The Eighteen Traits of Good Soldiers and Leaders

 I was listening to the Jocko podcast and the latest episode detailed an old Korean War era study about what makes a good soldier and leader.  The list could have been made in 2026.  Here are the traits.


The 18 Essential Traits for Combat & Leadership
  1. Combat Know-How: Mastering the technical and tactical skills of your job.
  2. Staying on Task Under Pressure: Maintaining focus on the mission despite extreme stress.
  3. Remaining Calm: Controlling your physiological and emotional response to danger.
  4. Taking Care of Gear: Understanding that your equipment is your life and your team's life.
  5. Putting the Team First: Avoiding selfishness and prioritizing the group's needs over personal comfort.
  6. Giving Clear Leadership: Providing simple, actionable directions that everyone understands.
  7. Fair Leadership: Treating subordinates with consistency and justice.
  8. Taking Quick Appropriate Action: Making timely decisions rather than being paralyzed by analysis.
  9. Controlling Emotions: Not allowing anger or fear to dictate actions.
  10. Avoiding Excuses: Taking full ownership of outcomes rather than blaming external factors.
  11. Building Trust: Sharing the same risks as your team to earn their respect.
  12. Being Consistent: Ensuring your behavior and standards don't fluctuate with your mood.
  13. Robustness Under Stress: The physical and mental durability to withstand prolonged hardship.
  14. Boldness: Willingness to take calculated risks when the situation demands it.
  15. Common Sense: Applying practical judgment rather than just following rigid scripts.
  16. Logistics Mindset: Understanding the practicalities of how your team is fed, fueled, and supplied.
  17. Staying Connected to Troops: Maintaining a pulse on the morale and physical state of your team.
  18. Initiative and Intelligence: Using your brain to solve problems independently on the battlefield.
Jocko emphasizes that these "field-tested" lessons from 1951 are timeless, applying directly to modern business and personal growth.
You can listen to the full breakdown on the Jocko Podcast official site or via Apple Podcasts.

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