USMA, Pt. 3 - Unity

Unity. West Point really believes in unity. Unity of purpose, unity of vision, unity of command, unity of the Corps. Obviously, with 4,300 students and another 4-500 faculty and staff, not everyone agrees with everything. But on the big picture issues, they cultivate, communicate, and tolerate nothing less than unity.

Again, for them, it's a matter of life and death. Divided loyalties, divided vision/mission, and people die. But, why cultivate anything less than unity in any organization, team, church, or business? Why tolerate anything less?

Because diligent protection and projection of a vision is hard work. The fact is that it's easier to let things slide, to ignore off-handed comments that betray mission-drift or vision-leak. There are times when you don't have the fuel in your tank personally to address decisions or people who distract and detract from where the group is going.

It is ALWAYS worth the effort to clarify, to remove ambiguity, and to foster unity. Every single time I have let things in this category slide, it has come back to bite me. Every time. Without fail. Most people will say they want unity. Few are willing to do what it takes to create it and protect it.

Leaders do.