If there is one constant about the fourteen leadership traits recognized by the Marine Corps, it is that not one of them stands alone or above all the others. They are intertwined and interdependent, like the parts of a fine watch or the gears in a complex machine. Absent one trait, all the others are affected: the watch loses time, the machine malfunctions. Without unselfishness, it may be difficult to be dependable. Without knowledge, it’s tough to make solid judgment calls.

For Marines, it’s about the mission and keeping the mission central to each tactical decision. Today’s complex and knowledge-intensive world requires the kind of bottom-up leadership that Marine NCO’s undertake every day.