Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, commander of Space Systems Command, was invited to speak on the topic of leadership April 25 at the University of Oregon (UO).
The invitation was extended by his daughter-in-law, Rachael Doyle-Guetlein, assistant coach for the UO women’s soccer team, and quickly grew from a motivational speaking opportunity for not only the women’s soccer team, but also the UO women’s softball and women’s tumbling teams and coaches, and the UO Army ROTC cadets.
“The main reason we asked Lt. Gen. Guetlein to speak with our team was his vast experience interacting with and managing people in a high-stress environment. Student-athletes these days have a lot going on in their lives and so it is important for us to let them know how they are supported and what they can do to support each other,” said Doyle-Guetlein. “Leadership is a huge part of this and also understanding how they can help cultivate a positive environment in conjunction with their teammates. Lastly, it is great for us coaches to hear what we can do to help better ourselves and the environment for our student-athletes,” she said. “This is our team, whether it says Space Force, Air Force, Army, or Navy. It’s one fight, one team,” Guetlein emphasized during a meeting with UO Army ROTC cadets at the start of his visit. “I need every single one of you on my team, bringing your unique perspective and opinions to the fight. Our superpower as a nation is our people.”
With the U.S. Army being the largest military user of space and space-enabled capabilities, the commander’s important message of the role teamwork plays in the military resonated with the attentive audience.
Lt. Gen. Guetlein stressed the importance of being a person of action. “Make me tackle you from behind because you’re off executing my intent,” he said. “I’d rather we fix mistakes along the way than have you waiting to ask permission. Your standards today are the best they’ll ever be. Shine your boots! Your troops are always watching you. And when the world is in chaos, that’s when you’ve got to be at your best,” he told the cadets.
Lt. Col. Christopher Warren, professor of military science, UO ROTC, facilitated the cadet meeting.
“One of our goals at UO Army ROTC is to introduce our cadets to a wide range of military careers, experiences, and speakers,” said Lt. Col. Warren. “Lt. Gen. Guetlein’s visit provides us a unique opportunity to discuss and reflect on the nature of leadership and the military in the modern era; especially with regard to the emergence of the critical new warfighting domains our cadets will have to account for once they have commissioned and taken on the task of our nation’s defense.”
Lt. Gen. Guetlein then spoke to student-athletes and coaches and shared his thoughts on the similarities between the military and athletics.
Pointing to the American flag patch on his uniform, “Everyone in the world knows what this flag means,” he said. “Freedom. Democracy. Just like everyone who sees that big O on your chest knows what it means. Check your identity at the door and become something bigger than yourself. Represent the uniform that you wear. You have an individual commitment to the team. You’re a duck. Commit to your shared objective.”
Being an effective leader, he said, requires many traits including trust, encouraging others to go beyond their comfort zone, and building cohesion. “Managing is easy, leadership is hard. It requires you to be a role model and make tough decisions that are best for the team,” Lt. Gen. Guetlein continued. “When we’re in the fight, we know we can count on each other,” he said. “I always know this team has my back. If your teammate knows they can trust you, they’ll perform to the highest of their ability. And when a member is struggling, if the team shows up, that pays dividends to the individual and the team’s performance.”
“We are so fortunate to have someone of Lt. Gen. Guetlein’s stature come and share his knowledge with our student-athletes,” said Graeme Abel, head coach for the UO women’s soccer team. “The experiences he has had within our nation’s military provide moments for our student athletes to learn from as they continue their own journey throughout life.”