After an outstanding year working on the personal staff of a member of Congress, I was asked to lead a organization that did not previously exist.
Everything pertaining to the organization was on paper and I found myself in the middle of change management.
Many are called but few are chosen to lead.
After returning to the Pentagon after a fellowship on Capitol Hill I was asked to head up a policy organization.
For those of you who do not understand, policy is synonymous with organizational doctrine.
In other words, if the leader has to make a call on a important issue that impacts over half a million people, your policy office must lead the information charge.
They must provide concise regulations, review organizational policies, and have the ability to interpret and unravel hot button legislative issues.
How did I respond to this important undertaking? The first thing I did was hire the best and brightest staff to surround myself.
I need people who were not afraid to search for answers that would make the generals job easy.
I needed unique people, the kind that will not take no for an answer.
If you take no for an answer, likelihood is you will not be able to make the leaders job easier.
One could say I sought out problem solvers.
People that know how to solve problems understand what is at stake when it comes to making high level decisions.
Let us take a look at my staff.
I hired a federal employee who worked for the freedom of information act (FOIA), he was relentless in researching information that held lives in the balance.
Then I hired a battle tested Sergeant who knew how to get to the ground level and work the grapevine for better and better information.
Next I hired a young Captain to filter the data and coordinate high level signatures for our organizational doctrine.
Last but not least, I hired a computer expert who knew how to assemble all of the information to bring closure to our most important issues.
By the end of my tour, we made the most dramatic contributions of any organization.
Fortunately I hired people who were leaders in their own right.
You will be able to do the same as long as you dare to hire people who just happen to be unique.
Everything pertaining to the organization was on paper and I found myself in the middle of change management.
Many are called but few are chosen to lead.
After returning to the Pentagon after a fellowship on Capitol Hill I was asked to head up a policy organization.
For those of you who do not understand, policy is synonymous with organizational doctrine.
In other words, if the leader has to make a call on a important issue that impacts over half a million people, your policy office must lead the information charge.
They must provide concise regulations, review organizational policies, and have the ability to interpret and unravel hot button legislative issues.
How did I respond to this important undertaking? The first thing I did was hire the best and brightest staff to surround myself.
I need people who were not afraid to search for answers that would make the generals job easy.
I needed unique people, the kind that will not take no for an answer.
If you take no for an answer, likelihood is you will not be able to make the leaders job easier.
One could say I sought out problem solvers.
People that know how to solve problems understand what is at stake when it comes to making high level decisions.
Let us take a look at my staff.
I hired a federal employee who worked for the freedom of information act (FOIA), he was relentless in researching information that held lives in the balance.
Then I hired a battle tested Sergeant who knew how to get to the ground level and work the grapevine for better and better information.
Next I hired a young Captain to filter the data and coordinate high level signatures for our organizational doctrine.
Last but not least, I hired a computer expert who knew how to assemble all of the information to bring closure to our most important issues.
By the end of my tour, we made the most dramatic contributions of any organization.
Fortunately I hired people who were leaders in their own right.
You will be able to do the same as long as you dare to hire people who just happen to be unique.