Be – Know – Do
I am a former Army non-commissioned officer – a retired Command Sergeant Major; and as such the Army holds a special place in my everyday life. In my way of thinking the Army is second to none when it comes to leadership training. It was there I learned the meaning of leadership and discovered no one is born a leader, conversely leadership is learned.
The Army’s leadership model is simple. Be – Know – Do
Here is the model:
BE – this is all about modeling the right behaviors. Your ability to do the right thing when no one is watching defines your character. How you see your self is never how others see you; so as a leader you are always on the spotlight, and those you lead will either judge you or emulate you. They will learn from you and eventually become you. Defining your core values will assist you on your leadership journey as the non- negotiables designed as the rules of your leadership road.
KNOW – This is about skills and knowledge. While the right attitude is important, it’s fruitless without the combination of skills and knowledge. As a leader you must first know yourself in order to seek self-improvement – a good ingredient of any leadership professional development plan. One of the traits we coveted in junior leaders before promoting them to high levels of responsibility was being technically and tactically proficient at their given profession.
Your level of competence of the knowledge and skills required for your role are essential to the success of your team / organization.
DO – Leaders act, period. They are doers – action driven and focused on outcomes. Leading others from the front is a demonstrative act of confidence and skill that aids in influencing others regardless of the apparent risks. No one will follow where you won’t go ….
For me, it’s a great and simple model of leadership. Here is a reading recommendation on the subject. The U.S. Army Leadership Field Manual or the book on the model, BE-KNOW-DO, Leadership The Army Way.