@mistyjanssen: One of the most dangerous phrases in leadership is: “Well… it happened to me, and I turned out okay.” Did you? Or did you just survive it? Psychologically, this is called normalization. When we’ve lived through something difficult, our brains often convince us it wasn’t that bad because admitting otherwise means acknowledging we were hurt or that someone failed us. But survival isn’t the same thing as good leadership. I remember standing in line as a kid waiting for government cheese. My children will never stand in that line. Not because I’m ashamed of where I came from, but because every generation should build a better life than the one before it. The same is true in the military. My Marines and Sailors will not have to tolerate the abuse that I tolerated. Not on my watch. High standards? Absolutely. Accountability? Every day. Discipline? Non-negotiable. Humiliation, intimidation, or treating people poorly because “that’s how I was raised?” No. Leadership isn’t about preserving our scars. It’s about making sure the next generation doesn’t have to earn the same ones. If you’re too afraid to lead Marines without resorting to abuse, then step aside. Because there is someone right behind you who can. #Leadership #MarineCorps #MilitaryLeadership #ServantLeadership #LeadByExample

Misty Janssen

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Wednesday 22 July 2026 18:38:18 GMT