Some thoughts on leadership in academia

How my experiences as a young Marine shape my views on academic leadership

Once upon a time I flunked out of university. It took 3 semesters to accomplish this feat, blowing my modest scholarship in the process. I was 19, and like a lot of young people, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I was working odd jobs with no real career path (computer sales, picking up lunches for lawyers), and I was embarrassed that I mucked things up with school. So in an act of desperation, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

My experience as a Marine was, fortunately, a positive one. I learned a skilled trade (radar maintenance and repair), and saw the world (Japan, Korea, and then a lot of Yuma, Arizona). I was lucky to avoid any violence. However, while I excelled at my job, and was being promoted on schedule, after a few years I could see it wasn’t the career for me. So I studied like I never had before, killed the university entrance exam, and once again applied to schools. And when my 4-year enlistment ended, I transformed from Marine to college freshman, practically overnight.

Little did I know that I would spend the next 11 years in school, and then continue working in academia after. Needless to say there are a lot of differences between the Marines and the so-called ivory tower — but things I learned as a young Marine often influence how I think today, especially when it comes to leadership. I just want to share some of these, as food for thought, and leave it with you to see how they might apply to your experiences in academia.

The first thing to point out is that the Marine Corps has a tried and tested set of leadership principles. You can read through them below, but it’s important to point out that none of them have anything to do with charisma. They are instead focused on substance and relationships, and are ultimately about building mutual trust and respect. These aren’t things you do to look like a leader — following these principles is leadership, and they can be applied by anyone, in any context.

Justice — Be fair in your dealings with others.

Dependability — Be there for others.

Tact — Deal with people in a manner that supports good relationships.

Unselfishness — Avoid making yourself better off at the expense of others.

Loyalty — Commit yourself to the welfare of other people working with you.

Initiative — If you see a problem you can deal with, go ahead and do so, without needing to be told.

Judgement — Make well thought-out decisions. Don’t act rashly.

Decisiveness — Don’t unnecessarily delay action once a decision has been made.

Courage — Don’t shrink from responsibility in the face of risks.

Integrity — Be honest and do the right thing, especially when nobody else is watching.

Enthusiasm — Approach your work with a sincere interest and excitement.

Bearing — Carry yourself in a way that reflects competence and confidence.

Knowledge — Be good at your job.

Endurance — Show sustained, persistent effort.

Every Marine learns these principles, and is then expected to develop and apply them in their own work, regardless of rank. In other words, everyone is expected to be a leader. That doesn’t mean that everyone is in charge — the military is of course completely and unambiguously hierarchical. But everyone is trained to look out for opportunities to lead, and to step into that next role along the chain of command. So when our Gunnery Sergeant was away for the birth of his son, I was suddenly running a radar shop that included five other Marines and millions of dollars’ worth of equipment. It was a lot of responsibly for a 21-year-old, but I was prepared for it.

The other thought I want to share is that when everyone is encouraged to be a leader, they also come to appreciate the importance of being a good follower. Sometimes we need to take the lead, but we often need to defer — and when we do so, it should be a manner that doesn’t undermine those who are leading the effort. This mind-set was further encouraged by everyone sharing a strong sense of mission — it was (usually) clear that we were all pulling together to meet important goals that we all (mostly) valued. Ultimately, the Marine Corps takes leadership seriously, because it takes its mission seriously. Do we?