Doug has faced many experiences where his leadership skills have been called into play. He developed these leadership skills while he was in the marines working as a marksmen instructor. He had to deal with 12 new recruits every week for a year. Then he became a preacher and through the church government experience he was called upon again to improve these skills. He had mentors he respected and he made it his goal to learn as much from them as he could. He compiles notes on these skills and put his notes together in his book Oath Takers.

Doug feels it is important to have a leader in a survival situation. People will not have the comforts they are used to and they will be looking for someone strong and confident to follow. When you don't have confidence you do not have hope. People want to have hope and they want someone they can trust to give them this hope. Being in charge is a heavy burden for the leader. When you can safely follow someone it takes the weight of your team off of your shoulders.


Doug's top eight leadership qualities are:

1. Knowledgeable 

2. Courage

3. Decisiveness

4. Dependable

5. Tact

6. Just

7. Enthusiastic

8. Has bearing

Some people are born leaders and sometimes leadership it thrust upon you. there may come a time when you will be required to step up for the good of your group. If you have the foundation of a leader just the act of stepping up will set you apart. Be familiar with situations you may find yourself in if thrust into a survival situation. Remember it is okay to be a follower. The followers empower the leader. You can't nominate yourself leader, without violence. The people you lead are the reason you are a leader. A leader needs to be knowledgeable and if not they need to be humble enough to know when to appoint a delegate to handle and issue they are not knowledgeable about.