5 questions a former Delta Force officer asked himself to evaluate his skill as a leader

Dalton Fury is a retired Army officer with 15 years within the Special Operations community.

‘In over 20 years in the Army, I found five non-intuitive steps to do just that. They required focused thought and felt at times more grueling and challenging than the toughest obstacle course. You’ll find they can also be applied far from the battlefield.’

Do your team members go the extra mile for you?

As a commissioned officer, you have dozens of subordinates, and in Delta Force, we call them “mates.” It’s up to the officer to recite the oath for a mate that wants to stay in the fight, and this re-enlistment process is the ultimate show of loyalty and trust.

Do you recognize their accomplishments?

You’ve spent days or even weeks developing a course of action that you and your team are absolutely sure is the best option, but your boss or your boss’s boss isn’t impressed.

Can you adjust your subordinates’ attitudes?

In special operations, you’re leading a bunch of wild horses mostly with Type A personalities, and at least in Delta Force, these operators are expected to have their own opinions. There are times then, of course, when one of your mates gets out of line.

Do you speak up for your team?

Can you make decisions on the fly when plans fall apart?

Most importantly, how do you perform when the going gets tough?