Who said, “The privileges of being an American belong to those brave enough to fight for them”?
After flying with a barnstorming pilot in Washington, D.C. as a teenager, this famous four-star general dreamed of becoming an aviator. But instead of taking the direct route to become a pilot, he opted for a road less traveled. After years of hard work and perseverance, he was accepted to West Point. When his father saw that his son was able to do what he was denied years before and inspire other African Americans, he wrote to him saying, “Remember, 12 million people will be pulling for you with all we have.”
Ironically, when he got to West Point in 1932, he was completely isolated. For his entire four years, he studied by himself and ate his meals alone. His fellow cadets spoke to him only when necessary, hoping that the silent treatment would drive him out of the academy. Looking back on this experience he said, “Their only purpose was to freeze me out. What they did not realize was that I was stubborn enough to put up with their treatment to reach the goal I had come to attain.” After graduating 35th out of a class of 276, West Point’s Superintendent suggested he pursue a career outside the Army, but he refused. Arriving at Fort Benning to command an infantry company, he was again excluded and discriminated against on and off the base.
But World War II was changing things. It allowed this commander to take what he endured and turn it into something positive. In 1942, the Army wanted a Black West Point graduate to command a first-of-its-kind squadron, and luckily for Benjamin O. Davis Jr. (and, it turns out, luckily for the Army as well), the list was very short. Within a year, he commanded a unit of 1,000 Black pilots which came to be known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Considering Davis’s history, he understood what was needed not only to prove his men’s worth but to protect them from the racism and scrutiny that he had dealt with for years himself.
One memorable example of Lieutenant Colonel Davis supporting his pilots happened in 1943 when the performance of his 99th Fighter Squadron, the first squadron of the Tuskegee fighters, was unfairly questioned. He defended them in front of military officials, going as far as to hold a press conference at The Pentagon. He ended up saving the squadron, and his support was proven correct when those pilots shot down 12 German planes in two days protecting Anzio beachhead.
As President Bill Clinton said when he promoted Benjamin O. Davis Jr. to a four-star general decades later, “When the doors were shut on him, he knocked again and again until finally they opened, until his sheer excellence and determination made it impossible to keep them closed. Once the doors were open, he made sure they stayed open for others to follow.”
General Davis consistently fought for the fair treatment of his men, and over time built a strong bond with them and earned their respect. Support is the fourth of five values to think about when you are working to build trust within your organization. Those values are easy to remember. Just think of
“TRUST” or…
- Transparency
- Respect
- Understanding
- Support
- Teamwork
Next, you’ll discover how leaders can build trust using teamwork to create an environment where people can prosper and help the company grow by sharing ideas, supporting one another, and working toward common goals.
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