Mechanics vs. Leadership

Since taking command, I've learned something, though I'm not sure exactly when: Being a company commander has less to do with mechanics -- the day to day slog of deadlines -- and more to do with direction.

That's not to say the mechanics are not important, but that mechanics are just a baseline -- a bare minimum. If you really want to have an impact, you have to explain where you want things to go, and guide things toward that end state.

To go even further -- to have a lasting impact -- you need to build a culture that values the long term. One of the things I hope to leave behind by the time I'm done is a list of *how* to do things. There's no reason the next guy shouldn't have a better jump on things than I have.