One of my favorite movies is Full Metal Jacket. It is a difficult film to watch and it always leaves me with a sense of heavy sorrow. It focuses on the horrors of war but also on the military process of training soldiers. Much of the induction into the military and the realities of warfare featured in the movie are difficult to even imagine. 

The most jarring section of the film comes in the beginning when the main character is undergoing the training that he and his fellow soldiers will need to be successful in the roles that they will eventually play. As we all know the process under the close maintenance of a drill sergeant can sometimes feel brutal but then so is war so the troops must become tough and willing to follow orders. In Full Metal Jacket we see what happens when a young man is ill suited for the grueling transition from private citizen to a military man. 

One of the characters has trouble from the onset. The other soldiers make fun of him and the drill sergeant calls him out to a point of breaking him. Watching the downfall of this person is humbling and it is difficult not to want to scream at the drill sergeant and the other members of the troop to leave him alone. Still, common sense tells us that this man cannot be weak when he goes into combat. He has to be able to stand with his comrades and follow the instructions of his commanders. Sadly the man is unable to endure the constant barrage on his psyche. In the end he violently ends the cruelty that has left him in a state of rage.

The idea of turning individuals into devoted members of a group works most of the time in the military. It is why there are uniforms and clear attempts to erase the individual quirks of each recruit. In other situations management of that style can sometimes seem appropriate but rarely is. In the world of work turning employees into unquestioning followers can actually spell the downfall of the enterprise. 

Humans are hard wired to think and to ask questions. When those very instincts are used for the good it is magical. Allowing workers to express concerns and make suggestions for improvement is valuable for the growth and sustainability of any organization. When such abilities are stunted by canned programs and responses the workplace becomes dull and prone to losing momentum. 

I spent most of my adult life in schools. I worked for a few drill sergeants but never stayed very long in such places. I found them to be far too confining.They created unhappy and often failing schools. Going to work was a drudge in which I was forced to follow directions that did not allow for the variety of techniques that I needed to reach all of my students. The classrooms in such schools became boring and more like working on an assembly line than inspiring young people to use the best of their talents.

I was fortunate enough to spend the start of my career in exciting environments. My principals and mentors knew exactly how to tap into my skills. They invited me to voice my own ideas and encouraged me to challenge theirs when I felt uncomfortable. We had long discussions in which I knew that I was truly being heard and it propelled my confidence in ways that kept improving my teaching. I was not afraid to admit to making mistakes and then asking for counsel in how to repair the damage. The collegiality of such workplaces prepared me to be a strong advocate for myself and my students. It also showed me how to be a true mentor to the teachers that I would ultimately train, develop and represent. 

When I later encountered the drill sergeant mentality I knew how to respond. I understood that I did not have to be in such a place and plotted my exit before the frustration of being treated like someone without a brain had driven me mad. In some cases I was even bold enough to challenge the people who wanted to bind me with so many rules that were counter to my understanding of best practices. 

We humans are not built to be trained and managed as though we have no ideas of our own. Each of us is beautifully original and we all want to find ways of using our talents and skills in creative and original ways. There are basic rules that we must follow in any venue but when we are demanded to shut down our own thoughts we generally feel confined to the point of needing to escape. In a democracy like ours too many rules that deny the freedom of thought and lifestyle are dangerous. Those who want to walk in tandem with certain beliefs should be more than welcome to do so but when they force those same ideas on everyone else they have gone too far. 

The lovely variety of humanity is a beautiful thing. No president or boss or even religious leader should ever become a drill sergeant demanding that we march to only one tune. Our beautiful minds tell us that such a world is totally wrong.