One of the most beneficial training experiences I’ve ever had was the Lance Corporal Leadership and Ethics Seminar (LCLE) during my time in the Marine Corps. At only eighteen, fresh out of high school and without any leadership background, this course completely reshaped how I viewed what it meant and what it takes to be a leader. What made it so powerful wasn’t just the class material, it was the way it was taught. Instead of just being lectured to, we spent most of our time in group discussions, analyzing stressful scenarios, and learning through shared experience. Hearing different perspectives from my peers and seeing genuine leadership from our instructor it showed me that leadership isn’t about rank or authority; it’s about influence, trust, and integrity.
The seminar’s design mirrored what we’ve learned about effective training, how real growth happens when learning connects directly to real-world behavior. Through its hands-on, discussion-based format, the LCLE created an environment where we could immediately apply what we learned instead of just hearing about it. The focus on meaningful interaction and personal reflection helped ensure that the lessons truly stuck. It also echoed the message from First, Break All the Rules by Buckingham and Coffman (2016), which explains that great leaders bring out each person’s individual strengths rather than relying on authority alone.
That experience taught me that leadership starts with being optimistic, this will bring out that leader within you that you didn’t know was there. This helps you step up when others need to be led.