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How Do Your Actions Look Over Time?

Mike Abrashoff

One sign of a great leader is when they can look back on a decision made several years ago and say, “Yup…I’d make the same decision today.”

As I watch the tragic events unfold in Ukraine, there is something that happened 20 years ago that has received absolutely no media attention. Most people don’t know that when the Soviet Union broke apart, Ukraine became the third largest nuclear power in the world with 600 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM’s) each armed with ten nuclear tipped bombs that were aimed at the United States and western Europe. Three visionary leaders, Senators Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar and then Secretary of Defense William Perry all agreed to work together to try to convince Ukraine that it was not in their best interest to keep these missiles. The sticking point was the military officers who were responsible for these weapons did not want to relinquish them as they would then be out of a job and would have no way to support their families. Despite some vociferous opposition from those in the Congress objecting to “foreign aid”, Congress passed the Nunn-Lugar bill that appropriated money to build housing for the de-commissioned officers in Ukraine as a means of gaining their acceptance to dis-mantling their livelihoods. The amount was minuscule in the big scheme of things…maybe 200 million dollars. But over a period of two years in the mid nineties, William Perry traveled to Ukraine a total of four times to supervise the dis-mantling of 600 ICBM’s. The first trip was to supervise the removal of the 6,000 nuclear tipped warheads. The second time was to supervise the removal of the 600 missiles themselves. The third time was to blow up the 600 missile silos so that they could never again be used for hostile purposes. In my office to this day is a photo of William Perry pushing a button that set off the detonation of one of the silos.  The fourth trip was to plant crops in the fields that used to house missiles of death and destruction.

On one of the trips, the weather was so bad that the plane carrying us and the Ukrainian and the Russian Defense Ministers almost crashed after landing on an icy runway. Several people were injured including one of the Defense ministers but this was awfully important work and there was a sense of urgency to get it done quickly. As we watch the events continue to unfold in Ukraine, ponder for a moment how the media coverage would be different if there were still nuclear weapons there?

Three leaders saw a danger and they worked together for the common good to achieve an end despite withering criticism from many in Congress and some in the media. Think about that as we watch a Congress that can’t seem to agree on anything and so therefore, nothing gets done. What pressing problems 20 years into the future aren’t getting solved today because we can’t seem to come together for the common good?

A great leader plans and acts for the long term. As you think about your own leadership journey, think about the decisions you’ve made in years gone by and think about how you would have acted better or differently. Also, ask yourself are you taking the time now to plan for next year, the next five years or the next ten years or are you so stressed out now that you don’t have the clarity of mind to do so?  By the way, are you also coaching your subordinates in the art of leadership so they can help envision the future?

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