4 Quick Lessons That I Learned in the Camps
You get to know a lot about yourself and others when you are locked up 24/7 for months and years in a Vietnam POW camp. During those times we shared stories of our lives���and in those conditions there was no pretending; we heard about successes and failures. Also, in that environment, we had courageous leaders who set an amazing example. Looking back, it was great training.
Here are 4 lessons that I learned – ����
Believe in yourself and listen to those who believe in you. The first time I went into the torture chamber and eventually gave in, agreeing to complete the three-page biography, I was devastated and overcome with shame. When I got back to my cell, my SRO (senior ranking officer), Capt. Ken Fisher, expressed his pride in me for my resistance and his confidence that I���d done my best and that was what mattered. His faith in me helped me bounce back and be ready to resist even stronger and longer the next time I was called out.
In the camps it became clear that the more you believed in yourself and who you really are, the more courage and confidence you had to stand firm by your character and commitments.
Make decisions and take ownership. In the larger rooms in the camps, sometimes there would be something that was problematic and needed to be addressed. We didn���t ignore or sidestep it. We took responsibility and addressed it immediately. My observation is that this is a big challenge in our culture today. People seem less and less likely to address a problem, letting it slide and perhaps assuming someone else will take care of it.
Don���t walk by problems and ignore them. When you see something that needs attention, either make it right or find the person who does own it and tell them to do it.
Stay connected with your teammates and leaders. The POWs often risked their lives to stay connected. When you are connected, you can be a strong team and achieve your goals The Courageous Accountability Model below and our book and online course really take this home by addressing these four Cs: Clarify, Connect, Collaborate, Celebrate.
Be courageous and live and lead with honor. The POW motto was really our mission, vision, and values in three words: Return with Honor. Thankfully, we had the Military Code of Conduct to guide us. But we all need clear standards to help us stay loyal to our values. We encourage you to download a copy of the Honor Code and Courage Challenge Card. They will guide you and help you coach yourself to be the person you want to be.
We must all learn to lean into the pain of our doubts and fears to courageously engage to do our duty, to keep our commitments, to be responsible, and to hold ourselves and others accountable.
You can also read and watch the entire coaching article on this topic – “4 Leadership Lessons Learned Under Pressure”
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