COMPONENTS OF VETERAN CULTURE ROB ELLS

Manager, Veterans Initiatives Program Roush Enterprises

May 9-11, 2016 | Nashville, TN

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VALUES Veterans will bring a solid set of values to any organization and they will live by and act upon those values. Keep in mind, the Veteran’s experience may revolve around combat operations. Behavioral elements the Veteran may demonstrate are: impatience, a strict adherence to rules or values and an extreme urgency in decision making. When serving in the military, these behaviors were normal and expected. If these behaviors are contrary to the company culture, explain the new culture to the Veteran. He or she will adapt. (pg. 7)

The values of the US Armed Forces are not merely words, but a code of conduct that drives behavior in and out of the workplace. The values held by Veterans do not waver and they remain part of that Veteran even after the uniform is removed. These values are similar, if not the exact same as the values of many companies across America. Veterans have the discipline to support and guard these values and uphold them, not only when times are easy, but when times become difficult. (pg. 10)

ENTHUSIASM Emotionally, Veterans are very controlled. It is uncommon that you will ever see a Veteran display characteristics of euphoric happiness or extreme sadness. This does not mean they are emotionless but rather they have learned to control their emotions. The military performs their jobs in environments where focused and consistent leadership is the cornerstone of success. As exceptional leaders, they are aware of the power of emotions and how to keep them in balance. Consequently, during an interview, it is unlikely a Veteran will be the one who is outwardly excited about the opportunity; this does not mean that they are not excited. (pg. 18)

MILITARY VALUES

ARMY

Loyalty

Duty

Respect

Honor

Integrity

Selfless Service

Personal Courage

MARINES

Honor

Courage

Commitment

NAVY

Honor

Courage

Commitment

AIR FORCE

Integrity First

Service Before Self

Excellence in All We Do

COAST GUARD

Honor

Respect

Devotion to Duty

May 9-11, 2016 | Nashville, TN

USE OF JARGON / ACRONYMS The military profession, like many professions, maintains its own unique languages. Terms, acronyms, and orders vary by Service, and much of the language is significantly different from the civilian sector. If you’re unclear what a term or phrase means, ask him / her to explain.

COMMUNICATION

When a Veteran responds to a question in an interview, there might be a bit of a pause before providing a response. What is happening is the Veteran hears the questions, translates it into their military language, finds an example to illustrate their competency then translates it back into the business language. This process is no different than the process used while learning to speak a foreign language. (pg. 19)

Despite speaking patterns being different, Veterans realize the nature of precise and timely communication. They live by the phrase that “words have meaning and selection of the correct word is critical.” Veterans will likely be the ones who over-communicate and seek feedback to ensure that a message was received and understood. (pg. 40)

BLUF Veterans have a unique way of speaking and nuances associated with it. Veteran patterns of speech might be perceived as: short and abrupt; lacking descriptive language; direct and blunt; lacking social conversation or pleasantries. A key component to the military speech pattern is to always place the Bottom Line Up Front or BLUF. This will take the form of the key message, be it written or verbal, placed at the start of a presentation. Veterans are accustomed to this and can subconsciously expect others to do the same. (pg. 40)

LEADERSHIP Regardless of rank, all members of the military are trained in leadership. When a Veteran is hired, he/she will bring to the organization leadership skills that have been learned in the classroom and honed through practical application. Veterans are leaders who are taught how to succeed when success is fleeting, they are adept at making ethical decisions and they do this in harsh environments with little sleep, while operating in a new and diverse culture among a population that may want to inflict harm. (pg. 27)

SPEED OF ACTION Accomplishing tasks (missions) with speed and accuracy is embedded within the military culture, but business coworkers may view the Veteran as a “bull running through a china shop.” Many Veterans are type-A personalities, and given the relatively short nature of military assignments (18-36 months), they do not waste time in establishing their vision, values and philosophy. If this direct approach does not fit in the company culture, explain to the Veteran how leaders assimilate with their teams. They will accept the criticism and adapt. (pg. 28) (Veterans will not confuse urgency with rushing to change. They will quickly strive to learn about the organization, before attempting to implement changes)

PLANNING Veterans, regardless of rank, have significant experience planning operations. While military planning processes bear some similarities and difference from business planning processes, Veterans provide a unique perspective to existing processes and planning models.

May 9-11, 2016 | Nashville, TN

EXECUTION Veterans, by the nature of their military service and leadership experience, are not only planners but also executors. Veterans build teams, support teams, and work together to ensure proper execution and successful accomplishment of tasks.

PROCESSES From experience, Veterans realize that situations are not always calm, and they know that results must be constant regardless of the environment. They will bring to your organization a process by which they can replicate routine tasks and events. If a physical checklist does not exist, they may make one to maintain consistency. (pg. 31)

WHAT IF? By virtue of their training, Veterans are always thinking about “what if?” It might be as overt as deliberate planning for potential problems or as subtle as having developed a course of action should a system fail or what to do if a team member gets sick or injured. (pg. 31)

INTERVIEWING A Veteran lacks experience in interviewing and is not accustomed to boasting about his or her accomplishments, making the job interview very intimidating. The military emphasizes the competence of the collective – teamwork over the individual.

The Veteran, often quiet and humble, may hesitate taking time to comprehend the intent and develop an answer that is translated from military language to business language. This can give the impression that the Veteran is a poor communicator when in actuality they are just processing the information differently. (pg. 17)

INTERVIEWING TIPS: • Start with some simple questions that the Veteran will be able to answer; questions on military values are a

great starting point. • Avoid company specific language when asking the question. • If industry language is a must, take time to define it. • If during an interview you sense a Veteran is struggling:

o Acknowledge that industry specific language is challenging for everyone. o Be patient while the Veteran is formulating their answer.

• If the Veteran uses a word that is unclear, calmly inform the Veteran that you are unclear on what the word means (pg. 19)

RECOMMENDED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: • “I understand that each Service has a core set of values. Can you tell me a few that are important to you?” • “Between the position for which you’re applying and any of your previous jobs in the military, what

characteristics do you see as similar?” • “As a leader, what do you do to create an environment of success for your team?” • “Describe for me a situation when you were working with different cultures. What actions did you take to

gain their trust?”

*SOURCE: The Walt Disney Company Heroes Work Here Veterans Institute Handbook - 080714