Know Your Job

Be Technically and Tactically Proficient

In the "civilian" world, we have to approach leadership in a view that doesn't necessarily include war. War or not, leadership requires us to be the best we can be while performing in excellence.

Technically Proficient

A businessman, pastor, governing official, officers in the military, NCOs and any other leader cannot properly function without having a hold on the basic levels of their position. Knowing the basics forms our foundation as we grow in the vision for our organization and operate in it.

Being technically proficient requires various forms of education. As a minister, I have taken leadership courses offered by my denomination, I graduated from a Bible college, I seek out different conferences on leadership, and I read books and other material I can find about leadership. As an NCO I had to learn the basic skills of a soldier before experience opened the door to promotion. To become an NCO I had to attend a leadership school know as PLDC (Primary Leadership Development Course). To further my technical understanding of my position, I read books and put into practice those skills and conducted training.

I think the most beneficial aspect of leadership is training because it forces us to know the answers to questions we have as well as performing our tasks with excellence. I learned more from training others than when I just tried to swallow the information for myself. Developing study groups with other leaders or taking time to train individual leaders in your organization will teach you a lot about yourself.

Tactically Proficient

Being a tactician means you understand how to plan. Whether planning for a mission in the military or preparing for your week at work, planning helps to maintain focus, passion, and drive. Planning helps to give you direction and goals to achieve.

Becoming tactically proficient means carrying out your plans. Laziness will not provide return.

Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.Proverbs 13:4 (NLT)

Tactical proficiency requires hard work. Many fail simply because they refuse to put in the effort necessary to accomplish their dreams and vision. By acting on your plans and in your role as leader (not busy work), you begin the process of growth necessary to get beyond want and into prospering. Prosperity goes beyond earnings. When you prosper, you become effective. Your effectiveness as a leader encourages and motivates those following.

Technical and tactical proficiency is expected of a leader. The more time you put into growing your leadership the more you will benefit from it and the better your organization becomes.

Some practical steps to increasing your proficiency:

• Find a technical school or college to attend or take continuing education courses at a local college or online
• Find conferences in your field and attend them
• Read trade books and magazines
• Read leadership books

You will be amazed at what a little bit of training will do. Life long learners will always be ahead of the curve. Become a lifelong learner today.