carol ritter

by Carol Ritter

Did you know that veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed than those that have never served in the military? It may make you ask the question, why? My guess is that it comes down to leadership: leadership, training and the incredible ability to get things done.

Our country’s veterans were honored this past weekend at Northeast middle school. The Allentown Band, founded in 1828, performed a tribute to veterans  – a show packed with patriotism that also included the Middle School Chorus. Vets were invited to stand and be recognized.  As I looked around the room and witnessed all of the pride and humility, I thought about what we could learn from these leaders.

  1. Leadership – putting others before self (especially their country) and being intuitive problem solvers. 
  2. Decision Makers – not only can they make decisions, they often have to make them swiftly and with limited information.
  3. Team Builders – there is no military without a team. They know how to work on a team, lead a team and support the team.
  4. Commitment – the military expects commitment from their troops, commitment to country, colleague and the team.
  5. Planning – as Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Plans useless, but planning is indispensable.” Having the ability to make a plan and the insight to change course when necessary definitely sounds like leadership.

All five lessons can be easily applied to the business world. So many times people get into leadership positions without the needed skills that impact results. These five lessons are not only necessary; they are a total must when leading a business venture or project. If you want to Grow Ur Biz, veterans may have the answer. By they way, make sure to say thanks next time you meet a vet.

Carol S. Ritter, past President of the National Speakers Association in Philadelphia, is an accomplished professional speaker, coach and educational consultant specializing in innovative leadership, outrageous fundraising, million-dollar marketing and building organizational alliances throughout the country. FMI on Carol’s creative leadership with bulletproof ideas for recruiting more members, more money and better leaders: www.caroltalks.com, 610-442-4545, tellkids@aol.com, “Like” Carol on Facebook at Caroltalks and CarolCoaches.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here