GTD and the military

What they can learn, and what they can teach

This week I did a virtual keynote to a large group of business coaches and business owners in an annual conference in the U.S. I offered a Q&A session at the end. It seems that a large portion of the attendees were already GTD aficionados, which is always nice to know, but one person’s sharing was particularly meaningful. He didn’t want to ask a question—just wanted to give me thanks.

He is a retired senior U.S. Marine officer. He said that in the 1990’s the Marines had discovered and were attempting to implement Deming’s TQM (Total Quality Management) trainings. He said they didn’t work. Then he discovered my methodology with a cassette program I produced (before it was called “GTD”) and said that it did really work. He then used the method to train many Marine officers, and said it changed many lives and influenced many people in their commands.

I never enlisted or was drafted, with a 4F medical exemption because of my allergies. This was 1968, in Berkeley, amid protests re: Viet Nam. So there was plenty of skepticism about the military.

But since then I have conducted many seminars across several branches of the armed forces in the U.S., engaging with many very cool people involved, which gave me much more perspective and respect for its value, at multiple levels. I’ll share some examples.

I did many seminars for officers in the U.S. Navy, at and around the Pentagon. They were some of the most open, willing to learn folks I ever experienced in my seminars. In the military, if you’re not fighting, you’re training—for the next conflict or necessity. And I met officers who were captains of huge battleships. In that role, you are managing thousands of people, isolated on the ocean, and have to be leader, coach, strategist, counselor, minister, mayor of your city, administrator, etc. etc. More roles than most people ever have to handle in their lives. And some of these folks were merely in their 20’s and 30’s. That’s why any of those folks, if they leave the service, are hungrily sought after for positions in the private world because of their professional and personal maturity.

Again, in my work with the Navy, I have to say that the most elegant students I’ve had in any of my seminars were a group of the service’s senior chaplains. Think about it: they have to be trained to deliver ministerial services in every single religious context. Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Mormon, Evangelical—whomever they find on a hospital bed, worldwide. A pinnacle level of service, openness, and flexibility.

Another valuable experience I had was with the U.S. Air Force. A Major General had discovered GTD, and at the time was in charge of officer training at their Maxwell Air Force Base main training facility. He ensured that all the trainees there got awareness of the methodology. He told me one of the main reasons was that the command-and-control practice had become out of date. In previous days, it was only the most senior officers who should understand global situations and strategies. Now, you could be Black Hawk Down, as a junior officer, and have to deal with on-the-ground enemies, friends, and the International press in your face with a microphone. A super need for training in one of my most valuable (and stolen) ideas—situational awareness.

Huge topics I haven’t covered yet, that should be, by someone more competent than I am:

• Tech gear - Most all of your sports and camping gear was originally developed for the military

• Tech digital - Same goes for this. Thank the military for radar and your GPS

• Grounding and discipile for kids who need it

I could go on, but that’s plenty for this format. If you have other experiences and examples of my point(s) here, would be great if you want to share them.