The Corporate Soldier

“Live to win, dare to fail.”
—Metallica, “Carpe Diem, Baby”

Business: The glorious manifestation of a group of people organized together to conduct commerce. Within any such organization lies hierarchies of line personnel, support staff, and the managers at all levels which add value to the venture at every step along the way. A well-functioning and efficient organization possesses well-trained individuals throughout the strata of a company. Organizations—non-profits, governmental organizations, and business concerns from the smallest “Ma and Pop” sorts through the largest sprawling multi-national corporate conglomerates—are clustered within this definition of “corporate.”

Wikipedia defines soldier as the following:

“A soldier is a person who has enlisted with, or has been conscripted into, the armed forces of a sovereign country and has undergone training and received equipment to defend that country or its interests. In most countries, the term soldier is limited to such people who serve in the land branch of the armed services (usually known as the army). Armies are strictly hierarchical societies, and within them, groups of soldiers are usually divided into military units of some kind.”

The key points here are that soldiers are professionally trained, equipped, and that they work in groups of all sizes towards the end of an organization’s interests. While the hierarchical structures of organizations have evolved, certain universal truths are true of successful individuals within their respective successful organizations.

“Organization doesn't really accomplish anything. Plans don't accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don't much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.”
—General Colin Powell, U.S. Army (Retired)

All of the posts in this forum have been to the end of developing the premise and paradigm for this Corporate Soldier: A man or woman capable of leading, in whichever capacity or level they serve in the organization, properly trained and equipped to do serve the interests of the organization by organizing resources and doing commerce.

“Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered).”
—Julius Caesar, said in an address to the Roman Senate regarding his victory at the Battle of Zela in 47 B.C.

The Corporate Soldier is not limited to non-managerial personnel, either. In the military, especially in units with a reasonable combat probability, it is firmly implanted into the minds of each troop that it is necessary to know and be able to serve in the position that is two rungs higher on the hierarchical ladder than one’s own. Nothing changes more constantly, unpredictably, and forcibly as a combat environment: Because of this, soldiers know that they must reasonably be able to serve in multiple capacities within their area of influence. Just as a rank-and-file worker must be ready to take on the job duties of their supervisor or one of their colleagues, the supervisor or manager must be able to take on the roles of his or her colleagues or subordinates.

Furthermore, everyone—Everyone—is a leader in an organization. The typical leadership paradigm within many organizations is those in supervisory, managerial, executive, or select staff positions. The modern organization, the new paradigm in the information age, is to democratize leadership: Accountability and responsibility at all levels, in all roles, within the organization. Decentralization further increases effectiveness, efficiency, and creates a more direct link between the needs of the situation with the capabilities of the portion of the organization handling it.

So, I invite you to read on and learn how to be one of today’s, one of tomorrow’s, corporate soldiers—leaders that are around to enhance, shape, and add value to the world around them.