A Hero Passes On

Yesterday, January 9, 2011 a true hero passed on.

At the end of his book, Major Winters revealed his 10 rules of leadership, which I have quoted below. They should serve as a call to Christian men to lead for Christ!

The Band of Brothers’ Secrets of Leadership -
1. Strive to be a leader of character, competence, and courage.
2. Lead from the front. Say, “Follow me!” and then lead the way.
3. Stay in top physical shape—physical stamina is the root of mental toughness.
4. Develop your team. If you know your people, are fair in setting realistic goals and expectations, and lead by example, you will develop teamwork.
5. Delegate responsibility to your subordinates and let them do their jobs. You can’t do a good job if you don’t have a chance to use your imagination or your creativity.
6. Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles. Don’t wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind.
7. Remain humble. Don’t worry about who receives the credit. Never let power or authority go to your head.
8. Take a moment of self-reflection. Look at yourself in the mirror every night and ask yourself if you did your best.
9. True satisfaction comes from getting the job done. The key to a successful leader is to earn respect — not because of rank or position, but because you are a leader of character.
10. Hang tough!—Never, ever, give up."

Ambrose, the author of "Band of Brothers" said in an interview that he hopes young people say, "I want to be like Dick Winters." "Not necessarily as soldiers, but that kind of a leader, that kind of man with basic honesty, virtue and an understanding of the difference between right and wrong."