Leadership Lessons from the United States Naval Academy – 24/7/365

Assuming a leadership role makes one a public representative of the organization as well as bestowing decision-making authority over corporate resources; obligating the leader to act responsibly on behalf of the company 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This obligation cannot be taken lightly.

Consider first today’s advanced networking systems in which our formal communications, informal musings, and intentional and unknowing photographic captures can be spread around the world within seconds via channels via LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and emails. While we may intend these communications to be private or limited to an intimate audience, our communications are often available to any with an internet connection and a desire to access them; including seniors, peers, subordinates, suppliers and vendors, and customers and clients. Misstatements can damage the individual and his or her organization’s reputation quickly.

Now consider events that occur with respect to the organization, employees, suppliers and vendors, customers and clients. Rarely do emergencies occur at the time of our choosing. So too can be said of opportunities. So it can be expected that, at any time and at any place, a crisis or opportunity may present itself. In order to respond to these events in a manner that meets and exceeds stakeholders’ expectations, leaders must be ready to respond any time of day or night.

The nature of these two circumstances suggests but one thing – that leaders are leaders 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, their every word and action a reflection of themselves and their organization. This is not to say leaders are always on the job but rather that the actions leaders take, whether at work or away from the office, will reflect on both them and their organization with no limits created by either time or place. It is how leaders react, including during the times when away from the office, that define him or her as either a capable leader or as just another person with their name on the door who only cares about business between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.