Information Technology Governance for Executives

What I Learned in the Army

By Jeffrey Morgan

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At my first permanent duty station in the Army, I was assigned the task of putting on a training session for the large Military Intelligence Company I was assigned to. My platoon sergeant suggested I check out a training film for the event and I followed his advice.

I was all set. I had everything ready, did a short introduction, and started the film. A few minutes into the training, the film burned up in the projector and I was standing there like a doofus without a Plan B. I was counting on the film to take care of the training session and the technology let me down.

It was a humiliating experience that shaped the way I have approached work and life ever since. I was jeered and taunted by my colleagues for weeks – until some other unfortunate soul screwed up publicly and had to bear the brunt of everyone’s ridicule. The army isn’t a touchy feely environment and humiliation is a standard component of the training and behavior modification process.

My first inclination was to blame my platoon sergeant for not mentoring me on how to do the training, but I quickly came to the realization that I owned it.

Here’s what I learned from that experience and four years in the Army:

1. Always have contingency plans; Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. The more the better. Things rarely work out the way you expect them to so be prepared for Plan A to fail so you can jump right into Plan B.
2. Accomplish the mission. Do whatever it takes to get the job done.
3. Take ownership. If you screw up, fess up. Immediately. Don’t blame anyone but yourself for your failure. Blame is never productive; finding solutions is.
4. Always do the best possible work you can whether the work is mopping the floor, cleaning your weapon, or developing plans for a major operation.
5. Make your boots sparkle, keep your uniform pressed, and keep your hair cut short. Appearance matters.

The next time I was tasked with a training presentation, I sat down and read the Army Field Manual on training. Yes – the army has a manual for everything. I spent several evenings putting together the presentation, making flip charts, studying the material, and practicing my presentation. Instead of jeers, I got compliments and questions on how I did such a great job.

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