Courage Under Fire: Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom

Faith based Leadership and Mentoring towards Excellence!!!

September 24, 2024

Leadership isn’t about rank—it’s about action. When the stakes are high, and every second counts, true leaders step up, even when it means breaking the norm. 🚁 On the battlefield, I had to make a choice: follow protocol or save a life. The decision was clear. 💪 In business, the same principle applies: when things get tough, leaders rise above the noise and act decisively. It’s not about being in charge—it’s about taking charge.

Leadership is often defined by moments of high-stakes decision-making, where time is short, emotions run high, and the consequences are real. I’ve spent more than 30 years in business and leadership, but one of the most formative leadership experiences of my life happened long before I ever set foot in a boardroom. It happened in the desert, in the midst of a military training exercise, preparing for what would later become Operation Desert Storm.

As a combat medic attached to a Tanker unit, it was my responsibility to oversee the health and safety of our soldiers during these grueling exercises. On one particular day, everything changed in an instant. We were running a high-intensity drill to simulate battle conditions. The air was thick with dust and the roar of tanks moving into position echoed across the desert.

Then, in the blink of an eye, a tank operator overzealously charged a berm. His speed and angle were off, and the tank hit the berm hard, tossing two soldiers from the vehicle. The operator himself slammed his head against the top of his hatch, rendering the tank useless and leaving three soldiers injured.

Being the lead combat medic, my team and I were first on the scene. As we approached the wreck, I assessed the situation quickly. One soldier had minor injuries, another was bruised and disoriented, but the tank operator was in serious trouble. His condition was critical. He was severely dehydrated and drifting in and out of consciousness. Time was not on our side. I immediately began treating him and triaging the others.

Just as we were stabilizing the situation, a helicopter landed nearby, and out stepped a Lieutenant—an Air Support Medic who was also a physician assistant. He outranked me and ordered me to step aside so he could take over treatment. Protocol was clear: I was to defer to his rank, and I did, initially. But I continued to observe as he made repeated attempts to insert an IV line into the injured soldier, who was slipping further away with every failed attempt.

By the third attempt, I could see the urgency in the situation escalating. The Lieutenant struggled to perform a task that, under normal circumstances, would have been routine. But these weren’t normal circumstances. We were in a live training environment where mistakes could mean life or death.

In that moment, I made a decision. Rank and hierarchy became secondary to the responsibility I felt for the soldier whose life hung in the balance. I stepped forward, respectfully but firmly, and took over the treatment. Within moments, I had the IV line in place and stabilized the soldier. I loaded him onto the helicopter, and before departing for the hospital, I asked the Lieutenant to secure my vehicle and ensure it returned to its post.

Several days later, I received orders to report to a panel of Generals and Lieutenant Generals. The Lieutenant had lodged a formal complaint, claiming I had been disrespectful to the chain of command and acted insubordinately. As I stood before the panel, I wasn’t worried about the outcome. I was confident in my actions because I knew that I had acted to save a life, not to disrespect a superior officer.

When I explained my side of the story to the panel, I emphasized the sequence of events. I had arrived first, triaged the scene, and began treating the injured soldiers before the Lieutenant had even landed. I made it clear that I didn’t act out of arrogance or defiance, but out of necessity. The Lieutenant’s failed attempts to administer an IV—while well-intentioned—were jeopardizing the life of the tank operator. I had to act quickly and decisively to ensure his survival.

The panel deliberated and ultimately ruled in my favor. They recognized that I had made the right call under the circumstances. I had acted as a responsible soldier, prioritizing the life of another over military protocol. The ruling confirmed that I had followed military guidelines and demonstrated leadership in a chaotic and high-pressure situation.

Lessons for the Boardroom

This experience wasn’t just a lesson in battlefield leadership—it shaped the way I approach leadership in business. In the heat of that moment, I learned that true leadership is about quieting the noise and working the problem. When you’re in a high-stakes environment—whether it’s a battlefield or a boardroom—decisions need to be made quickly and effectively. You need to prioritize the mission and the people under your care, even if it means stepping on toes.

Resilience Under Pressure: In that moment, I had to rely on my training and instincts, pushing aside fear and doubt. Leadership requires resilience, not just in combat but in the face of business challenges. The ability to stay calm and focused when things go wrong is critical, whether you’re dealing with a battlefield or a market downturn.
Trust and Communication: Just like in the military, business leadership relies on trust. My team trusted me to make the right decisions, and I trusted them to execute their roles effectively. In business, fostering an environment of trust means empowering your people to step up when necessary and having open communication channels.
Decisive Action: When I saw that the Lieutenant was struggling, I didn’t hesitate to step in. Sometimes in business, leaders hesitate because they don’t want to ruffle feathers or upset the chain of command. But real leadership means having the courage to make the tough calls—even when they’re unpopular—because the well-being of the team or the success of the company depends on it.
Faith as a Guide: Throughout my military career, my faith has always been my compass. In that moment, I wasn’t just thinking about protocol or rank; I was thinking about the moral obligation to do what was right. In business, faith and values should guide your decisions, ensuring that you lead with integrity and compassion.

The Price of Leadership

Stepping up in a moment of crisis can sometimes come with consequences. In this case, I ruffled feathers, and it upset a higher-ranking officer. In the business world, too, making the right decision may sometimes create conflict. But leadership is not a popularity contest. It’s about doing what’s best for the mission, the team, and the people who depend on you.

In the end, true leadership isn’t about rank, titles, or status. It’s about service, sacrifice, and the courage to make the right decisions—even when they’re tough. That day in the desert, I wasn’t thinking about my career or my standing in the chain of command. I was thinking about saving a life. And that’s a lesson I carry with me into every boardroom I walk into.

Here is a link to my full article on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/ePazbHBQ

🔥 #CourageUnderFire #LeadershipInAction #BattlefieldToBoa rdroom #LeadershipInAction #Resilience #FaithDrivenLeadership

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