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5 Leadership Lessons I Learned from the Military

Jenn Donahue
Oct 2
3 min read

When people hear I spent 27 years in the Navy, they often ask: “What was the biggest leadership lesson you learned?”

The truth? I didn’t just learn one lesson. I learned hundreds. Some came during high-pressure combat tours. Others came in quiet moments when I was simply responsible for the people right in front of me.

From leading four sailors on my first assignment to being responsible for 1,800 by the time I retired, every challenge shaped the leader I am today. And while these lessons were forged in the military, they aren’t just military lessons. They’re lessons that apply to business, life, and leadership in any environment.

Here are five that continue to guide me:

1. Always take care of your people

The first—and most important—lesson I ever learned: if you take care of your people, they’ll take care of you.

In Iraq, I had sailors who were tired, stressed, and operating in dangerous conditions. What kept us moving was trust. My team needed to know that I would fight for them, support them, and put their well-being first.

That’s not unique to the military. In corporate teams, nonprofits, or small businesses, the principle is the same. Leaders who serve their people build loyalty, performance, and respect.

2. Be decisive (but not reckless)

One of the fastest ways to lose credibility as a leader is to be wishy-washy. On the other hand, rushing into reckless decisions erodes trust.

The Navy taught me how to make clear, timely decisions with imperfect information. You rarely have the full picture. But if you freeze or second-guess, people lose confidence.

Strong leaders balance courage with clarity. They don’t wait for perfect conditions—they act with the best information available and adjust as needed.

3. Build trust with your team

My teams were diverse, they had different backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences. It was my responsibility to bring them together around a shared mission.

That’s true in any workplace. People don’t just need a paycheck, they need purpose. They want to know they’re part of something meaningful. And they want to believe their leader has integrity.

Trust is built daily, in every interaction. Whether it’s following through on your word, showing respect in tough conversations, or giving credit where it’s due, leaders earn trust through consistent actions.

4. Resilience: you can do more than you think

One of the strangest skills I picked up in the military was learning how to function on very little sleep.

Sometimes, that meant staying awake for 48 hours to get through missions. Other times, it was pushing my body and mind in ways I didn’t think were possible.

I’m not suggesting sleep deprivation as a leadership strategy. But I am saying this: you’re capable of more than you give yourself credit for. Resilience isn’t just physical—it’s mental. When you’re stretched, your capacity expands.

5. I can do hard things

When I first started, leading four people felt overwhelming. Then it became 18. Then 80. Then 600. By the time I retired, it was 1,800.

If I had known that number on day one, I would have said, “There’s no way.” But here’s the truth: you grow into the leader you’re meant to be. Step by step. Responsibility by responsibility.

Every challenge, every obstacle, every sleepless night built my confidence that I could rise to the next one. That confidence didn’t come from rank—it came from doing the work.

And that’s the ultimate leadership lesson: you can do hard things. You’ve done hard things before. You can do them again.