Ken Robbins

**Executive Presence: Essential Elements and Importance Among Military Leaders** Executive presence is a multifaceted quality that combines gravitas, communication skills, and appearance to create an aura of leadership. Gravitas, the cornerstone of executive presence, involves exuding confidence, decisiveness, and emotional intelligence. Military leaders, in particular, must embody gravitas to inspire trust and respect among their subordinates and peers. This quality enables them to remain composed under pressure, make sound decisions quickly, and demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, all of which are crucial in high-stakes environments. Effective communication is another critical element of executive presence. Military leaders must convey their vision and directives clearly and persuasively to ensure mission success. This includes the ability to listen actively, articulate thoughts succinctly, and adapt their communication style to different audiences. In the military context, where orders need to be understood and executed precisely, strong communication skills foster unity, prevent misunderstandings, and enhance overall operational efficiency. Appearance also plays a significant role in executive presence. For military leaders, maintaining a sharp and professional appearance is not merely about aesthetics but about setting an example for discipline and attention to detail. A leader who is meticulously groomed and well-dressed commands respect and signals to others that they take their role seriously. This visual aspect of executive presence helps to reinforce authority and cultivate a culture of excellence and accountability within the ranks. The importance of executive presence among military leaders cannot be overstated. It directly impacts their ability to lead effectively, inspire confidence, and maintain order and morale. Leaders with strong executive presence are better equipped to handle the complexities and demands of military operations, fostering a cohesive and motivated team. Ultimately, the presence of such leaders ensures that the military remains a formidable and respected institution, capable of achieving its strategic objectives and safeguarding national security.

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Ep 329: Grit and Mental Preparation for Air Force Special Warfare https://lnkd.in/gJnSH4kW Aaron Love Trenton Seegmiller We often get asked, "What is grit, and how will I be evaluated on that attribute at the Air Force Special Warfare Assessment and Selection, or A&S, course? How do I prepare?" Well, we got you. Grit, mental fortitude, or the willingness to continue in the face of uncertainty can *most certainly* be trained and built. In this enlightening conversation, Aaron and Peach delve into the significance of mental fortitude and the means to bolster the mind before embarking on the pipeline journey. They stress the importance of honoring commitments and persevering through discomfort. They also highlight the power of reshaping one's mindset and embracing the identity of a person who follows through without making excuses. Additionally, they discuss the value of self-regulation, managing reactions, and maintaining emotional balance. They place emphasis on the concept of reach-back moments, both physically and mentally, as crucial preparation for the challenges ahead. Jared and Aaron also underscore the significance of mental fortitude and its cultivation. They emphasize the need for resilience and the capacity to surmount obstacles. They expound on the idea of drawing strength from past experiences during reach-back moments to navigate adversity. Furthermore, they advocate for dependability, fulfilling commitments, and prioritizing others. They underscore the importance of mental preparedness and being comfortable with starting from the bottom. Overall, they offer valuable insights and strategies for fortifying the mind. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Call to Action 01:03 Building Mental Fortitude: Follow Through and Finish What You Start 06:19 Self-Regulation: Managing Reactions and Avoiding Extremes 09:06 Avoiding Catastrophizing and Focusing on Priorities 13:43 Recognizing Situations and Self-Regulating Emotional Responses 23:31 Managing Road Rage and Reaching Back to Past Experiences 28:41 Building Mental Fortitude 31:06 The Power of Reach Back Moments 35:01 Dependability and Commitment 38:46 Selflessness and Teamwork 46:11 The Importance of Mental Preparation 50:03 Starting at the Bottom Join this channel to get access to perks: https://lnkd.in/gFWiye3b

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Ladies and Gentlemen, Those of you who attended United States Army Human Resources Command's Conversation With Industry Event (#CWI2024) a few weeks ago got the opportunity to hear Major General Tom Drew describe his "Moonshots". What are the big, audacious goals that he wants to solve over the coming years. These don't represent concrete requirements but are more "themes" that we want help thinking about. There are better ways for us to: ☑ See the Army - We have to find a better way to model inventory against requirements and better assess those joining the Army. ☑ See the Solider - Today we equate Skill and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). A Soldier is more than their rank and job title. How do we differenctiate the skills and map strengths to Army needs and Soldier preferences. ☑ See the Future - How do we forecast needs 5 years from now and provide a new level of predictability. How do we model that forecast and assess the impact on future readiness. If you weren't able to attend or you lost your notes from the event and you want to know what is keeping senior leaders awake, take a look at the graphic Maria Rice McClure from the HRC Public Affairs Team made to summarize the goals. Patricia Bourgeois Houchin | Christopher Ruga | Kris Saling | Greg Johnson | The Adjutant General Directorate | Karl Anderson | Guy Timberlake | Dolores Kuchina-Musina, Ph.D. | Raj Sharma | Becky Weirick |

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Just found an absolute gem from the U.S. Army: Building Cohesive and Adaptive Teams. At first glance, you might think it’s all about military strategy, but WOW—it’s packed with lessons that are pure gold for any workplace. 💡 Here are a few takeaways that hit home for me: ✅ 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Teams thrive when trust is earned and reinforced every day. It’s about creating a space where people feel safe to speak up and support each other. ✅ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Adaptive teams are built by giving members the autonomy to act, take risks, and learn from mistakes. ✅ 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁: Embracing change is no longer optional—it’s survival. Teams that practice adaptability can pivot faster and thrive under pressure. ✅ 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Different perspectives lead to creative problem-solving and innovative solutions. Diverse experiences = a more capable team. Honestly, this guide feels just as relevant to startups, corporate teams, and even non-profits as it does to military operations. 🌍 If you’re into PMI methodologies, SHRM principles, SCRUM frameworks, or Agile strategies, you’ll find these ideas resonate. Curious—how are YOU building adaptability in your team? Let’s swap tips! 👇 Here is the link: https://lnkd.in/ecckzc6w #Leadership #TeamBuilding #Adaptability #PMI #SHRM #SCRUM #AgileTeams #AgileLeadership #AgileMindset #WorkplaceCulture #AgilityInBusiness #GrowthMindset #OrganizationalDevelopment #Resilience #Innovation #DiversityInclusion

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A team effort, our latest in Marine Corps Gazette, and the winner of this year's Hogaboom #Leadership #Writing Contest! Christopher Denzel, Dennis Dunbar, Cory Frederick, and myself co-authored this article on #collegial leadership. Leadership style are many and varied. Some are more appropriate for different people, and for different occasions. But we generally associate leading in the #MarineCorps with #command, and expectations for how #commanders should lead. The fact of the matter is, most Marine officers will spend only a heartbeat of their careers in command. Most will command briefly, and only while captains. Over the course of a career, you are usually in a staff position, and must lead while working alongside teams over which you have little authority. If this is the case, how can we optimize our leadership style for these jobs? Chris, Dennis, Cory, and myself got an awful lot of experience doing this as Operational Planning Team (OPT) leaders during our 0505 payback tours, working with OPT's at the MSC, MEF, MARFOR, and CCDR levels, and in joint, multinational and interagency environments. We learned how to serve as #collegial leaders, how to set conditions to create collaborative environments where we can distill the most useful efforts out of a motley crew of varied personalities, while under a time constraint, and still achieve our commander's intent and deliver the right work on behalf of an executive leader - despite having no real authority over the individuals involved. This article discusses some of the insights we gained during that time, and hope it can help others succeed as well. Give it a look! #PME #WriteFightWin #ReadFightWin

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🌟 A Veteran's Perspective: How Data-Driven Support Transforms My VA Experience 🌟 As a proud veteran and beneficiary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services, I am continually inspired by the transformative power of data-driven support in enhancing my total business experiences within the VA ecosystem. 🇺🇸💼 The personalized care and seamless journey I have experienced at the VA are a direct result of their strategic use of data analytics. From streamlined healthcare access to tailored educational benefits and career guidance, every interaction is optimized to meet my unique needs as a veteran. 📊💡 Through data-driven insights, the VA ensures that my benefits are processed efficiently, my appointments are scheduled promptly, and my overall well-being is prioritized. The commitment to leveraging data to improve services has not only made my experience as a veteran more convenient but also more meaningful and impactful. 🌟🤝 I am grateful for the VA's dedication to empowering veterans like myself through data-driven support. By continuously refining their services based on data analysis, the VA exemplifies a commitment to excellence and a deep respect for those who have served our country. 🙌🎖️ #VeteranVoices #DataTransforms #CustomerExperience #VAExcellence

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The poison of popularity. This article’s talks about the dangers of pursuing being liked over making hard decision or difficult conversations. It applies outside of the military also. https://lnkd.in/gAgyK4eh

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Is it wrong to call a senior officer by their first name? Depends on where you work. It’s not disrespectful in the civilian sector. Not should it be considred disrespectful in many contexts in the #military. Not every officer relationship is one of command or supervision. Not every rank relationship is relevant. In fact, as we argue, in many staff contexts, rank can get in the way of #leadership. In others, attempts to leverage or insist on rank can be detrimental to leadership, especially when that leadership must be exercised across a staff. Many thanks to Brian, Dennis, and Cory for being great teammates and great coaches. To myself and the rest of the III MEF staff.

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A study is being done to assist current #transitioningservicemembers with salary expectations. If you have separated or retired, you know that the 'unknowns' are tough- especially when it comes to compensation.

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We've been getting a lot of questions from our vendor partners and other organizations about the U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) restructure and where US Army Recruiting - Innovation Directorate fits in all of this, where the DCG job that opened up this week fits, and so forth. It's changed a bit since the original announcements, and since I do a lot of your outward-facing vendor engagement (reverse business development?), I made a little cheat chart to help show how it all fits together (graphics design is not one of my KSBs, so bear with me). The team is in the process of establishing the new three-star Recruiting Command headquarters at Fort Knox. Which will, from the guidance we have, be called USAREC. New HQ, three star, old name. The main purpose (not official, not approved, just my description) for this 3*HQ is to provide leadership and strategic directions for all activities involved with Army talent acquisition. Underneath that organization, there will be a number of different deputy commanding generals and directorates - one 2* DCG at Fort Knox, one Tier-2 SES DCG in the Pentagon (the position we advertised this week), the Innovation Directorate led by a Tier-1 SES (watch for that announcement next week), and the Medical Directorate. There are a bunch of other roles and functions in there, but those are the big ones. There will also be, underneath that organization, the existing commands in the Army recruiting enterprise - US Army Cadet Command, Army Enterprise Marketing Office, and Enlisted Recruiting Command (current USAREC). Keep this handy when you see our hiring announcements, and for you vendors out there, when you're looking to see what organization you should engage for what mission! #ArmyRecruiting #RecruitingTransformation #Engagement

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I had an insightful conversation with a great leader today about the importance of investing in people. It's crucial to remember that we all go through transitions, and some organizations and individuals prioritize ensuring a smooth process. #InvestingInPeople #ProfessionalGrowth

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A couple of weeks ago I attended the Congressionally mandated Transition Assistance Program hosted by the Military & Family Readiness Center at #USAFA. I’m a month into trying to wrap my head around what I’ve done in deciding to retire from military service. Here are 3 things I got from the presentations: -         There are a ton of resources available to service members transitioning from military to civilian life. From national organizations you would expect like the DAV, VFW, and local Vet Centers to experts and volunteers who have a heart for helping separating/retiring military members get re-integrated into a work culture some of us have not been a part of for decades. Shout out to Lida Citroën for her discussion on personal branding, something most of us haven’t done in a long time. For us, the focus is on the team, mission, etc., separating ourselves from the team doesn’t come naturally so this was timely information. -         Veteran’s Affairs benefits are complex. Since 1789, the federal government has had responsibility for the management of the veterans. Since the VA was promoted to a cabinet level position in the 1930s, the scope of health and other benefits has changed and morphed into what we see today: health, mental health, tuition assistance for veteran, spouse, and/or children (aka Post 9/11 GI-Bill), home loan guarantees, and many others. -         Future employment is anxiety inducing.  Maybe not for everyone, but for me it is. I will have a nice pension from my 24 years of service, but the intangible benefits to military service are so value-added that I’m not actually going to receive 60% of my pay.  When you add in the variable allowances, incentive pay, and tax breaks, it’s going to work out to about 36%. So now I feel the pressure to make up that 64%. It’s daunting – will my skills translate? Is there going to be a job that lines up with my timing? How do I even look for a job? The last time I did this all I had to do was sign a few pieces of paper and then shave my head! Even still, I know a ton of people have done this before me and thankfully there are people and organizations out there willing and able to help. I just have to keep focused on what I’ve learned and trust that what I learned is designed to help in the transition.

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In my experience working with multidisciplinary performance teams, such as the POTFF and H2F programs, I have observed that for many Service Members, the "Physical Domain" often serves as the entry point (gateway drug) to other areas of well-being. Younger individuals, new to the military, typically prioritize physical performance, which naturally draws them to gyms and coaches. Conversely, Service Members with more experience, who may have accumulated physical wear and tear, tend to focus more on addressing pain, leading them to seek out Physical Therapists. As the initial points of contact, coaches and PTs play a critical role in identifying any potential gaps in a Service Member's sleep, nutrition, or stress management practices. By connecting these areas of concern to the individual’s primary focus, whether physical performance or pain relief, coaches and PTs can effectively encourage broader engagement with other domains and services, thereby improving overall well-being.

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Super frustrated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post-911 GI Bill benefits and the process. First, MilConnect is the system we have to use to transfer benefits, but it doesn’t communicate with the VA system. There’s no way to make them talk presently. However, MilConnect is where the military member has to make transfer adjustments, but they don’t get updated in the VA system unless there's a triggering event, which seems to be a bit opaque. If you don’t have VA adjustments completed correctly at the time of final benefit exhaustion, it can cost you days and dollars of benefits. I’ve spoken to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs multiple times to adjust my final record for my child’s benefits. Each time, they assure me it will be fixed, but every new semester, I face the same issue. Other problems include VA customer service being helpful but not allowed to keep notes on the record unless they complete an action, so pending actions don’t get saved. This means you lose all history of past interactions to fix issues if they were never resolved. I am now being told to 'call back' for the same issue for the 5th time in a year. We need to fix this. Sarah Daughton - need your help #Veterans #Education #GIBill #Military #VA #HigherEducation #Frustration #ProcessImprovement

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🔹Technology & Relationships 🔹 This was the 8th Marine Corps District Headquarters "Server Farm" in 1996, connecting the 1st, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 12th Marine Corps Districts to the Eastern and Western Recruiting Districts (ERR/WRR) and the Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) Headquarters. In March 1996, we would dial into each other's servers and stay connected for approximately 15 minutes to pass data so that email would be sent and received for the day all at once. That was considered a success and was all that was affordable at the time due to meticulous management and scrutiny of telecommunication billing rates 💰💰💰 ⬇️ If it didn't directly contribute to recruiting numbers 🎯 it was highly scrutinized and information technology was not yet appreciated 😞 Less than a month later, we, using MCRC 💲, implemented a frame relay network allowing us to connect throughout the day (mostly) enabling basic communication and the value began to materialize (slowly) 🎉🎉🎉 The information campaign was slow, unappreciated, and painful to be honest. Tying the value of technology to the recruiting mission, understanding the mission, and connecting the dots became my life 🥴 ➡️ The next task was to develop a network architecture to connect the subordinate recruiting commands (Recruiting Stations). This would require technology and training Marines who had never touched a computer, eventually evolving into the Marine Corps Recruiting Support System (MCRSS). I had a blast teaching these leaders (Career Recruiters) how to use technology since I always found myself at the edge of technology from middle school, learning programming with my TRS-80, building home networks, etc... having no idea where that would one day lead 🤓 ⭐️ But the real secret was in learning the Marine Corps' Recruiting Professional Selling Skills (PSS) curriculum so I could speak their language and understand their requirement - First, before offering technology solutions ✨ I am so grateful for the leaders who thought me to understand my customer first as a core skill set that helped form my foundation very early on 🙏🏽 Then the real relationships began 🔶 Beyond the laughs and, to be honest, brutal criticism from successful senior enlisted and officers who didn't need technology to excel at their jobs, came great relationships 🤝 This led to invitations to numerous recruiting events to serve as a #speaker and trainer throughout the District's 13 state region training hundreds of leaders as a first lieutenant who was honestly winging it most days. While we demonstrated Moore's law in real time, building valuable relationships well before social networking is what really made the difference 😊 No cybersecurity, no rules, lots of mistakes, broad commander's intent, but genuine connections with great memories ❤️

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Tired of the endless discussion about last night's presidential debate? Take a break and listen to my recent guest appearance on the "Moments in Leadership" podcast, just released! 🎙️ I share my thoughts on the latest ideas about talent management (hint: there's a better way), the future operating environment, a story about being covered in leeches, and the never-ending question I always get about opportunities for SgtMaj & MGySgt. Discover insights on leadership, ethical decision-making, and personal growth.

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#Mentorship happens all the time in the United States Marine Corps. This is often voluntary and deliberate, but also spontaneous and incidental. Good #leaders make mentoring their business, and hungry #Marines seek out good guidance from those who've walked the path they seek to walk in the future. But sometimes, mentoring opportunities are few and far between. Perhaps your leaders are from a different occupational field or specialty, and can't offer you the depth of guidance you're looking for. Or perhaps you're in a formation where mentorship opportunities are not as abundant as you'd like. Either way, it is helpful to have another means by which to seek the guidance you need to plan your future. I'm grateful that today's information environment offers a plethora of tools by which mentoring can be achieved. I've fostered more mentor-protoge relationships via social media than I can recall. But still, not every #Marine may have developed networks on platforms like this one by which they can seek out and find the right mentor for them. The below MARADMIN announces the 'Mentors for Marines' pilot. It will test a new way in which Marines can either volunteer to serve as mentors, or seek out mentors who may offer guidance. It's exact form is as yet undetermined, and like most new pilots, it will inevitably demonstrate room for growth and change over time. But if you want to help the Corps develop this mechanism - or perhaps help the Corps determine that this just isn't the right program for mentorship - participation is key. To help the #USMC find the right next steps in providing a viable and organized mentoring platform, sign up to support the pilot today. #LeadFightWin https://lnkd.in/eVyabVD7

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Are education benefits for service members a matter of national security? In Military Times, military education pathways expert Meg O'Grady from National University urges policymakers to strengthen and expand DoD tuition assistance benefits for military service members with a stronger focus on credentials focused on re-entry to the civilian workforce. "Amid escalating global tensions and a challenging recruitment landscape, the United States will need to intensify its efforts to maintain a robust and capable military. Enhancing and modernizing education benefits represents an investment in both the individual futures of our service members and the long-term security of the nation." #HigherEducation #MilitaryBenefits #TuitionAssistance

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