Marine recruits must go through basic training before becoming a full-fledged Marine. These same techniques can be used by your business when it comes to recruiting and training new employees. Let’s take a look at the Marine Corps leadership basics for business elite basic training strategies.
- The Corps trains their recruits using their best Marines – The Marine Corps takes training very seriously. Their coveted drill Instructor school is ONLY offered to top Marines. The Marine Corps DIs are the best the Corps has to offer. Your trainers & mentors should be elite as well. They should be your top sales, marketing, management, operations, and finance people. Following this standard can increase your company’s productivity while reducing recruitment costs.
- Marines are told they are elite – They hear this over and over again in boot camp – just ask one. What makes them feel this way is positive reinforcement. The Corps convinces its own of their uniqueness; it persuades the public as well. Like the Corps, companies must inspire their people with enthusiasm and share their merits with their customers.
- The Marine Corps believes in teaching leadership in small steps – They believe that leaders are made, not born. Leadership training starts with the recruit and progresses though out their tenure in the Corps. Leadership is created through a process of progressive responsibility. Companies that prepare its leaders through similar “small steps” will have fewer disappointments. Every new employee should have a tailored leadership plan prior to hire to assure career success.
- The Marine Corps is an avid believer in the magic of simulation – The theory is, if the training is realistic enough, the subconscious mind accepts it as real. Through simulation, one can become an “expert” in something they have never actually done. All your new employees should be exposed to simulation training – on the job training is a great alternative. This shortens their learning curve and thus allows them to become productive more quickly.
- The Corps heavily invests in cross training – Unique to Marine Corps, basic training is its emphasis on exposing each recruit to scenarios they may never encounter and weapons they may never fire again. This cross training allows the Marine to be more agile. Organizations should cross train their new hires as well. This will provide management with flexibility in managing their workforce to get a job done. It is also great for the employees, too, because it helps them learn new skills – increasing their value to the firm.
- Like the Marines, make your employees go through “basic training” – Each Marine share one essential experience – boot camp. They had to endure the most rigorous basic training in the world. This very demanding triumph bonds all Marines forever. A shared experience among employees, if sufficiently inspiring, can create a similar sense of mutual respect. Your new hire training should be challenging too – with assignments, tasks, and role plays – to bring out the best in each student.
These Marine Corps leadership basics for business elite basic training strategies will help your employees to be “elite.”
My other blogs discuss middle management, senior management, management tips, and front-line managers based on the Marine Corps leadership basics for business strategies. If you would like to speak with us about creating a topnotch leadership-driven company culture or have a business question or issues you would like to discuss, please feel free to reach out to us through our website Contact page.