50. Encore with Todd Plotner: 4 lessons for young warriors

As 2019 comes to an end—with several weeks of travel in my future plus the Christmas holidays—I'm taking a break from the podcast and sharing a series of encore episodes with you. Starting in January, you'll get to hear some fresh, new interviews. As a reminder: encore episodes are episodes that I selected from among the early days of the podcast, and each encore episode will feature only a portion of the original interview, so I encourage you to go back to that episode if you want to hear all of it. The third and final encore episode I want to share with you comes from episode 27, when I got to chat with LTC Todd Plotner about leadership lessons for young warriors. Our conversation was based on an article he wrote for Command magazine back in 2013 when he was the Army ROTC Professor of Military Science at Washington State University. One of the cool things that's happened since that interview is that LTC Plotner and his wife, Andrea, are moving to Buena Vista, CO, where he will assume the role of Director of Operations at OCF's Spring Canyon Conference Center—in fact, they're supposed to start mid-December, which means they're probably already there getting settled in right now as you listen to this. Let me tell you a little about Todd and Andrea: Todd is a 1993 West Point graduate and served in a variety of command and staff positions in the Army Corps of Engineers and he's is also a strategic planner as a graduate of the Army's School of Advanced Military Studies. His final Army assignment was serving as ROTC Professor of Military Science. His wife, Andrea, is no stranger to military ministry, either, as she was the final PWOC International President before the chaplaincy decentralized that ministry. OK, this is another great podcast episode for young officers, so if you know a young officer, tell them about this episode. // Four lessons in leadership for young warriors Find strength in fellowship: We can't go it alone. When you arrive at your first assignment, promptly find a Christian small group fellowship. If there is no small group fellowship, start one. Be faithful and competent: Humbly recognize that the "so help me God" in your commissioning oath is a solemn appeal to God, acknowledging Him as the source of your competence and authority. Honor God with your effort: You have a responsibility to give 100 percent to accomplish the mission and care for your people. Your work is a very real facet of worshipping God, but do not worship your work. Resist the temptation to become a workaholic. Know that you will experience failures. Whether because of moral shortcomings, unexpected circumstances or enemy action, you and your people will not always succeed as intended. Don't complain: The leader who perseveres amid difficulty without complaint, argument or profanity is uncommon. Complaining or criticizing your peers, superiors or subordinates behind their backs will strip your credibility and moral authority.