Lead without command
My grandfather, Ex-Major General Nguyen Duy Bi, spent 40 years in the People’s Airforce and Air Defense of Vietnam. He was one of the few sent to Soviet Union to pick up new missile technologies and later helped to defend North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II (B52s).
I visited him last year when he was in the last stage of Alzheimer. He didn’t remember anyone, occasionally thought the war was happening and considered me his soldier. He would tactfully dodge all questions I asked, and literally every 5 minutes, put his hand on my arm, look me in the eyes, check if I miss home, and comfort me that the war will soon be over. Or he would walk around, ask how each of us was doing, notice the “army base” was not clean, and inspiringly convince me to clean the “base” without using any direct command.
And I started to understand why he became the leader of 20,000 soldiers: his natural urge to take care of his own team, and the ability to inspire, to lead without any command became part of him. They have always been in his subconscious mind, and those skills are being used instinctively, even when my poor grandfather lost his short-term memory.
That is really powerful, and who wouldn’t want that?
Now, ask yourselves, which skills would you need to get into your subconscious mind?