What’s the best leadership model? Or, is there even such a thing as a leadership model? Can it be the Marine Corps? Well, the Marine Corps is a well-respected mobile fighting unit that gets its mission done. And, some businesses are implementing its leadership model.
Part of the Marine Corps leadership model is the ‘rule-of-three.’ A person should limit his or her attention to three tasks or goals. It’s pretty simple. There are infinite possibilities in any situation, which can short circuit decision-making. The rule-of-three says cut down the options to three alternative courses of action. Otherwise, a marine or anyone becomes overextended and confused especially in stressful situations such as in a fire-fight. A corporal has a three-person fire team; a sergeant has a squad of three fire teams; a lieutenant has three squads; and so on. Since everyone is taught to be an effective decision-maker, authority is pushed to the lowest level.[i]
[i] Freedman, David, “Corps Values,” Inc. Magazine, April, 1998, pp. 54.63.