The Leadership Balancing Act

Lessons from a Little Book with a Big Impact

When I arrived at West Point, among the whirlwind of items issued on that unforgettable first day of Cadet Basic Training - known to most as Beast Barracks, or simply Beast - was a small book with a big presence: Bugle Notes.

Affectionately dubbed the “Plebe Bible,” it was filled with history, facts, trivia, and lore about the U.S. Military Academy. As plebes, we were expected to read it, memorize it, and recite it - often on demand.

Within its pages, I discovered sections on cadet life, rank structure, chain of command, athletics, field training, and cadet slang. Some of the plebe knowledge (“plebe poop” – the Bugle Notes section on Cadet Slang defined “poop” as “information to be memorized”) addressed cadet life: organization, rank structure, the chain of command, cadet athletics, field training, etc.

But what stuck with me most weren’t the trivia questions like “How’s the cow?” or “How many lights are in Cullum Hall?” - it was the leadership lessons.

On page 64 of my 1980 edition, nestled among the foundational principles, was a deceptively simple nugget that has stayed with me for more than 44 years. It was titled:

Responsibilities of a Commander

• Accomplishment of the mission

• Welfare of his [sic] subordinates

• Efficient use of resources

These three bullet points might look straightforward, but they define the delicate balancing act every leader must master. Leadership may be many things, but easy isn’t one of them

Accomplishment of the Mission

During WWII, GEN George Patton once told officers of the 3rd Army, “Any officer that fails to achieve his objective and is not dead or seriously wounded has not done his full duty.” While certainly extreme, it captures the seriousness of mission accomplishment in combat.

In civilian life, the stakes are different, but the expectation remains the same: leaders are appointed to get the job done. That requires more than compliance—it demands belief in the mission and a relentless dedication to achieving it. GEN Bruce Clarke famously reminded us, “Rank is given you to enable you to better serve those above and below you. It is not given to practice your own idiosyncrasies.”

The challenge? Tactical success must align with strategic intent. Getting the “what” right means little if it misses the “why.” Leaders must deliver results, but not at the cost of long-term goals or institutional values.

Welfare of Subordinates

“Taking care of the troops” is more than a catchphrase - it’s a leadership imperative. Ensuring the welfare of subordinates means more than keeping them safe; it means equipping, training, mentoring, supporting, and developing them into future leaders. It’s both an operational responsibility and a human obligation.

Good leaders foster a culture of excellence and accountability. They listen, they care, and they lead by example. Leadership is a relationship - and no one wants to be in a relationship where they feel underappreciated or undervalued.

You’ve likely heard: “Mission first, troops always.” The real test comes when those two principles collide. What should a leader do when accomplishing the mission endangers the people they’re charged to protect and develop? When is “the juice not worth the squeeze?” Tough calls define leadership.

Efficient Use of Resources

Leadership may be people-centric, but it’s also resource-constrained. And here’s an immutable truth I learned over the years: there is never enough time, money, or manpower. Leaders are constantly being asked to do more with less.

Whether in wartime or in business, resources must be allocated wisely. Leaders must distinguish between main efforts—those that receive the lion’s share—and economy-of-force efforts—those that get just enough. This inevitably breeds tension. Some teams or projects may feel shortchanged. As a leader, transparency is critical. When people know why you made a tough decision—and trust your integrity—they’re far more likely to accept it, even if they don’t agree.

Conclusion: A Leader’s Constant Balancing Act

Those three lines on page 64 of Bugle Notes have echoed throughout my career. Accomplish the mission. Care for your people. Steward your resources. Simple? Yes. But never easy.

Leadership is the daily practice of balancing competing demands in a dynamic world. Environments change. Resources shift. Priorities compete. But great leaders manage these tensions with courage, wisdom, and grace. The responsibilities never go away—but neither does the opportunity to rise to the challenge.

That little book from Beast may have been small, but the leadership truths it held were timeless.