Page 23 - The Edge - Fall 2020

AASBO 2020 VIRTUAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE

BY DON HARRIS
Colonel Arthur J. Athens
USMCR (Ret.)
Col. Athens’ Recipe for Leadership –
Competence, Courage, Compassion

Even before retired Marine Corp Colonel Arthur Athens of integrity. Will you push back against the boss, if
launched into his keynote presentation on leadership, he necessary? Third, do you care as much about us as you
recognized the efforts of AASBO members by alluding care about yourself? A genuine concern about everybody
to a banner on a large postal facility near his home back in this platoon? If you answer properly, we’ll follow
East. It says: Heroes Work Here. you.’”

Athens then identified the three Cs of leadership:
competence, courage and compassion – caring about
those you lead. Just below the three Cs is a characteristic,
an attribute, a virtue of humility. Some may think of
humility as a weakness. Actually, it’s strength, Athens
said, adding, “It’s not thinking less of yourself, it’s
thinking of yourself less.”

“Do you use your talent for

others or for yourself?”

The other side of humility is hubris – arrogance, conceit
and envy, Athens said. He asked: “Do you use your
talent for others or for yourself?” Then addressing
“That huge banner represents who you are very much,” AASBO members directly, he said, “You’re talented or
Athens said at the AASBO 2020 Virtual Annual you wouldn’t be where you are.”
Conference. “Heroes work here should be on every
school in Arizona, every district in Arizona, in every He told of long-ago incidents when he worried about
home where people have to work remotely. You are getting publicly recognized for winning a game or
really doing things that are heroic. Thank you.” receiving a medal. “I was thinking about myself,”
Athens said. “Churning can turn into bitterness – it can
In challenging times, when you face adversity, step back compromise integrity.”
and think of fundamentals, he said.
Athens devised an unscientific self-test to determine
Athens recalled a time in 2006 when his son, who was his pride quotient, and he recommended it to others.
in the Army and about to be sent to Iraq, asked for a Among the 15 questions on the test are: Am I resistant
quick summary of what leadership is. Athens said he to receive help from others to resolve conflict? Am I
told about young Marine lieutenant who asked an older, offended when others correct me? Am I upset when I’m
wiser platoon sergeant why the sergeant and his men not recognized for my achievements? When I meet new
would follow the young officer. people, do I talk more about myself than asking about
them? Possible answers are – almost never, occasionally,
“The sergeant says, ‘There are only three questions never. He takes the test every few months.
we’re going to ask. First, do you know your job and
are you striving hard to learn it? Are you willing to fail Athens told an anecdote about an MBA class with a one-
and pick yourself up? Second, will you make the hard, question final exam. Throughout the semester, it was the
but right decision if it hurts you personally? Be a leader
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

23