Before we dive in, let’s clear some fog here.
What happens if you don’t PT?
Your muscles end up getting all weak and flimsy, right?
Well, it turns out, your brain is pretty much the same.
Just like you hit the gym to keep your muscles in shape, your brain needs a workout too.
One way to train the mind-muscle is by learning new stuff.
I've always been a bit of a learning junkie.
Books, podcasts, ideas – they've always fascinated me.
But the real eye-opener came when I stumbled upon something called MCDP 7. (Fancy acronym, I know.)
On 20 February 2020, D. H. Berger, General. U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps gave the thumbs-up to Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 7.
This was a game-changer because it was the first time the Marine Corps had released something like this since 2001.
And guess what?
It's all about learning.
Yep, not about fighting, not about battles, but about learning.
It gets into the nitty-gritty of why learning is seriously crucial, especially in the world of armed forces.
It’s one of those documents where you might as well stop highlighting because you’re highlighting everything.
Let me share a couple of my absolute favourites from Chapter 1 with you.
Ones that make my heart rate jump to 165.
Oh, and here's a fun little challenge.
Take a second look at those passages, but this time, swap out words like "Marine," "profession of arms," "war," and "enemy" with stuff like "team member”, “IT”, "business”, and "competition”.
You'll start to see just how deep this rabbit hole goes.
So, let's dive in and unravel why having a strong "why" is the real deal when it comes to learning.
D. H. Berger is typing now:
Foreword:
The purpose of this publication is to describe the Marine Corps" learning philosophy and explain why learning is critically important to the profession of arms. While many of the concepts in this publication have been passed on by Marine leaders throughout our history, this publication seeks to formalize them and provide aspirational goals. Learning is an institutional priority and a professional expectation for all Marines. This mentality is key to the Marine Corps becoming a more effective learning organization.
The most important factor in this philosophy is the importance of continuous learning throughout our careers for warfighting. Continuous learning is essential to maneuver warfare because it enables Marines to quickly recognize changing conditions in the battlespace, adapt, and make timely decisions against a thinking enemy. These skills required in war must be learned, developed, and honed over time if neglected, they quickly atrophy. Marines leverage the art and science of learning, technologies, and learning environments that reflect the changing operational environment to tailor learning and provide each other with constructive feedback. Leaders hold Marines to high professional standards of performance, conduct, and discipline to include learning.
As Marines rise in rank and position, continuous learning and developing our professional skills are a professional expectation. We must make the most of every learning opportunity, fostering our subordinates learning while continuing our own.
Continuous learning is important to Marines because of the fundamental nature of war and its ever-changing character. The nature of war carries a combination of fear, uncertainty, ambiguity, chance, horror and, above all, friction that Marines must prepare to counter. Marines must seek out education and training opportunities that simulate these conditions. We must train how we fight. As Marines, we must understand how important learning is and be committed to the principles laid out in this publication. Our professional responsibility as Marines is to engage in continuous learning so that we may best support our fellow Marines, our Corps, and our Nation.
Bold, beautiful writing is intoxicating.
It can change the world.
Influence your choices, and even nudge you to take action.
It's an art form in its own right.
Speaking of great writing, they've hit the bullseye with this intro.
Obviously, it doesn’t apply only to the professions of arms, it applies to every organization, every team, every school, it applies to every human being.
Right off the bat, they're talking about a "learning philosophy."
Because let's face it, if you're not learning, you're not growing.
And if you are in the Marine Corps, you are learning.
That’s the expectation.
But think about it, should this hunger for learning be a universal expectation?
Shouldn't everyone, regardless of their field, strive to embrace learning as a way of life?
Here's the kicker.
Education and learning aren't quite the same.
Sure, institutions can educate you, but real learning is more than just ticking off boxes on a syllabus.
It's an active choice, a conscious decision to engage and participate.
Now, let's get real for a moment.
Most of the lessons we learn in life happen when we least expect them.
It's those spontaneous, unplanned moments that often teach us the most.
You know, when life throws you a curveball and you walk away with a nugget of wisdom.
But guess what?
The Marines have cracked the code.
They've designed a system that makes learning intentional.
It's like they're turning those random "aha" moments into a structured process.
Marines learn in the classroom, learn in the field, learn in everyday life, and learn in combat. Marines adapt every tool that they have - weapons, equipment, and their minds to succeed and win in every clime and place…Instead of simply asking what happened in a battle, Marines should always ask and seek to better understand why the events happened, and consequently what to apply for future situations. Marines must learn about a broad range of topics and skills through professional reading, experiential learning, and deliberate practice. Marines must also approach each event and interaction as a learning opportunity.
Picture this.
You're in a leadership role and one of your team members messes up.
Now, here's the thing – what she did isn't as important as what she was thinking when she did it.
What was going through her mind when she made that choice?
What was she hoping to achieve?
She might’ve made a bad call, but if there was a solid idea behind it, you can figure out how to guide her on the tactical aspect of execution.
Conversely, if her thought process was flawed, you have a much bigger problem on your hands.
It's not just about correcting a tactical error; it's about addressing a fundamental mindset issue.
Warfighting is the most complex, challenging, violent, and dynamic human endeavor. The Marine Corps, as the Nation's force-in-readiness, must have the versatility and flexibility to effectively fight - and succeed - in any situation and at any intensity across the full spectrum of conflict, whenever and wherever the Nation calls. To meet these demands, it is critical that Marines recognize that learning has a direct impact on warfighting. Marines who understand the key learning principles and continuously seek opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, and the proper attitudes throughout their careers will develop wisdom that enables success in battle. As Marines, we pass on our wisdom and experiences to the next generation of Marines. For the Marine Corps to remain the United States force-in-readiness, it is critical that every Marine strengthen and value learning in all facets of Marine Corps culture, learning environments, and leadership development. Learning is a professional responsibility for all Marines at all levels. Marines must develop the habit of continuous learning early in their careers to set the conditions for success in increasing levels of responsibility.
All Marine Corps docs are crystal clear and so to the point that anyone can grasp the message in a snap.
That part about being ready "in any situation and at any intensity" caught my eye here.
It’s a reminder that we need to be versatile and capable of handling anything that comes our way.
Anything.
In full spectrum.
Whether it's running a one-on-one meeting every week, putting together a killer pitch deck, smoothing out conflicts with other teams, wrestling through all that necessary paperwork, or even writing an email with constructive feedback for the board.
And all of this is on top of building good relationships up, down and across the chain of command.
Talk about a full spectrum of skills.
Marines are super clear here.
Learning is a professional responsibility for all of us at all levels.
Boom.
Learning is developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes through study, experience, or instruction. It is a never-ending progression that includes understanding why something is important - the intent of learning. Learning is much more than gathering information or reciting facts; it includes cognitive, physical, social, emotional, ethical, and cultural components. Learning occurs in formal settings (e.g., a schoolhouse or training exercise) and informal settings, such as social, experiential, self-directed, and other ways outside of the classroom. The developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes interact to influence how Marines think, respond, and act. Marines continuously learn to be ready for the constantly changing and increasing demands of warfare, and the range of missions. As Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication (MCDP) 6, Command and Control, explains, "We earn the trust of others by demonstrating competence, a sense of responsibility, loyalty, and self-discipline." Competence is having sufficient knowledge, judgment, and skills to perform a particular duty, job, or function. Marines improve competencies through formal and informal learning opportunities that develop the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Marines learn to address complex problems and develop teamwork wherever they may be, whether in garrison, deployed, or in formal learning centers. Learning enables Marines to think critically, develop judgment, and cultivate a bias for action without waiting to be told what to do. A Marine with knowledge and skills who lacks judgment requires close supervision, which may not be possible in combat conditions. Our Marine Corps ethos demands competence, responsibility, loyalty, and self-discipline as military professionals charged with the defense of the Nation. Learning prepares Marines to exercise initiative within the commander's intent constantly seeking to improve, develop mental agility, and deal with changing situations.
Take this sentence.
Learning enables Marines to think critically, develop judgment, and cultivate a bias for action without waiting to be told what to do.
It's quite the opposite of the stereotypical view people have about the military.
You know, the general assumption is that folks in the military just follow orders, but here, the actual words are “a bias for action without waiting to be told what to do.”
They're talking about having a proactive approach without waiting for instructions.
They even later mention the term "intelligent action”.
So, it's not about just taking action for the sake of it.
The goal is to make smart decisions.
And hey, let's face it, sometimes you take action and things don't go as planned.
That's just part of the game.
Life's all about playing the odds.
Now, the odds here are interesting.
7 out of 10 times, being bold and making a move is the right way to go.
Of course, there's that 3 out of 10 chance that things might not turn out as expected, but you still have to go for it.
Making a move doesn't mean you're putting everything on the line.
It's about taking a calculated step in the direction you believe in, and then taking a step back to see how it pans out.
Maneuver warfare requires intelligent leaders at all levels who possess a bias for intelligent action. Success in warfare depends on Marines developing an intellectual edge to accurately recognize cues, quickly make sense of information, and respond effectively. This intellectual edge is based on developed knowledge and experience that allows Marines to shape conditions and events to their advantage. Developing fundamental cognitive competencies such as problem framing, mental imaging, critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, reasoning, and problem solving enables Marines to make effective decisions more quickly in time-constrained operational environments, when they often have incomplete, inaccurate, or even contradictory information. Marines should observe their environment to recognize key cues, synthesize these cues to orient and quickly make sense of the information in order to decide and act.
Love it.
It's like being a step ahead in a conversation or discussion because you've got this deep grasp of the subject, some killer critical thinking skills, and a treasure trove of knowledge that sets you apart.
Seriously, Marines folks are on a whole other level.
If you look at what they can do, the results they've piled up and the consistency of their performance, it’s like LeBron James times Michael Jordan times Tiger Woods to the power of Mikaela Shiffrin.
It’s just such a different universe compared to what anyone else has done that it’s just, it’s astounding to watch.
Marines study history and world events to be more prepared to respond to new challenges, such as the increase in globalization and competition for resources. Effective warfighters adapt to fluid changes in circumstances in order to deal with complex problems and to proactively shape events for an advantage.
I find the whole concept of fluid changes in this crazy VUCA really intriguing.
They talk about "shaping" the outcome, not "controlling" it, which makes a lot of sense to me.
So, the big question is “How do you actually influence the outcome?”
Toss that victim mentality out the window, you're not some helpless bystander here.
Instead of being at the mercy of circumstances, think about how you can turn the tables and become the master of the situation.
What actions can you take to mould things in your favour?
What parts of the puzzle can you take control of?
Conflict is a human phenomena; understanding human nature helps Marines to understand conflict. Marines prepare for the complexities of each conflict by studying social, economic, political, cultural, environmental, interpersonal, and intrapersonal factors. These factors often exert a greater influence on the character and outcome of war than do factors, such as the size of
the enemy formations or their equipment. Marines learn as much as possible about the different human factors, cultures, perspectives, and ideas that impact operations. Marines strive to view situations and information objectively and unemotionally, provide candid feedback to each other, and learn to overcome or mitigate factors that negatively impact preparedness.
Just in case this slipped by you, I want to emphasize a really important point.
When it comes to winning battles, human nature ends up playing a much more significant role than the sheer size of the opposing force or the fancy gadgets they have.
It all boils down to understanding us humans.
You’ve got to know the human beings, get into their heads.
That’s why leadership is always the most important thing.
It's a human-to-human thing.
You might have all the high-tech gear imaginable, but if your leadership stinks and you're clueless about your own team, well, guess what?
You're bound to get outplayed by a team that's not only better guided but also has a better grip on the human factor.
Plain and simple, no way around it.
When Marines understand why they are learning, it enables them to focus on learning the known and adapting to the unfamiliar more quickly and effectively than the enemy. Out-learning the enemy is, therefore, the key to out fighting the enemy.
We're talking about not just beating the competition, but doing it by outsmarting them.
And hey, that goes for even those frustrating bosses who just seem to make things difficult.
Forget brute force.
It's all about out-learning your opponent.
Outmaneuvering her.
By reading.
By studying.
By listening.
By developing pattern recognition.
By learning how to spot an outlier.
As you see, learning isn't just about the "what" and "how" – that generally doesn’t work all that well.
What works much better is understanding the why and getting after it.
If you want to shake things up and shift your organization's vibe to a whole new level, you've got to start by transforming the way everyone thinks about learning.
So, what would it take to get the ball rolling and change the culture of your organization to become more of a learning culture?
Let me know.
Happy learning.
PS. Do you struggle to set yourself apart from your competitors? Does your tone of voice lack a little personality? Either way, get in touch and I’ll help you become remarkable. Or get more communication advice that doesn't suck here.
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