Servant Leadership with Integrity
Today’s leaders have a responsibility to inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
–Lieutenant Colonel Oak McCulloch
Some people are born 
natural leaders, others develop into them. Oakland McCulloch is a combination of both. He has 40+ years of leadership in the U.S. Army and subsequent civilian positions, Oakland highlights principles that will benefit today’s leaders and inspire the leaders of tomorrow to be the change and encourage attributes others want to follow. He grew up with principles that set the stage for defining boundaries, good decision-making, and striving to become the best version of oneself.
I had the privilege to interview Oakland about his life journey in leadership, a Legacy he is leaving for his children and others to become leaders walking in his footprints.
Eileen: You have a stellar career in the military. How has that prepared you for Leadership?
Oakland: I was able to lead people in a wide variety of situations, including combat and peacekeeping operations. By the time I was 34 years old, I was in charge of 375 people, was signed for $252 million dollars of equipment, and had a $10 million dollar budget to manage.
Eileen: That is impressive! A great start for a career in leadership. What do you believe are the top 3 traits of Leadership? Why?
Oakland: The first and most important trait is Integrity. Without that, every other trait does not matter. Leadership is about people & trust and without Integrity, your people will not trust you.
The second most important trait is Character. Men and women want to be led by better men and women than they are. They want to follow someone who sets the example for them in everything they do – work ethics and morals.
The third most important trait is Communication Skills. Communicating is what leaders do! You must be able to communicate your vision & plan and assigned jobs or projects in a clear, concise, and easily understood manner. If you cannot do that, then how do the people who you lead know what their responsibilities are?
Eileen: Exactly! I agree 100% with your 3 traits, which I would imagine build a great foundation for success. Your Education includes a Master’s in Military Arts and Science in History and Leadership. I would love to know what you learned and could apply to life in this degree.
Oakland: I believe my degree in History has given me a good foundation in what people in different countries have gone through. This was very helpful during my deployments to the Middle East and in the Balkans. I understand what makes them think and react the way they do.
My degree in Leadership helped me to understand not only the theories behind leadership principles, but I was also able to learn from the study of what some great leaders (both military and civilian) did and why they did what they did.
Eileen: I love the combination of a deep knowledge of differences in culture and the way people think, along with great leaders’ actions based on their WHY. How has your Leadership and Education been an asset for you in mentoring those you were a leader for in the military?
Oakland: I have some valuable lessons I have learned, both good and bad, that I can pass on to the next generation of leaders. Lessons they now don’t have to learn the hard way. Many times, as in my book and my leadership speech, I use personal stories to teach those lessons in a way that they can relate to and understand.
A good example:
Spending time with the people you have the privilege to lead. When I was a Basic Training Company Commander, our Privates were at the range learning how to operate and fire the M1 Tank. I made sure I was out there on a very HOT summer day at Fort Knox, KY. At lunch, I spotted three Privates sitting on top of their tank having an MRE (Army’s lunch in a brown plastic bag). So, I grabbed an MRE and hopped up on the tank with them. I talked to them about their future. One of those young men contacted me right after I published my book (almost 30 years later) and told me that that discussion and my example as a leader changed his life.
A bad example:
Putting your needs, wants, and desires ahead of those you are supposed to lead. When I was a Platoon Leader, I had a conversation with another Platoon Leader in our Company. He was telling me that he was going to prevent one of his soldiers from attending a course that he needed to get promoted. When I asked him why, he said he needed that soldier to be available to go on a month-long rotation to the National Training Center (NTC) with the platoon. When I told him that the soldier would never trust him ever again, he said he didn’t care as long as he and the platoon did well at the NTC!
Eileen: It can be so beneficial for others to learn from lessons we have had and try to pass along. I love personal stories as they are raw and real. What hard lessons did you have to go through to become a better version of yourself?
Oakland: Everyone has had hard lessons in life. I believe in the old adage “Life is not about what happens to you, it is about how you react to what has happened to you.” I have had the death of two siblings and illnesses in the family. I think being the oldest I saw it as my responsibility to step up and help. That helped me develop, or at least start to develop, my sense of duty as a leader.
Eileen: Those are tough life experiences, losing loved ones. It can make one stronger and more resilient. As you worked towards developing into a leader, I would believe there were people you looked up to. Who do you admire and why?
Oakland: The person in this world that most intrigues me most right now is Elon Musk. If you told me, I could have lunch with anyone in the world right now that is who I would pick. He is obviously a good leader; he has three or four very successful businesses, and all are completely unique to each other. I would love to spend a couple of hours picking his brain.
Eileen: Elon Musk is a great person to admire, he has an incredible brain indeed, and getting inside I am sure would be quite an amazing experience! Perhaps someday you will have the opportunity to meet him. Is there one person you would say is your “Hero?” What identifies this person to you as a hero and what action did they take for you to feel this way about them?
Oakland: I would have to say I have several. First is my father. He was by no means a perfect man or a perfect example of what I wanted to become. However, he taught me the lessons that certainly helped to make me the man I am today. He taught me to be tough, to make good decisions, and the importance of being the best at whatever you decide to do. Second, I would have to say it was two of my high school teachers: Coach Terry Niedzwiecki and Mr. Charles Schindler. They taught me that being a leader is about taking care of the people you have the privilege to lead. It is not and cannot be about you, it is about them and the organization you are leading.
Eileen: All three men sound like the perfect Hero and I can understand why. What do you want people to remember about you?
Oakland: That I was a good person who tried to make the world a better place and to make a positive difference in people’s lives. I hope people see that I did that as the head of my family (to my wife, son, daughter & grandchildren), a member of my Christian community, and as a leader in the Army.
Eileen: I respect you for your desire to make the world a better place and make a difference. Values are an important part of life. What are your top three values and why?
Oakland:
Honesty, because you are only as good as your word. My father used to say that no one can ever take your integrity away from you, you must give it away.
Selfless Service, because caring for others is what we are on this earth to do. If it is not, then I would question why we are here.
Personal Courage, both physical and mental, because that is what allows you to have the strength to stand up for what is right.
Eileen: These are amazing values to have and can certainly be an asset when leading others. You are about to retire and are focusing on speaking. What is your message and why is it important for others to hear it?
Oakland: My message is about being a Servant Leader and passing on that great leadership to the next generation of leaders. My favorite quote is from retired Master Sergeant David Powell, “Great leadership handed down from generation to generation is what develops great nations”. I firmly believe that. And the most powerful part of that quote is that you can substitute the word “nations” for anything you want – hospital, company, food bank, sports team, military, etc. and it does not change the power of that quote one bit.
Eileen: Great point! Very powerful quote and when people understand the value of handing down great leadership, the world breeds excellence and Growth. Words of Wisdom for someone who wants to be an extraordinary leader.
Oakland: Get to know the people you have the privilege to lead. Find out more about them than just their life at work. Take an interest in them and show them you care about them as a person, not just as an employee.
Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch, U.S. Army (Retired) was born in Loudon, Tennessee, and raised in Kirkland, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he attend the United States Military Academy at West Point for two years. He then graduated from Northern Illinois University and received his commission as an Infantry Officer through the Reserve Officer Training Course in 1986. In his 23-year career in the Army, Oak McCulloch held numerous leadership positions in the Infantry and Armor Branches. Read his full Biography here.
