Leadership One reason I attended a federal military academy rather than a normal university was that rich dad knew I needed to develop leadership skills if I wanted to become an entrepre- 334 Rich Dad's Guide to Investing neur. After graduation, I went into the U.S. Marine Corps and became a pilot to test my skills in the real world, in a place called Vietnam. As rich dad said, "School is important, but the street is a better teacher." I still remember the commanding officer of my squadron saying, "Gentlemen, your most important job is to ask your troops to risk their lives for you, your team, and your coun- try." He went on to say, "If you don't inspire them to do that, they will probably shoot you in the back. Troops do not follow a leader who does not lead." The same thing goes on in busi- ness today and every day. More businesses fail from the inside than from the outside. In Vietnam, I learned that one of the most important qual- ities of a leader is trust. As a helicopter pilot with a crew of four, I had to trust my life to my team, and they had to entrust their lives with me. If that trust was ever broken, I knew that we would probably not come back alive. Rich dad would say, 'A leader's job is to bring out the best in people, not to be the best person." He would also say, "If you are the smartest per- son on your business team, your business is in trouble." When people ask how they can gain leadership skills, I al- ways say the same thing: "Volunteer more." In most organiza- tions, it is hard to find people who actually want to lead. Most people just hide in the corner hoping no one will call on them. I tell them, 'At your church, volunteer to take on proj- ects. At work, volunteer to lead projects." Now, volunteering alone will not necessarily make you a great leader, but if you accept the feedback and correct yourself well, you can grow into a great leader. ✓ Through volunteering, you can get feedback on your real- life leadership skills. If you volunteer to lead and no one fol- lows, you have some real-life learning and correcting to do. If you volunteer to lead and no one follows, ask for feedback and corrective support. Doing so is one of the greatest traits The B-I Triangle 335 of a leader. I see many businesses that struggle or fail because the leader will not accept feedback from peers or the workers in the company. My squadron's commanding officer in the Marine Corps would often say, "True leaders are not born leaders. True leaders want to be leaders and are willing to be trained to be leaders, and training means being big enough to take corrective feedback." A true leader also knows when to listen to others. I have said before I am not a good businessman or investor, I am av- erage. I rely on the advice of my advisors and team members to help me be a better leader. Sharon's Notes A leader's roles are a combination of visionary, cheer- leader, and pit boss.