In this week's column Kelly addresses the issue of applying military skills to the civilian sector.

Kelly,

I am currently in the United States Army, hold the rank as Major, and anticipate being released from active duty October 1, 2006.
 
I have read in Fortune magazine about corporate leaders and managers who are successful in applying the skills they learned from the military into the corporate and business environment. My goals are to apply my skills by joining a team of professionals in providing technical expertise and knowledge by developing a thorough understanding of customers' needs. [I would also like to combine] creativity and experiences in all phases in business development, business life cycle development, business planning, project management and the decision making process and apply these skills to mentor and advise others to accomplish the tasks given to them. Most importantly, [I would like] to become a member of a team of professionals whose values are "Trust, Client Satisfactions, Teamwork, Leadership, Commitment, Accountability and Success."
 
My occupation in the military is observer controller/military analyst. In the civilian world I presume I would hold the position as [a] consultant. I am a member of a team of senior officers, MAJ, LTC and COL, whose primary responsibility is to advise Battalion Commanders on the performance of their staff prior to being deployed to military installations throughout the world and to commands that are to be deployed to fight the war against terrorism. Our teams have traveled to other nations in providing assistance and training with the objective to developing senior officers in Decision Making Process, Leadership and Management skills at all levels. Our primary responsibility is to advise, train and mentor senior leaders on Command and Control throughout the conduct (planning, preparing, execution and assessment) of full spectrum operations. We reinforce the fundamental principles on changes in organizational structure and lesson learned from on-going operations, business practices and current policies. As a member of this team, I would like to continue in the world of Strategic Management in the Business Planning spectrum both nationally and internationally.
 
By default of your success, I am writing to you to seek assistance and to strategize on my path to success in the business community.
 
Michael A. Luna
MAJOR, AG
USAR

Major Luna,

Thanks for the e-mail Major Luna. I receive hundreds of e-mails with these types of questions and it isn’t possible to answer every single one. I think it is important to learn a process that will help you find the answer on your own so that when the same type of challenge arises in the future you’ll know how to solve it for your next career, or your next company or your next position. In my book, “Take Command,” I outline my process for problem-solving that has served me well over the last 14 years since leaving the military.
 
Here are a few areas where you can spend some time that will help you with your transition:
 
Planning. This one should be second nature for the military person moving into the civilian sector. Treat this mission like you would any other! Create an OPORD and detail the attack plan. You have a lot of things to study up on – your industry, your geographic location, your specific position and the skill sets required to excel. You’ll also need to develop contingency plans in case your first and second options do not pan out. Other details that go into your plan should include: intermediate objectives with specific timelines, key decision points and metrics. It is critical that you measure your progress on every objective so that you can understand what works and what does not.
 
Flexibility. Understand that the first target you go after may not pan out. You are entering unfamiliar terrain and will learn a lot as you progress. Make sure to allot specific time periods for reviewing all the information you’ve received. As you do, remember to remain flexible. There are a lot of different paths that can take you to the same objective. One path may not work, but the information you gather on the route can you lead you to one that will! Be brutally honest with yourself and adjust your plan as necessary based on the intelligence you gather. I’ve found that the person with the most varied responses.
 
Resources. Take advantage of all of the resources at your disposal. Offline – there will be numerous networking opportunities to get connected with the industry, geographic region and even the specific company you target. Research the trade organizations and industry associations that are relevant to your target. Online – the Internet provides a wealth of tools that can help you learn about and network your way to success. I use www.linkedin.com for online business networking and recommend that you use the portals that are designed to assist you (this one of course! – www.military.com; and I serve on the board of www.militaryjobzone.com that is designed specifically to help veterans transition).
 
On whatever path you choose, use the same leadership principles that helped you succeed in the military. They will serve you well in the civilian sector!
 
TAKE COMMAND!