, until they finally decide to try another
team, another leader, or another organization.
3.
Production.
Results.
People follow because of what you have
done for the organization. NOTE: This
is where success is sensed by most people.
They like you and what you are doing.
Problems are fixed with very little effort
because of momentum.
4.
People
Development.
Reproduction. People follow because of
what you have done for them. NOTE:
This is where long-range growth occurs.
People who follow this pattern don’t
understand how effective leadership develops.
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
Your commitment to developing leaders
will ensure ongoing growth to the
organization and to people. Do whatever
you can to achieve and stay on this level.
someone a position, but you cannot grant him real
leadership. Influence must be earned. A position
gives you a chance. It gives you the opportunity
to try out your leadership. It asks people to give
you the benefit of the doubt for a while. But
given some time, you will earn your level of
influence – for better or worse. Good leaders will
gain in influence beyond their stated position.
Bad leaders will shrink their influence down so
that it is actually less than what originally came
with the position. Remember, a position doesn’t
make a leader, but a leader can make the position.
[Mawell, 2007]
5.
Personhood.
Respect.
People follow because of who you are
and what you represent. NOTE: This
step is reserved for leaders who have
spent years growing people and
organizations. Few make it. Those who
do are bigger than life. [Maxwell, 2007]
The Influence Myth: “If I were on top, people
would follow me.”
The Inexperience Myth: “When I get to the
top, I’ll be in control.”
President Woodrow Wilson had a
housekeeper who constantly lamented that she
and her husband didn’t possess more prestigious
positions in life. One day the lady approached the
president after she heard that the secretary of
labor had resigned from he administration.
Have you ever found yourself saying
something like, “You know, if I were in charge,
we wouldn’t have done this, and we wouldn’t have
don’t that. Things sure would be different around
here if I were the boss:? If so, let me tell you that
there’s good news and bad news. The good news
is that the desire to improve an organization and
the belief that you're capable of doing it are often
the marks of a leader. Andy Stanley (Pastor and
founder of North Point Ministries) once said, “If
you're a leader and leaders work for you, they
think they can do a better job than you. They just
do (just like you do). And that’s not wrong; that’s
just leadership.” The desires to innovate, to
improve, to create, and to find a better way are all
leadership characteristics.
“President Wilson,” she said, “my
husband is perfect for his vacant position. He is a
laboring man, knows what labor is, and
understands laboring people. Please consider him
when you appoint the new secretary of labor.”
“I appreciate your recommendation,”
answered Wilson, “but you must remember, the
secretary of labor is an important position. It
requires an influential person.”
“But,” the housekeeper said, “if you made
my husband the secretary of labor, he would be an
influential person!”
Now here’s the bad news. Without
experience being the top person in an
organization, you would likely overestimate the
amount of control you have at the top. The
higher you go – and the larger the organization –
the more you realize that many factors control the
organization. More than ever, when you are at the
top, you need every bit of influence you can
People who have no leadership
experience have a tendency to overestimate the
importance of a leadership title. That was the case
for President Wilson’s housekeeper. She thought
that leadership was a reward that someone of
importance could grant. But influence doesn’t
work that way. You may be able to grant
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
muster. Your position does not give you total
control – or protect you. [Maxwell, 2007]
Conclusion
It is up to you to see that you become the
kind of person that others will follow.
You have just reviewed the fourteen
Marine Corps Leadership Traits. If you are going
to be a strong leader, you must develop within
yourself, the traits of a good leader. The process
is one that takes place from within.
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U.S. MARINE CORPS. JROTC
Category 1 – Leadership
Skill 3 –Leadership Traits
Works Cited:
•
Maxwell, John C. “The 360º Leader –
Developing Your Influence From Anywhere in
the Organization” Nashville, Thomas
Nelson Inc. 2005
•
Maxwell, John C. “The 21 Irrefutable Laws
of Leadership” Nashville, Thomas Nelson
Inc. 1998 and 2007
•
Brennan, James C. “The Cornerstone
Leadership Trait: Unselfishness” Quantico
Sentry
Sep.
2012
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