Leaders who cut corners on the little things also cut corners on the big stuff. They ignore verbal guidance, orders and regulations. Their arrogance makes them believe that the standard rules don’t apply to them. They know better than everyone else. Their arrogance also closes their eyes to their hypocritical, heavy-handed response when they discover others cutting corners. It is a leadership style best summed up as, “Do as I say, not as I do.” In the end, this style of leadership always catches up with them.
Any military member discovered to have shared sensitive or mission-critical information via an unauthorized platform while in uniform would have had their security clearance suspended immediately by their security manager, pending an investigation. If found negligent, they would have lost their clearances permanently.
Former U.S. Army Col. Mike Waltz, Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard, and Maj. Pete Hegseth should have known better than to discuss upcoming military operations via a commercial messaging app. I suspect that, as a military journalist, Marine Corps, JD Vance was also well aware of the rules regarding sensitive information.
There is a lesson that can be learned from the mistakes made by the Houthi PC Small Group chat chain. Those mistakes should remind all leaders that their every action is observed. Leaders should always maintain the highest level of personal standards and not shirk them when upholding them is inconvenient.
As you reflect on the events of the Houthi PC Small Group and their responses to the hard questions being asked of its members, ask yourself, “Am I upholding the standards by which I judge others?”
