Page 6 - 2018 August Voices

A LEADERSHIP

CONVERSATION

Patrick Locke, DTM

In recent years I have come to question my core

thinking about leadership. Most of my working
life has been spent in the construction industry
and the military. Having been trained in the
construction environment from age eight by my

dad, who had spent six years in the Army during
WWII and had grown up during the depression,
I was on my way to strict hard nosed leadership.
When I was drafted during the Vietnam War,

I seemed to have fallen right into the old military
mold, which included a big mouth and a big
boot. And let me tell you, I had no challenges
with either. If you didn’t do what I said you got a

big mouth in your face and that big boot placed
strategically where you sit. When I think about
those days now I have no idea how I got away with
such behavior. But, that was old school leadership.

Oh, I understand how there was a need in some
situations. Take for instance a military unit in a
combat situation. I never sat around considering
options, asking questions like, “what do you think

we should do guys?” Not at all, time and action
were critical to staying alive. Orders are issued
and men moved, lives were at risk.
In today’s world though, leadership has taken

on a very different value. Even the military has
changed the way they train leaders. The loud
mouth Sergeant has given way to a more people

VOICES! | AUGUST 2018 7