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Theodore Roosevelt’s ideas on Immigrants in 1907 while
still President of the United States

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant
who comes here in good faith becomes an American and
assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact
equaility with everyone elese, for it is an outrage to
discriminate against any such man because of creed, or
birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the
person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing
but an America… There can be no divided allegiance here.
Any man who says he is an American, but something else also,
isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the
American flag…. We have room for but one language here,
and that is the English language… And we have room for but
one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American
people.”

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/tr26.html

Tanks…battle groups…aircraft carriers…guided
missiles…special forces. This is the world I come from.
It’s an environment of POWER called the Pentagon, an
environment where military personnel mingle with civilians
and where people work around the clock on a daily basis to
ensure that America’s highest-level decision makers get good
information. It’s a world where the pressure is always on
because the stakes are so high. One wrong move could cost
more than money; it could cost our lives and our national
freedom. We had a wake-up call on 9/11.

I worked in the Pentagon prior to 9/11 and still it was a
time of world crisis. Although I didn’t wear a uniform, I
had enough impact that the Army gave me its highest civilian
medal, the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service.

During my years of service, I learned that power is NOT
about rank. Military insignia indicates rank. As a civilian,
I never wore insignia. I was afforded respect appropriate
for my position as Deputy Chief of the Logistics Plans and
Operations Division.

Power is not about uniform, although how a person dresses
does make a difference, either positively or negatively.
There is, to be sure, power of position as well as personal
power. I’m talking about personal power here. Power is about
WHO you are. It’s about your beliefs and values, your
reliability, your ability to communicate–to speak and to
listen–effectively. When you communicate well you display
power and command respect because of your confidence, your
know-how, and your compassion, regardless of your rank,
regardless of your uniform, and regardless of your gender.

Being a powerful leader means you can lift others up with
what you say–something I tried to do daily at the Pentagon.
But I was NOT a cheerleader, as one interviewer in Texas
suggested some years later when I was on a book tour. Being
a cheerleader implied I was a quota, a token female. It
meant that I was powerless.

Through my experiences working with military personnel and
civilians as we struggled to cover all the bases, whether it
was moving materiel for Operation Desert Storm or
marshalling up supplies and support in natural disasters
like Katrina, I’ve learned that real POWER is when people
feel honored to work with you. Power is when you command
loyalty without having to say anything about it. Power is
when people want to do what you want them to do.

One commander in the Seventh Corps had served in our office
as a major. In his exit interview he commended me on my
ability to listen. During Operation Desert Storm he was
moving his supply troops from Germany into Saudi Arabia and
he was lost in the fog of war. There was no plan for this
move; it had not been exercised. He needed systems that were
not in place. He called me for help. I mustered help for him
and heard no more. A few years later when we met in line at
a Change of Command ceremony, he swept me off my feet and
whirled me around and around. He was a colonel then, in uniform.
It reminded me of the old movies of the homecoming in New York
City after the Second World War!

Whether on the battlefields of war or the battlefields of
business, personal power is important. Be real. Know who you
are. Value loyalty to your country and your God. Speak your
truths and respect others. You have the power.

“Day is done - gone the sun - from the lake, from the
hill…” Listen, can you hear it? The faint sound of a
trumpet drifting across the gently sloping hillside dotted
with white crosses. The hazy mist makes it seem far away.
Hear it? If you’re a veteran or related to a veteran, you
know that sound. TAPS. The final farewell.

My first job with the Army was developing the logistics
support plan for the Burial of the Unknown Serviceman from
Vietnam, a State Funeral. The desired outcome: solemn and
ceremonious burial executed flawlessly to honor the fallen
and the veterans of an unpopular conflict.

The Third Infantry, the Old Guard, planned everything from
the operational perspective. Our job was supporting them,
hundreds of very important persons, including some who wore
the Medal of Honor, and the public. Our planning included:
the caisson to carry the casket, military drivers and cars
for the cortege, press stands for the media at the Capitol,
transportation for the masses who would go to the cemetery
for the interment, comfort stations along the route of the
funeral procession. It all depended on us.

We identified requirements. Who needed what, where, and
when? Were they entitled to it? How would we get it where it
was needed on time and in sufficient quantity? Things are
not always as simple as they seem. Planning is one thing;
execution is another. Putting comfort stations,
port-a-johns, around the District of Columbia, for instance,
is no simple task!

Finally, 5:00 a.m. Sunday before Memorial Day, 1984, we were
on the steps of the US Capitol building with Major General
John L. Ballantyne, Commander of the Military District of
Washington, ready to rehearse. A chill ran through me.
“Am I dreaming? Here I am a civilian woman from Texas about
to participate in this historical national event.”

The events unfolded on the national scene on schedule: the
arrival of the remains at Andrews Air Force Base where they
were met by disabled veterans in wheelchairs, General
Westmoreland, and other dignitaries and then lying in state
in the Capitol Rotunda for three days.

The day of the burial, there was a change in plans. Has that
ever happened to you? You plan and rehearse, and then things
change. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff decided to
walk in the funeral procession. At the last minute we had to
turn the lead cars around and get them away from the Capitol
building. Everything else went with precision.

The cold white marble seats in Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington
National Cemetery filled quickly. The empty seats reserved for
the POW and MIA families silently witnessed their protest to the
burial. At last, President Reagan’s speech and his immortal
closing words: “May God cradle you in His loving arms.”

We moved to the plaza of the east entrance to the
Amphitheater and climbed the stairs to watch the finale.
Looking down beyond the Tomb, we saw the Vietnam Veterans in
uniforms, waving their flags. It was over. No more protests.
A final salute in gratitude to those living and deceased
servicemen and women who bore the burdens their nation
placed upon them.

Planning and execution on this grand scale was great
training for life in general: Look ahead. Plan. What is
needed to reach your objective? Where is it needed and when?
What can go wrong? How will you prevail? The execution of
plans rarely goes precisely as envisioned. Flexibility is
key. Contingency planning is a must.

Planning for and participating in the Burial of the Unknown
Serviceman from Vietnam was the most satisfying thing I’ve
done in my life.

***********
Although the remains of that serviceman have
since been identified, the importance of the ceremonial
burial has not diminished. It provided an opportunity to
recognize the sacrifices of the thousands of U.S. citizens
who had been called to arms in an unpopular military action
in the Republic of Vietnam.
___________
I later became a supervisor at Army Headquarters
in the Pentagon and graduated from the US Army War college.
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Academia, businesses, and government are focusing on leadership issues. When there is a glaring vacuum, we rush to fix it. Leadership development is just that: a developmental process. And most politicians were not born with leadership abilities. How is it in your business? Who are the leaders in your industry? In your organization or business?

Are you closing the last sale, focused on your most recent performance, or preparing for the next? Are you looking back and saying with regret, “If only….” Instead of gathering information about the next client, the next audience, or the next job interview?

In some instances, it’s a good idea to prepare “Lessons Learned” to benefit most by the past experience.

What did we do?

What went right?

What could have been done better? How?

The next time, I will….

And then move on–focus on the future–the next time and in the years to come. How is your industry changing? How will you and your business change? Do you have a strategic plan? Take time to think–it could be the difference between success and failure.

“Our lives are what our thoughts create.” — William James

Following are my thoughts on using active duty military personnel in domestic disasters. Feel free to post a comment at the end of this note. The latest initiative concerning natural disasters in the US is to change laws and policies concerning the use of active duty military forces. One idea being broadcast now is to devote certain active duty troops to US only support and even to place them under the command of National Guard Commanders. In my view, placing Federal active duty troops under the command of a state Governor would be a drastic mistake.

How often do we have a natural disaster like Katrina? Okay, Rita followed close on it’s heals, but how often does that happen? What will these domestic disaster troops be doing between disasters? Waiting for the next disaster? When I was in the War College, it was said that our inclination is to fight the last war. The focus is on what happened in the past rather than being forward thinking and developing scenarios of the next challenge. Yes, we need to definitely learn from the past. But aren’t we learning in Iraq that the previous battlefield exercises did not match the urban warfare we encountered? Yes, special units were prepared. And many had to be retrained quickly. What will the next conflict look like? How many mountain climbers are we training? How many spelunkers wear a uniform? “What can we learn from Star Wars.” We have been preparing for chemical/biological and even nuclear warfare for years. What does cyber warfare look like?

Isn’t it time that the citizens of this country become more self-sufficient? Let our corporations take up the burden of training their personnel how to handle emergency situations in their areas. Let them make a commitment to the common good. They have shown that spirit in providing supplies and money in these disasters. What if they had a plan in place to provide some brainpower and personnel, as well, and train them in advance. They could step in beside FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and others in an organized way. The National Guard has a mission. Let civilians be their back-up. Let the active duty military continue to focus on the defense of all of us against foreign aggression.

Have you ever had a problem where you just felt stuck? There seemed to be no way out, no “wiggle room.” Imagine how the people from the Houston, TX area felt the past few days. Sitting in their pickup trucks, cars, and SUVs, My aunt, Reba, was one of those people trying to drive from Baytown, which is east of Houston, to San Antonio,which is west of Houston almost 200 miles. They tried side roads, feeder roads, access roads, nothing worked. They even tried to enter Interstate Highway 10, which is the major route to San Antonio in good times, when they opened the east bound lanes to westbound traffic. Since this was uncharted territory, they missed the first entry point and were forced into more traffic. When they tried to enter via what is usually an exit, an officer turned them back. Why? That was his orders! Stymied after spending 8 hours in their cars just trying to leave the Houston area, they turned around and went home.

What do you do when all the doors seem to be closed? Retreat, pulling back, is always an option. We usually see that as defeat and NOT an option. If you have a strategic objective, an overall strategy, and a plan, falling back may make a lot of sense. It gives you time to regroup and rethink critical issues. In Reba’s case, the situation had changed somewhat during the 8 hours on the highway. The storm had weakened, the direction of the storm seemed to be veering away from their area, and they were running out of gas with no place to refill. No one had foreseen the massive gridlock.

When you find yourself stuck, after you’ve tried everything you can think of, sought help from others, checked with authorities, and still don’t see a solution, consider pulling back. Often just letting go of the problem allows your subconscious mind to go to work on the issue. You can tackle the issue at another time with a fresh mind.

“That’s what you get for thinking.” It sounded like the woman was near panic as she spoke with a TV reporter by phone. “We live in about the middle of Galveston Island and thought we could ride it out,” she said of the approaching Hurricane Rita. “But then we decided that we would rather not be dead.” She seemed to be saying that she and her spouse would have been better off to follow the crowd and evacuate. There are times to be an independent thinker, of course. No one wants to be just one of the herd, following the leader. We are thinkers! Even so, once in a while, we all make mistakes as a result of our decision-making process.

There are times when it is best to yield to the advice of people who are better informed and better educated in areas that we are not. It’s not easy for hard-charging leaders to yield. It is a lesson to be learned. Hopefully, they got out safely.

(My own daughter and her family chose not to leave their home in the western outskirts of Houston.)

Ever wonder who’s in charge where you work? How many times do you see people who report to two or more bosses? Even when you think you have one boss, sometimes that boss is over ridden by a higher power. We work through those problems when they occur, trying to keep everybody happy.

When it comes across the TV screen in a very public way with the Mayor of New Orleans saying one thing and the Disaster Relief chief saying another, it makes one wonder. Who IS in charge? Which leader should we follow? Where is the chain of command? What, no organization chart?

Perhaps there should be a new mandatory course for high school seniors explaining the separation of powers: city, state, Federal and the chain of command in disaster situations. No doubt, the Mayor is the leader of his city–until he calls in the Feds. Then he loses control. If he needs help to bail out his city, it would be wise to at least consult with the experts before making a public pronouncement.

Even when we Take Charge of our own lives, it is wise to enroll other people, to let them know what we are thinking and planning and even ask them for feedback. No person is an island. No one knows it all. It is not demeaning to collaborate. Instead, it exhibits a certain amount of self-confidence.

In the days following the disastrous results of Katrina and Lake Pontchartrain’s subsequent breach of the levees in New Orleans, the US has focused on failures in leadership. Lessons Learned are part of an After Action report that is developed after the heat of the battle, not during it. Every available resource, including brain power, should be focused on solving the problems at hand and anticipating those upcoming in the near future.

Long ago these key ingredients of leadership shouod have been in place. Decisiveness; Objectivity–Hire the right person for the job; and Confidence–Count on self-leadership.

1. Decisiveness. Be decisive. Seldom are we presented with ALL the facts, especially in an emergency. Get help to gather all the information you can from varying perspectives given the time available. You will need to determine what is fact and what is opinion. Be aware of hidden agendas. Refer to existing plans. Think. Ask questions; drill down, ask more questions. When you get conflicting information, and you will, choose which to believe. If you have a mastermind group, confer with them. Refer to your past experience and personal knowledge. Say a prayer and announce your decision.

Of course, there are risks. As more information becomes available, the decision may need to be adjusted. Stay involved.

2. Objectivity. Hire the right person for the job–not your friend, son, daughter, or wealthiest supporter. Surround yourself with competent, experienced people. Know what you want. Have a job description before advertising or announcing the vacancy. Select critical success factors. During the interview, focus on capabilities you are looking for and past experience. Listen carefully. Provide ‘what if’ scenarios and allow the job candidate to use their analytical skills in the process if that’s a job requirement. Check references and listen to what is not said as well as what is said. If you need to hone your listening skills, click here to get started. Be objective and select the best person for the job.

Political appointees are part of our political process. That will not change. The key is to place experienced career public servants in high-level supporting roles and give them a voice in the decision-making process. They are the experts.

The challenge for career public servants is to sway with political changes; their promise is to be apolitical. When all parties are focused on the good of the country and willing to collaborate in solving problems, their task is much easier.

3. Confidence. Lead Yourself. Don’t wait to be led by others. Develop personal leadership skills. Take time to reflect on your inner being and your strengths. Who are you? What are your core values? What inspires you? What makes life work for you? List your skills and abilities. Learn all you can about leadership and influencing people and situations around you. Collaborate with others and improve your communication skills.

In the disaster relief center at Kelly USA where I volunteered on Friday after the disaster, I saw many men leading their families, babies in arms, to their designated cots. They were dirty and unshaven, some without shoes, but they were in charge. Early arrivals with children in tow were in search of clean clothes and showers. Some were alone, dazed and exhausted. By Tuesday people were arriving from the hospital, eager to begin putting their lives back together again. The Red Cross had done an admirable job of organizing the center, based on plans, rehearsals, and past experience.