| p>The skills that make a person successful in the | | | | thinking things through. |
| military are not necessarily the same ones that make | | | | Reading Others |
| a person successful in the corporate environment. | | | | In the military, you give an order and expect it to be |
| The military is defined by a chain of command and a | | | | followed. In the corporate environment, you need to |
| clear set of rules of behavior and interaction. | | | | understand the people you work with and the people |
| Uniforms indicate rank, profession and achievements. | | | | who work for you if you're going to get along with |
| By contrast, the civilian community has no such clear | | | | them and get them to want to work for you. |
| rules or structure. The qualities that lead to success in | | | | Perceiving Accurately |
| the military are not necessarily what will lead to | | | | Without the structure and rules of the military, |
| success in the corporate environment. | | | | internal cues to success become vital. Some |
| The last 20 years of research has suggested that | | | | companies have a flat structure. An employee who |
| there are a number of characteristics that | | | | appears lazy and lacking in discipline and accountability |
| consistently differentiate between what has been | | | | may be highly valued by the company. |
| called a "star performer" and an "average performer." | | | | Communicating with Flexibility |
| According to Jeff Auerbach, Ph.d., these | | | | The "my way or the highway" approach to |
| characteristics can be combined into 5 core skills: | | | | communicating doesn't result in high productivity in |
| Knowing Yourself | | | | the corporate environment. It's important to learn to |
| In the military, it's the mission that matters most. | | | | use different communication styles depending on the |
| Feelings have no part in completing a mission. Few | | | | situation while respecting other people's needs. |
| corporate environments are fully mission based. Egos, | | | | Transitioning from the military to civilian life is not |
| instincts, gut feelings, professional courtesy, etc. | | | | unlike immigrating to a new country. Often, that |
| often come into play. Star performers understand | | | | person has to learn a new language, a new culture, a |
| how their feelings affect their decision-making | | | | new way of relating to people. Even after being on |
| process. | | | | active duty for only three years, the difference |
| Maintaining Control | | | | between military life and civilian life is noticeable. It's |
| What are the consequences to a high ranking officer | | | | important for military TAP programs and other |
| who yells at a lower rank personnel? Usually nothing. | | | | agencies who work with discharged military personnel |
| In the corporate environment, yelling is rarely | | | | to understand the psychological aspects of this |
| tolerated. Star performers have good impulse control | | | | transition. |
| and are not prone to react to situations without | | | | |