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The original of this article was written by a man who devoted 2,5 years of his life to serving in one of the elite units of the Israeli troops. During this time, he learned several truths that to this day help him achieve his goal in a peaceful life and in business.
Dan Schoenbaum, current CEO of Redbooth and former Israeli army sergeant.
I grew up in the United States but volunteered to spend 2,5 years of my life in one of Israel’s toughest military units.
I never thought about getting involved in the military, but in college I came across a review of A Purity of Arms: An American in the Israeli Army. This piece resonated with me. The opportunity to join the military and try to be part of a small elite group fascinated me.
I read with curiosity about the seemingly impossible challenges described in the book. That was the start of my path to becoming a sniper in an airborne unit.
I arrived in Israel with no friends, no family, no support, knowing only a few words of Hebrew. After 6 months I mastered the language, and the next 2 years were spent for me in grueling physical training and training in teamwork under pressure. I returned from there a completely different person, with a set of invaluable knowledge and leadership skills that help me to this day.
These life lessons I learned while in Israel have shaped my personality and the way I communicate with the teams I manage today. Here are 5 lessons I learned:
You gotta deserve it
When a soldier joins a combat unit in the Israeli military, he has nothing. Each item of equipment is earned by hard work and incredible efforts. This culminates in a 128-kilometer march, for the successful completion of which the fighter is awarded a beret. Each task seems difficult or even impossible, but only at first.
There were days when it seemed to me that I could not complete the test, but every time I completed it, even if for this my colleague had to carry me the last mile. It taught me to feel confident in myself and in my team.
The lesson I have learned from this is that you can always discover the ability within you to overcome the most difficult challenges. As you practice this principle, you will develop a strong sense of being able to achieve anything you set your mind to.
Unite to «take that hill»
In the army, we are just a bunch of guys with guns, but only until we have a task with clear goals from the command. The commanders could tell us which hill to take, but they never told us how to get to it — the solution of this problem was always on us.
The commanders constantly urged us to work as a team in order to work out together the best possible solution to achieve the goal. I learned to be a protector and support for my team, giving them space to grow and make mistakes. Together we learned from our mistakes, and this collective experience allowed us to find other ways to solve the problem and not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Of particular importance is the management of the team, based on simple strategic goals, enabling everyone to believe in their abilities and feel a niche in which they can succeed.
The leader must be a generalist, not a specialist
Effective leaders are generalists who hire outstanding people. One cannot be an expert in everything, but one must know enough in various areas to manage a team and intervene when necessary.
As in a sport where a football coach must understand the nuances of the game in every part of the field, an effective leader needs a wide range of training. You may be an expert at one thing, but understanding what’s going on (and how it’s done) is vital.
In business, I see it this way: instead of spending your entire career working in the marketing department, spend some time working in the sales department, in the business development department, and then return to the marketing group. This will give you a much broader view of all aspects of the business, allowing you to approach work with a better vision of the situation as a whole.
Get ready to get your hands dirty
The experience of military service affects the life of every person in this small state. All men must serve a minimum of 3 years, and even women serve 2 years.
You won’t get that kind of experience at any Ivy League university. I have worked side by side with men and women who exude a spirit of leadership and self-confidence. It’s hard to find something like this anywhere else.
There was no concept of unworthy work. Commanders, officers and sergeants were covered in mud, sleeping in tents, marching. If we were freezing, wet to the skin, or left without sleep, then they were in the same position and condition. This approach to service contributed to building and strengthening mutual respect in the team. You don’t ask a co-worker for something you wouldn’t do yourself.
Oftentimes, working together as a team gives much better results and helps to hold the team together on the path to a common goal.
Fall down five times, get up sixth
The main lesson I learned is that you can achieve anything you can think of. If a door is slammed in front of you, find a way to solve the problem so that you can get through that door.
We knew that in the end we would have to walk 128 kilometers to get a green beret. At first, no one on the team believed it was possible. However, in the process of training, mentors nurture in you the confidence that allows you to sincerely believe in the possibility of this march. Through this experience, we have learned to stay focused and keep moving towards the goal.
In a business setting, we often see colleagues give up and refuse to move on, but with some courage and the right leadership, a leader can help them gain the confidence to get up and succeed again. I manage my teams in such a way that they have the right to make mistakes, but always learn from these mistakes.
If I try to reduce all my experience to one sentence, then I would call it the knowledge of the possibilities that open up when there is a feeling of mutual support within the team. Without your team, you are nothing.