By Richard Martin, Chief Strategist, Alcera Consulting Inc.
People want to follow competent leaders. Titles and charisma may attract attention, but it is competence that earns respect, loyalty, and trust. My own journey as a leader has shown me that competence is not merely one element among others, it is the foundation upon which everything else is built.
The first principle of leadership is to achieve professional competence. Competence, integrity, and accountability generate credibility with superiors, subordinates, peers, and the public. That credibility generates respect, which in turn enables leadership to take root and grow.
I learned this lesson the hard way. Early in my military career, I was assigned command of an infantry platoon of about 30 soldiers, including four NCOs. I had completed my training and had the tools to succeed, but I did not apply them with discipline. My decisions and orders lacked clarity. One day during an exercise, my second-in-command—a seasoned NCO—took me aside and told me, bluntly but constructively, that I wasn’t doing my job. He reminded me that I was the tactical expert in the platoon, and that it was my duty to produce sound plans and give clear, effective orders. It was a humbling moment.
After some reflection, I accepted the truth of his assessment. I pulled out my platoon commander’s aide-mémoire, reviewed the steps of battle procedure, and recommitted myself to applying the training I had received. My plans improved, my orders gained clarity, and my soldiers began to perform more effectively. Within a few months, I had earned their respect and the confidence of my company commander. I had become a leader they were willing to follow.
This foundational lesson carried forward years later when I returned to Bosnia as a company commander. There, I had the opportunity not only to exercise leadership, but also to cultivate it in my subordinate officers and NCOs. Competence remained the standard, for me and for them.
I led by example. I stayed tactically sharp, understood my area of operations, and ensured my orders were based on timely analysis and sound judgment. But leadership at the company level meant more than personal excellence. It required developing the competence of others.
With my platoon commanders, I emphasized mission command. I shared intent, required understanding, and trusted them to execute—but only because I also trained them to think tactically, plan coherently, and issue clear orders. I coached them in scenario-based planning and decision-making under stress. They had to be more than good people; they had to be capable leaders.
Our NCOs were indispensable. As the custodians of standards and the anchors of discipline, they ensured continuity and execution. I empowered them by including them in planning and giving them responsibility beyond routine tasks. Their competence gave the company its spine, and I made sure that it was recognized and reinforced.
Leadership in Bosnia wasn’t only about operational success. In a fragile peace environment, professionalism and presence were essential. I joined patrols, observed engagements with locals, and led from the front. This visibility wasn’t symbolic; it was about evaluating real-world competence and reinforcing professional conduct. When soldiers know that what they do matters—and that their leaders see it and care about it—they raise their game.
Throughout, I held to the same truth: leadership is not a personality trait; it is a competence.
Competence consists of knowledge, skills, and attitude. Knowledge is the theoretical and technical base. Skills are the application of that knowledge through disciplined practice. Attitude is the will to lead, to be accountable, to take initiative, and to accept responsibility.
Even the most charismatic figure cannot lead effectively without competence. Steve Jobs, for instance, was famously difficult to work with—moody, demanding, often abrasive. But people followed him because he was a technological visionary with unmatched business acumen. He could lead them to levels of performance they didn’t think possible. His competence inspired commitment, not his charm.
As leaders, we must excel in all three dimensions of competence, and we must ensure our subordinates do the same. If someone has knowledge and the right attitude but lacks skill, they are ineffective. If they have knowledge and skill but lack the right attitude, they become erratic or self-serving. If they have skill and attitude but no wisdom or knowledge, they risk causing harm despite good intentions.
Leadership is exercised through both management and inspiration. One of my instructors at officer school put it best: leadership consists of management—the ability to organize, plan, and execute—and inspiration—the ability to influence, motivate, and elevate. One without the other is incomplete. Substance without style becomes cold; style without substance becomes hollow.
That balance was something I carried with me from my early days as a new platoon commander to my role as a company commander in Bosnia. In both cases, I learned that leadership effectiveness begins not with popularity or bold words, but with the quiet, steady work of becoming and remaining professionally competent. That’s what earns trust. That’s what sustains teams. And that’s what turns followers into leaders themselves.
About the Author
Richard Martin is the founder and president of Alcera Consulting Inc., and the creator of The Strategic Code—a doctrine for leaders navigating volatility, constraint, and conflict.
His mission is simple: equip leaders to exploit change and achieve strategic coherence. Through his advisory work, writing, and tools, he helps senior decision-makers see clearly, understand deeply, and act decisively in high-stakes environments.
Richard is the author of Brilliant Manoeuvres: How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles, and the developer of Strategic Epistemology and Worldview Warfare—frameworks that decode the beliefs, values, and power structures shaping strategic action in a contested world.
www.thestrategiccode.com
www.exploitingchange.com
© 2025 Richard Martin
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