Oct 2, 2019
Brigadier General Cindy R. Jebb, 14th Dean of the Academic Board at U.S.
Military Academy, West Point, joins the show this week. Cindy is
the first woman to hold the prestigious position, and she graduated
from the Military Academy in 1982. She has served at the National
Security Agency, and has authored and co-authored three books.
Cindy provides a masterclass in leadership this week, including
what can and cannot be taught, the importance of character, and the
need for trust. Cindy also talks about what it is like to be the
first female Dean at West Point, and the five characteristics of
leadership that have been critical to her success.
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Key Takeaways
[3:46] BG Jebb is extremely
grateful for the people she gets to serve with, and acknowledges
them as a huge part of her personal success.
[4:18] West Point is known for
developing leaders through the four prong approach
of:
- Character
- Academics
- Military
- Athletics
Cindy has found that character
is the most important of these prongs because it involves people
counting on your word, your everyday habits, and the ability to
demonstrate excellence.
[7:09] Cindy is the first female
Dean at West Point. Not only is this a huge step for women, but
Cindy also has extra pressure in her role because of the
Presidential appointment.
[10:23] At West Point, despite
the high demands and expectations, it is all about everyone
supporting the mission and continuing to breed a mutual trust
between society and the military.
[18:10] Charisma is hard to
teach, but learning presence and positive energy can be developed.
Experiential learning also provides great experiences and resources
for character building, but is something that can be worked on and
shaped throughout someone’s lifetime.
[25:24] Real development occurs
outside our comfort zone. This is where we learn about ourselves
and our limits and develop confidence.
[29:42] Cindy and her team at
West Point are aware that future leaders need time to reflect,
think deeply and develop who they really are.
[34:25] Five characteristics of
leadership Cindy has found helpful:
- Subtle discipline. Doing routine things
routinely.
- Invest in your field and write/talk/read about
it. Become an expert.
- Have
humility and understand that you don’t always have all the
answers.
- Embrace the struggle. Don’t shy away from
performing outside comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to make
mistakes.
- Cultivate relationship. Acknowledge
vulnerability and develop empathy for fellow
humans.
Strategic Partner
Beyond the Uniform offers over
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civilian career. This includes overviews of potential career paths,
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Quotable Quotes
- “We
look at making sure that we are developing leaders of character
that are going to live honorably, lead honorably, and demonstrate
excellence.”
- “Humble minds are open
minds.”
- “Investing in others is also an investment in
yourself.”
- “Substance wins the argument.”
- “Mastery requires and facilitates
preparedness.”
West Point
Brigadier General Cindy R.
Jebb
Twitter
Ep #051: Leadership is Hard Because
Character is Hard
Ep #095: Leadership Requires
Solitude
American University article -
president protected from adversity
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