Go to the Ceremonies
Listen up, today is the Army’s 247th birthday, and your unit is hosting a cake-cutting ceremony.
Some of you are considering skipping it. After all, you have stuff to do … it’s going to be the same as it was last year … and no one’s going to say anything if you miss it.
Who cares? Go to the ceremony.
Don’t go as a Public Affairs person; just go as a member of the team.
MaxDisclosure is mixed on whether or not you should go to stuff; obviously, use your brain and assume as much risk as you can handle.
But I’m not telling you to attend ceremonies because you need to avoid risks; I’m telling you to go so you don’t miss the opportunities.
Ceremonies aren’t meetings; they’re manifestations of your organization’s culture.
At the ceremonies, your leaders will publicly talk about what your organization does, and what its actions mean to America. Or maybe they won’t talk about those things; so if you’re there, you’ll know, and can feed them forward with the right messages for next time.
At the ceremonies, you’ll get a sense for what the people for whom you communicate respond to.
At the ceremonies, you can let your teammates know you appreciate them. If you think that sounds too touchy-feely, that’s the point. Show up and make them feel good. It’ll make you feel good, too.
You can influence this culture, but first you have to understand it and be part of it. You have to be there.
It’s another summer speech season in the Army. Beyond the Army Birthday party, go to all the ceremonies you can; promotions, retirements, awards, welcomes, farewells. Whatever. Go whether or not you were invited.
And eat some damn cake, just don’t take a picture of it.
(Photo by Antonio Bedin, DVIDS)
