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THE QUESTION
Trust in military leadership
UPDATE: In light of our discussion this week about trust in the military, we've asked our On Leadership panelists to weigh in on the Fort Hood tragedy.
A new survey out from the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership shows Americans have significantly higher confidence in military leaders than leaders in government, business and the media -- and that this confidence rose over the past year, in spite of two ongoing, unresolved conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. What explains this high level of trust in military leadership? What can leaders in other sectors learn from the military?
Posted by Steve Pearlstein and Raju Narisetti on November 2, 2009 1:28 PM
FROM THE PANEL
Saluting the dedicated
When we honor and respect our soldiers, we are honoring the best in humanity: selflessness and dedication to a greater good.
Posted by Marie Wilson, on November 9, 2009 12:00 PM
More than a recruiting slogan
Tragedies like the one at Fort Hood test the character and resilience of organizations and their leaders. What we see now shows the meaning of "Army Strong."
Posted by George Reed, on November 9, 2009 6:58 AM
The voracity of war
Military leaders face the challenge of deploying and bringing home fighters who are still decent human beings.
Posted by Joanne B. Ciulla, on November 6, 2009 10:52 AM
Crisis leadership from a commander
While he was himself visibly shaken by the shootings, the Fort Hood commandar, Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, sought to provide a calming influence to the community.
Posted by Col. Charles D. Allen, on November 6, 2009 8:00 AM
Ft. Hood reveals hidden wounds
The Army is a solid institution, composed of leaders who care about their people. But this shooting provides yet another example of an institution, and more specifically, a support system under stress.
Posted by Lt. Col. Todd Henshaw (Ret.), on November 6, 2009 5:39 AM
'Four dead in Ohio'
The trust the American people place in its military is as fragile as it is precious.
Posted by Col. Charles D. Allen, on November 5, 2009 1:43 PM
Standing and delivering
In an age when problems can rapidly deteriorate into crises, military leaders know how to assess a problem, lay out a strategy and tactics and deliver.
Posted by Deborah Ancona, on November 4, 2009 2:45 PM
Succes doesn't always translate
Too much admiration for military leaders leads to the misperception that because they perform nobly on the battlefield, they must be good at overall strategy.
Posted by Ken Adelman, on November 4, 2009 9:07 AM
When generals are wrong
Sometimes the judgment of military leaders has proved better than that of their civilian bosses -- but not always.
Posted by Michael Maccoby, on November 3, 2009 2:26 PM
A priority, not an expense
In the military, leadership development is not viewed merely as an expense to be justified and contained, or reserved for a few "high potentials."
Posted by George Reed, on November 3, 2009 11:31 AM
Pundits and politicians
We know that the Wall Street barons and the polarizing politicians and the shouting cable pundits do not represent the best of this nation.
Posted by Yash Gupta, on November 3, 2009 10:12 AM
Ken Lay's after-action review
Military leaders are much more willing than business leaders to publicly admit when things have gone wrong.
Posted by Jeffrey Pfeffer, on November 3, 2009 10:04 AM
The West Point effect
My four months in Officer Candidate School in 1944 was superior to all the corporate management training programs I've observed and consulted for over the last 25 years.
Posted by Warren Bennis, on November 3, 2009 9:55 AM
Shameful memories
Many baby boomers remember, hopefully with a certain degree of shame, our inability to separate our distaste for the Vietnam conflict with our distrust in military personnel and their leaders.
Posted by Gail S. Williams, on November 3, 2009 9:36 AM
'Greater love hath no man'
Beneath all that body armor and chest-thumping machismo that defines our culture's Rambo image of the modern warrior lies the essence of what makes a soldier fight in combat: Love.
Posted by Scott Snook, on November 3, 2009 9:19 AM
Simple but not easy
Leaders in other sectors who REALLY CARE about winning and retaining the confidence, trust, and loyalty of the American public know how to earn it.
Posted by Bob Schoultz, on November 3, 2009 6:55 AM
The messy avenue of persuasion
The public sees a decisive and effective institution that more often than not attains its goals.
Posted by Slade Gorton, on November 3, 2009 6:52 AM
Wall Street's Semper Fi?
What if executives at AIG, Bank of America, and General Motors saluted the flag and vowed to uphold our most basic American values?
Posted by Coro Fellows, on November 3, 2009 12:43 AM
Ten lost cadets
Leadership is about leaving it all on the field rather than taking it off the table. That may explain why Americans trust military leaders over Wall Street leaders.
Posted by Lt. Col. Todd Henshaw (Ret.), on November 2, 2009 4:12 PM
Gary-Cooper style
The best military leaders are physically and morally strong, calm and competent under pressure, willing to do the hard but necessary jobs most of us are happy to duck -- all while being nice to children and old ladies and dogs.
Posted by Ed Ruggero, on November 2, 2009 3:34 PM
The leader next door
We trust military leadership because we know military people in our family, neighborhoods and offices. I don't know any Wall Street billionaires, and that is fine with me.
Posted by Ed O'Malley, on November 2, 2009 3:29 PM
Want trust? Try duty
Leaders must always do their duty, subordinating personal interest to complete the mission, which may require the sacrifice of their lives and the lives of those entrusted to them.
Posted by Col. Michael E. Haith (Ret.), on November 2, 2009 3:14 PM
Bright Shining Shinseki
General Eric Shinseki, in publicly contradicting Donald Rumsfeld, represented a new relationship between the military and the American people in the post-Vietnam era.
Posted by Ronald Heifetz, on November 2, 2009 2:43 PM
Petraeus, not Westmoreland
Today, a nation divided about both Iraq and Afghanistan wars can nonetheless honor and respect the warriors, in part because public perception of the military is so different from the Vietnam era.
Posted by Benjamin W. Heineman, Jr., on November 2, 2009 2:05 PM
Suckers for a uniform
With the exception of Dwight Eisenhower, it's hard to think of a recent military leader whose military service has translated into political (or even business) leadership.
Posted by Alan M. Webber, on November 2, 2009 2:00 PM
Tall order for media and business
Public confidence in media and business leaders will not rise unless they individually and collectively do a lot of self-examination and then self-improvement.
Posted by Howard Gardner, on November 2, 2009 1:50 PM
FEATURED COMMENTS
mark1169: It's fairly simple: media, government, and business are all torn down through competition. Fox rips on MSNBC; MSNBC rips on Fox. Democrats...
terpfan2000: I am a civilian, and have no real idea as to what it's like to be in the military.
But, I can venture a guess.
Perhaps military people ar...
donbl: Military leaders are more trusted because:
1. They are not in it for the money.
2. They serve America and not a party
3. They tend to be...
