.jpg)
April 18, 2011
Meaning: If you served in the military, or know someone who has, you may be familiar with the phrase, “officers eat last.” Popular in the Marine Corps, the phrase expresses the practice that a leader first makes sure the troops are fed before he or she joins the table. In 1981, when Pete Meyer and I started MDA, he advocated this as an MDA value. Having served in the Army, he told me the military taught him his primary job was to look out for his people. Now, when I hear board members say they want a leader who puts the needs of the organization ahead of personal gain, I am reminded of Pete’s commitment. Simply put, a leader’s first job is to look out for the good of the organization. The most highly respected leaders consistently put the needs of their organization ahead of their own.
Idea for Action: You may recall the story of Aaron Feuerstein, the-then CEO of Massachusetts-based Malden Mills Industries, maker of Polartec polar fleece fabric. After his Malden Mills factory burned down in late 1995, Feuerstein achieved widespread acclaim by continuing to pay his employees’ salaries while the factory was rebuilt.
While not all officers “eat last,” the good ones, like Feuerstein, do. It’s a matter of understanding that part of your role as a leader is to do what’s best for the entire organization. What are you doing to support the people who work for you? How are you finding out what’s important to them? People have an intrinsic need for meaning and relevance in their work – what are you doing to help them see the connections between what they do and the goals of the larger organization?
While you need to consider how you show your employees that you care, sustaining and strengthening your organization also requires you to make the tough calls. For example, if you can’t change the behavior of someone who is an “energy drainer” on your team, you need to step up to take action, so that your team has a chance to become high-performing.
Being focused on others first clearly extends to high-pressure times. When you and your team face difficult or time-consuming assignments, ask yourself: “What can I do to help? What might I tackle myself, to be a visible part of the workload? Am I treating those who work for me the way I would like to be treated? Am I ensuring they have the resources to get the job done?” As you consider your role and responsibilities as a leader, never forget the value of being focused on your team. Others notice who or what you put first!
Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO