Military Personnel or Students: Same Difference?

Fellow Warriors, here's another reason military personnel are suitable to becoming teachers.

The article linked below is a very insightful look into something we as leaders have hopefully already learned how to do. It talks about getting young people to do something when they don't see why they should. Ever met someone like that in your career? Do you remember how you handled it? Most of us got yelled at, cajoled, and very quickly succumbed to the onslaught. So, as junior leaders, we simply adopted those same militaristic styles of yelling and requiring immediate subservience.

Have you ever tried getting into their heads though? Just like in this article, see if you can prod them into doing what they should, but only lightly. If that still doesn't work, pull them out one on one and see if you can get them to tell you what it is about the project that they don't want to do. I'm a bit long in the tooth, so I've been able to learn and follow this method of leadership. More often than not, if you talk to that young person like an adult, make them feel like they actually matter, I think you'll find that you can get them to do what they ought to.

More to follow...


Towbin, J.  (2010)  "When Students Don't Play the Game."  Educational Leadership, February 2010, Volume 67, Number 5, "Meeting Students Where They Are," Pages 42-45.  http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/feb10/vol67/num05/When_Students_Don't_Play_the_Game.aspx