Of the principles of leadership, knowing yourself and seeking self-improvement come first. To accomplish this, leaders need a link to their past, to understand themselves better in the present and to guide them into the future. A personal journal can provide that link. In the more than nine years that I have kept a daily journal, I have found many ways to use my entries to enhance my leadership abilities.
As a second lieutenant range officer-in-charge for division and Marine Corps rifle matches in spring 1987, I was faced with a leadership challenge involving a field grade officer. This competitor— nicknamed “Stormin’ Norman”—was very intense and aggressive in seeking out what he felt was best for his Marines. His quest for a competitive edge resulted in numerous verbal confrontations with me, often at the top of his voice in the center of the firing line during shooting. I listened to his tirades and always corrected whatever problems he perceived.
In four weeks of shooting I documented ten such confrontations in my journal. I thought being the target of a field grade officer’s anger was part of my duties as the officer-in-charge, as long as my Marines were not affected adversely. Still, the confrontations frustrated me. Matters came to a head during my lunch break off the range, when “Stormin’ Norman” trapped my gunnery sergeant in my office and verbally abused him. I was outraged. I wrote in my journal:
I was hot about the Major jumping into another of my Marines (he got all over [a lance corporal] on the morning of 27 April for not issuing him ammo at 0550—we issue ammo at 0600). ... I decided that the Major had gone far enough.
That same day I worked through my chain of command and complained. I was able to present specific documentation of the major’s behavior to my commanding officer. The next morning, my gunnery sergeant and I received an apology from the major. I am convinced that my journal entries in the hands of my lieutenant colonel were the key reasons for the major’s dramatic attitude change.
Journal entries also can help on the administrative side. For example. I have pulled from my entries bits of information that, when expanded, helped me write solid award recommendations for my deserving Marines. I also have consulted my journal when I have been asked for letters of reference by Marines who have left my units or left the Corps. I remember one Marine who called from his new unit, desperately seeking an enlistment extension in order to get promoted. I skimmed through the entries relating to that Marine’s time of service with me. Details from my entries triggered more memories and provided me with a wealth of information. A few months later, that Marine thanked me and said that my letter was responsible for his extension and his promotion.
Keeping a journal provides leaders with a medium for self-expression. Our warfighting doctrine demands leaders who demonstrate bold thinking, moral courage, and decisiveness. Yet leaders also are followers, expected to respond with a hearty “Aye, Aye, Sir!” once an order is issued. All military leaders accept a restricted freedom of speech and recognize tact as a leadership trait.
So where and how do leaders resolve these conflicting ideals? Leaders need a suitable outlet, away from subordinates’ ears—especially if the situation involves disagreement with a superior officer. The outlet chosen should offer an opportunity for reflection to understand the decision. A journal meets both these criteria.
Journal keeping can help leaders identify their strengths and weaknesses and set personal goals. My rifle score has improved from 214 to 239—an improvement I largely credit to the more than five hundred lines I have written in my journals during yearly requalifications. These quotes document some lessons learned from my rifle range experiences:
At two hundred yards slow fire I’m at my worst. (1986). . . The best advice [the coach] gave me was to take two deep breaths instead of one before I slow fire. I take one to give me a good sight picture/sight alignment on target and the second relaxes me right before commencing my trigger squeeze.
(1990) . . . [Our coach] told us about plotting [our] previous shot and calling [our] current shot after each round down range. This saves time. (1993)
Leaders also must know how to inspire others to accomplish assigned missions. How can journals help? My best example comes from when I joined the staff at The Basic School. My first assignment was as a staff platoon commander (SPC) in two consecutive student companies. Lacking experience, I learned about lieutenants from my journal entries from when I was a student.
The most useful entries were the ones that expressed how I would do things differently if I got the chance. The following quotations are excerpts from some of the most memorable counseling Captain Lehmann received from Second Lieutenant Lehmann:
The platoon commanders were told exactly how to do everything and if they deviated from the plan they got yelled at. That may be the best way to ensure everything gets done, but we don’t learn as much as we would if we could do it our own way. ... All he does is yell at us if anything goes a little wrong. I'm not saying don’t blast people when they deserve it, but don’t do it all the time. He should be ready, willing, and able to talk to us if we have a problem. As it is, nobody will talk to him because he always makes you feel like an idiot.
From the counseling I received from Second Lieutenant Lehmann, I realized that I did not know everything. I learned a lot from my lieutenants, probably more than they realized.
“Looking back is the surest way of looking forward,” said J. F. C. Fuller, the noted military historian. A journal is a valuable tool for those who recognize that the leadership challenges of today and tomorrow can be solved by analyzing yesterday’s leadership experiences.
Major Lehmann, a 1994 graduate of Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, is assistant operations officer for 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton.