The Detachment is pleased to announce a new meeting venue beginning January 19, 2016,
Lilly's on the Lake will provide their private meeting room, at no-charge, for our monthly meetings.
Lilly's, a newly-opened, locally-owned, Caribbean themed restaurant, is located on the lakefront, at the foot of 8th street, in historic downtown Clermont (848 West Osceola Street, Clermont, Fl 34711).
The Detachment meets the third Tuesday of each month at 18:00 hours.
Our Detachment met, and conquered all the challenges, and obstacles, of a busy past few months. Thank you all for a job well done.
Mentoring, part of our heritage for many years, develops our detachment’s future leaders.
Reminisce back to all those who helped you, throughout your life, to achieve success. Remember the teacher in junior high school who helped you with math, or your varsity wrestling coach who worked with you to become the best. Or the times your parents helped you through tough periods in your life. They were mentoring you, providing assistance in a form of counseling to help you perform well, and assisting in your personal and professional growth. The same concept and principles apply to your detachment mentee.
The 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General John A. Lejeune said “Mentor is defined as a father to son, senior to junior, teacher to scholar relationship.”
A mentor should be trustworthy, approachable, and effective as a listener. If you have a member with shortfalls, take the time to listen to his or her problems. Strike the right balance of communication, and allow them to give you feedback on what is, and is not, working for them. Assist them with professional, and personal goals. Encourage them to make a difference by involvement in detachment projects.
Mentoring is a continuous process with a wide array of tools at your disposal. Emphasize the importance of teamwork, financial planning, health care, and community service.
With positive mentoring, we will have a detachment member with a whole lot of motivation, and esprit de corps.
Our 27th Commandant, General Barrow stated, “Mentoring is another arrow in the quiver of successful, concerned leaders to encourage and help their Marines.”
Semper Fidelis
Collin A. Cottrell, Commandant
Please find below the final two (2) keys to effective and authentic leadership. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
9. Unity Is Strength.
Team is somehow the most important resources for each leader. Embrace your team and devote your energy to care about its unity each and every day. As long as your team is splendid, nothing can stay on your way to success. Make sure that all people in your team consider themselves as members of a strong, unified family.
10. There Is Always Room For Growth
Remember, satisfaction should be a short term feeling. Life would become useless without ongoing improvement. This does not mean that you shouldn't appreciate what you have. This means that you should be thankful for everything you have achieved, but still try to do a little more for the team.
Please click HERE to see the photo's of our Detachment involvement in the Clermont Veterans Day event at the lakefront.
Please find below the next three keys to effective and authentic leadership. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
6. Flexibility May Refer to Behavior, Not Values.
Depending on circumstances you may choose a different style of leadership orcommunication. Flexibility is a truly effective trait, if it doesn't affect your values. Each and every decision of yours, no matter the situation, must be based on your value system. As long as your actions are value driven, you will have the trust and respect of people around you.
7. Leadership Is All About People.
Could you be a leader in an empty room by having profound goals and skills? Of course not. Leading means communicating, influencing and engaging. Communication skills are foundation of effective leadership. Constantly improve your relationship with your team, and the amazing results won't make you wait.
8. It Is Fine To Admit To Mistake
If everything has always been done perfect, we would somehow lost the ability to analyze and improve, Mistakes are proof that you are doing something. You won't become a worse leader if you admit your mistakes. By doing that, you will show that you are wise enough to learn from each and every experience.
Please find below the next three keys to effective and authentic leadership. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
3. Leading Means Making an Impact. Think about the greatest leaders in history. What was the one thing they had in common. Yes, they all made an impact. Leadership is not just setting goals and effectively achieving them with your team. Leadership is not just brilliant public speaking and great communication skills. If you want to be an authentic leader, you should have your unique contribution to the welfareof the society. You should make a positive change.
4. Leadership is Chasing Vision, Not Money. Without a vision, your activities are meaningless. Each person can be very busy implementing various tasks, but the key is devoting your efforts and time to the realization of your vision. Vision is what inspires people to take action and go forward. Discover your unique vision and coordinate all your activities towards it.Inspire each and every member of your team with your vision.
5. Actions Speaks Louder Than Words. It's not a secret that much talking and less acting has nothing to do with effectiveness. What people see affects them many times greater than what they hear. So, choose actions. Don't waste your and other people's time on endless conversations about your plans and be surethat everyone will see it.
For the past few months you had the opportunity to read about the Eight Principles of Leadership. Now let's take a look at Ten Principles of Effective and Authentic Leadership.
There is a great amount of definitions and theories about Effective Leadership. Each leader chooses their unique styles of success; however, there are keys to authentic leadership that can't be ignored. Over the next four months I will publish these principles for everyone to read. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
(1) Leadership is Behavior, Not Position.
Leaders are the ones who take responsibility for making decisions and bringing change. Leaders are the ones who empower people to discover and use their greatest potential. The executive position on someone's visit card won'tdo all of these. People are the ones to choose their leaders. And how will they do that? They will judge by behavior, attitude and actions. If you want to be a leader, then act like a leader and shape a better reality.
(2) The Best Way of Influence Is Setting an Example.
Each leader wants to get the best of their team. Excellence orientation is great, as there is always need for development. But here is the simple truth. Instead of telling your team members what to do, show it to them by your own example. They are following you each and every moment. Practice what you preach, and the results will astonish you. Especially during hard times, when chances to give up are very big, you should be the ones who faces obstacles with confidence and determination towards success. Be sure, they will do the same and stand by your side.
My fellow Marines, Associate Members, and friends of the South Lake Detachment are you an inspired leader? Did you know there are eight (8) key leadership principles that every leader at every level should know? Each month I will publish two (2) of these principles for everyone to read. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
Principle 7
Great leaders use their power by giving it to others. Effective leaders are a source of power and energy for people, teams, and the organization. They encourage the heart. They understand that power is not a zero sum game. The more a leader empowers others, the stronger and more effective the leader and team become.
Principle 8
Effective leadership requires courage. Lots of courage. Courage comes from ''cor'' which is Latin word for heart. Courage means strength of heart. It takes great courage that is, strength of heart to be a leader.
Our Detachment participated in the 2015 City of Clermont Memorial Day Observance at Waterfront Park today.
Please enjoy photos of the event, courtesy of Bob Kane, by clicking HERE.
My fellow Marines, Associate Members, and friends of the South Lake Detachment are you an inspired leader? Did you know there are eight (8) key leadership principles that every leader at every level should know? Each month I will publish two (2) of these principles for everyone to read. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
Principle 5
Before you can lead, you must first learn to follow. Great leaders are great followers. They are humble. They do not always need to be in charge. They understand the impact of great followership. If you don't understand the dynamic of followership, then you don't understand the dynamics of leading. Many people in positions of authority are ineffective leaders precisely because they are not good followers.
Principle 6
Great leaders create stability and drive change. Effective leaders build and maintain a changeless core. From that foundation they drive continuous change and improvement. The changeless core is deep, unwavering commitment to share value that gives people meaning and identity beyond their role in the organization and beyond circumstances the organization or it's people may be facing. The commitment to continuous change derives from the leader's recognition that success requires constant adjustment and continuous improvement. Today's world deals ruthlessly with people and organizations who fail to adapt and change.
My fellow Marines, Associate Members, and friends of the South Lake Detachment are you an inspired leader? Did you know there are eight (8) key leadership principles that every leader at every level should know? Each month I will publish two (2) of these principles for everyone to read. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
Principle 3
Great leaders are as good at listening as they are at communicating. People want their leaders to listen. Leaders don't have to agree, but they do need to listen and seek to understand. People want to be understood at two levels: intellectual and emotional. At the intellectual level people want the leader to understand what they are saying. At the emotional level people want the leader to understand what they are feeling. Again listening is not about agreeing with people. It is about respecting them and paying attention to them. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care about them.
Principle 4
Great leadership is about wisdom, not intelligence. There are plenty of smart people in positions of leadership. What we need are wise leaders. Our world has an overabundance of information, but we have a scarcity of real wisdom. Wise leaders have insight that is, they see beyond the obvious. Why? Because they are looking.
Detachment 1120 fielded two (2) Color Guard units for the first time in its history on Saturday morning, February 28, 2015.
Our Marine Corps League successfully met requests for Color Guard participation at both the dedication ceremony for the new $750,000 Clermont Boathouse as well as opening day of the 2015 South Lake Little League season.
Photo albums, thanks to Bob Kane, of these two (2) events may be found HERE on the Detachment FLICKR account.
Many local VIP's attended the Boathouse event providing good exposure for the Detachment. Lake County Rowing Association took additional photo's HERE.
Congratulations to our dedicated Color Guard team members.
Because of the skillful work of dedicated Member Bob Kane, the Detachment now has a wonderful photo history of the many events recently.
You may view them by clicking HERE for the Detachment FLIKR account.
Over time we will try to integrate the albums directly into the website media page. But for now just click over to FLIKR and enjoy. As future albums are posted, you will receive an email notification. Thank you.
Your Web Sergeant
My fellow Marines, Associate Members, and friends of the South Lake Detachment are you an inspired leader? Did you know there are eight (8) key leadership principles that every leader at every level should know? Each month I will publish two (2) of these principles for everyone to read. Thank you, Sgt. Maj. Collin Cotterell, USMC (Ret), Detachment Commandant.
Principle 1
Great leadership begins with the person, not the position. Before you can lead others, you must first manage yourself. Leadership is not so much a position you hold as it is a set of disciplines and behaviors you practice. The first and most fundamental of which is self discipline. A leader without self discipline is a disaster waiting to happen.
Principle 2
Great leadership is about your level of influence, not your level of authority. People follow the leader first and the vision second. If people aren't committed to you, they will not be committed to the vision you communicate. Always seek to have your level of influence exceed your level of authority. Indeed, your influence is your authority. You establish your personal credibility and authority by consistently living your core values and demonstrating that you are a person other people want to follow.
Members of the South Lake Sgt. I.W. Hatcher Detachment 1120 join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving the traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps.
This is accomplished by banding together those who are now serving in the United States Marine Corps, and those who have been honorably discharged from that service; voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance to all Marines, FMF Navy Corpsmen, FMF Navy Chaplain and their wives, widows and orphans; and by perpetuating the history of the United States Marine Corps through fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of particular interest to Marines.
We welcome you to join us.
Came across an exciting new educational opportunity for vet's looking to re-enter the workforce with some new skills.
VAe’s Skills TRaining And Certification (STRAC) program, newly extended to the Orlando training complex, is an intense five month course that gives graduates the skills and knowledge to enter the industry as electronics technicians. Training is fully funded by the VA; there is no cost to the veteran. Also, while attending training, veterans receive a stipend that varies by the number of dependents.
Contact Dan Seeley about the program via phone: (770) 296-3431 or e-mail dseeley@vaellc.com
170 families will have a merrier Christmas this year courtesy of the South Lake County Marine Corps League Toys for Tots program. For the first time distribution will be here in our area at the Clermont #1 Fire House on Hwy 50. The Toy Drive is ongoing. We started on November 3rd and will go through December 11 and look forward to even more toys this year.
At a recent Detachment meeting over 1/2 the room, including me, raised their hands when asked who felt they were suffering with PTSD. The VA and many other outstanding organizations want to provide aid and comfort. The question becomes "What can we do to help them, help us?".
1. Learn their language. All professionals use jargon. We do it in the USMC. So do they. Study the symptoms of PTSD, and communicate those you are experiencing in the exact same terms.
2. Come prepared. As Marines we are trained to come prepared. For help-givers to engage they need a full and complete understanding of your prior medical history. You should collect these records using a Form 10-5345 for each location where you received treatment.
3. Come as you are. Help-givers need to see you as you live your normal life. Avoid "Marine Proud". Just come as you are on any other day.
Please contact me (info@southlakemcl.org) or share your experiences in the comments section.
Today kicks off the launch of www.southlakemcl.org. Welcome and thank you for visiting. Please subscribe on the Contact page to keep up with Detachment activities and information. We welcome feedback on the site to webmaster@southlakemcl.org. Thank you.