Going it Alone
One of the more surprising aspects of moving along in my career is the level to which going it alone has moved from a first choice to an absolute last resort. I’ve been guilty, more times than I would like to admit, of just completely doing my own thing. In the early part of my career, I would attempt to build a “coalition of the willing”, but would generally get frustrated by the pace of progress and break off to do my own thing. At the smaller unit levels, it was the smarter move for my unit, and yielded positive results. Even the people who did not agree with what was I doing, understood why I did it, and generally didn’t fault me.
Fast-forward to where I am currently in my career (a senior Major, about to pin on LtCol), and serving at one of the highest-level commands. Even thinking about lone-wolfing it brings about immediate feelings of dread. I don’t even consider it a last resort – it is not an option. Simply put, it is crucial that you are able to work with others. This will require some imagination on your part to find solutions that are mutually beneficial, a willingness to meet in the middle, and copious amounts of patience.
Here are some recommendations for getting past your lone wolf stage:
- Learn how your organization is structured, the roles within, and the different characters.
- Empathy, empathy, then attempt some more empathy.
- Use the power of the many. You can get more done as a member of a team.
- Consider what happens when you leave. Can this be sustained?
Something else to remember is that the institution has a memory. The choices you make have an impact well beyond the current moment. Work with people when you don’t have to. Help people who are technically outside of your mandate. When critical and close decisions are made, be gracious when it goes your way, and tempered when it does not. It is remarkable how frequently Marines I have worked with previously have stumbled back into my professional life. If you were a good teammate before, it will likely be remembered. If you were not, it is a GUARANTEE it will be remembered.