09/09/2022
“Leaders eat last” A simple practice in the military that GOOD leadership always conducts. What this means is the men lower ranking then the leader eat before the leader. While this ensures they get food, it also instills other principles in the military.
Notice I capitalized good, because a good leader will always put his men first. In all things, if the unit triumphs, the praise is for the men. He will put them in for awards and accolades, but he won’t include himself. If the unit fails, the blame falls on the leader. He will take that ass chewing, because ultimately the success and failure of his unit is on him. A good leader will not punish his men for his failures as a leader.
Leaders eat last is such a small thing truthfully but it speaks volumes about a leader. A leader that eats before his men is a leader that only cares about himself.
Perhaps someone should have taught this concept to Sheriff Gerald Baker….a man the got so angry when he couldn’t be the center of attention at a deputies funeral that he has reassigned K-9 deputies to areas of responsibility that are lesser then the posting they held. Claiming it was to broaden their careers and that he didn’t need to state what reasons he chose those people because of a policy that protects private information. Basically he said “ I can do what I want and I don’t have to tell you why”
But the people demoted or re-assigned were the ones who planned the funeral or presented the flag to the family PER THE FAMILIES Request. A good leader would have gladly accommodated the families request rather than present them with the flag himself, because this day isn’t about the leader, it’s about the fallen and their family. A good leader would have moved mountains to honor their fallen and not deny assistance from other agencies that would ensure the fallens co-workers can attend the funeral. A good leader would have made his speech about all the great things the fallen have done or accomplished, not about himself.
Leaders eat last - a concept Baker hardly lives by.