Military Leadership & Ethics, Continued

In an article by Dale R. Wilson in June of 2016, he writes about leadership and ethics and our military service academies emphasis on this training. Here is an excerpt from that article that is timeless in its lessons for us today.


Character is the foundation upon which all leadership traits are built. Moral and ethical behavior is where leadership becomes the bedrock of who we are as individuals and as leaders. Its strength comes from the fortitude to always do our best and to always do what is right, no matter what may lure us away from making the right decision. The four cornerstones of this foundation are the values of integrity, respect, responsibility and professionalism. Or, to use a different and more common metaphor, these become the four points on the moral compass. They are the core values of a leader that lead to uprightness and success.

No matter what our challenges happen to be, either driven by stress or human urges, we must reach deep within ourselves to overcome the temptation to make poor decisions, whether we are in uniform downrange, or engaged in the activities of daily life with our family or friends. Our country, society, superiors, peers, subordinates, family and friends are relying on our steady and consistent moral courage to translate into professional decorum and behavior; always.

Many respected military leaders of the past espoused the vitally important qualities of a leader. Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps said, “Leadership is the sum of those qualities of intellect, human understanding and moral character that enables a person to inspire and control a group of people successfully.” Among General Douglas MacArthur’s 17 Principles of Leadership, which essentially acts as a leader’s self-assessment questionnaire, there is this question: “Am I a constant example to my subordinates in character, dress, deportment and courtesy?”

An excerpt from the West Point Cadet Prayer reads, “Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong and never to be content with a half-truth when the whole truth can be won. Endow us with the courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when truth and right are in jeopardy.”

The trailhead to success was clearly identified early in our lives and careers. Ultimately, it became our responsibility to continue to travel along a wholesome path. But, at some point in our lives, we find ourselves at the intersection of human-nature and temptation, faced with the challenge to make the right decision. When this happens to you, which way will you go? Will your moral compass point you in the right direction? Is the foundation of your character strong enough to stand firm? Or, will your character crumble to the ground? What will your leadership legacy be? Lessons learned through life’s experiences, as well as the awareness and attentiveness to your surroundings, should always provide you the sense of direction necessary to make the right decision. You must have courage, faith and confidence that your moral compass will point you in the right direction; the path toward the intersection of character and integrity. If your ultimate destination is success and victory, follow your moral compass.