Veterans Day is a national holiday, set aside as a formal opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the selfless sacrifices made by those who have served in the U.S. military. As the Mom of an Army veteran, I am forever thankful for his safe return and in awe of the experiences he had in Afghanistan and Iraq. If you have an opportunity today (or, any day), thank a veteran for his/her service to our country and to the cause of freedom around the world.
We often hear about values-based leadership in business. Did you know that the core values of the Army are identified by the acronym LDRSHIP? Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage.
The Army Values document offers a comprehensive definition of each value and I enourage you to follow the link and read the entire definition. As you read the summary statements below, extracted from the document, consider how they apply well beyond the military, especially in your leadership role today.
Loyalty: A loyal soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow soldiers.
Duty: Fulfill your obligations. Duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team.
Respect: Treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others to do the same.
Selfless Service: The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer how he or she can add to the effort.
Honor: Honor is a matter of carrying out, acting, and living the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything you do.
Integrity: Do what is right, legally and morally. Do and say nothing that deceives others.
Personal Courage: You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable.
If you are in a position of leadership, consider LDRSHIP in all you do. If you are an American, thank a veteran for their leadership and service. Most importantly, if you are a veteran, I thank you.
