Time for a subversive claim: the most critical things we do in the Army often come with the lowest profiles. This includes communication. Major training events can catch the eye of public affairs and higher commands, but we do something every day that is unfailingly key to mission success; we communicate. There aren’t enough sticks left for me to join in beating this dead horse in general, but I hope to offer a refreshing way of viewing one specific aspect of it.
Let’s start with a few basic elements of communication: the sender, the message, and the receiver or audience. Eliminate the constants; you as a company grade leader are the sender and the core of the message is hypothetically set (higher intent, orders, policy, etc.). This leaves the audience, which is in one of five directions relative to the sender. You can communicate upwards to your commander, down to subordinates, laterally to peers or sister units, outward to external stakeholders, and inward to yourself.
Upwards
Some dynamics are more clearly established than others in the Army. For example, the relationship between a company level leader and their commander comes with clear expectations. Air on the side of professionalism and you can always become more candid as trust is built, a concept that rarely works in reverse. Your commander deserves your honesty, but success ultimately comes from knowing what needs to be said and when.
Above all else, exercise an economy of words. Company and battalion commanders are always balancing priorities, and getting a point across succinctly can ensure it sticks.
Downwards
Any leader should value their subordinates’ time as much as they value that of their supervisor. We have all attended a brief that went two speeches too far, when leaders decided to impart additional wisdom on the unit. Avoid being that guy/girl by thinking clearly about your intent before you speak to your Soldier’s; the less you speak, the more they’ll listen.
Remember also that you set the tone in all interactions. You want those you lead to feel their opinion is valued and to be comfortable in their place of work, but there is a thin line between leadership and “likership”. Finally, your subordinates will want to show you they can execute on limited instructions. Give them the tools to succeed by checking their understanding of your intent; not to poke holes or test them, but to see where more clarity might be needed.
Laterally
The vertical hierarchy of the military ensures the relationship between leaders and subordinates remains center-stage, but others can be just as critical to foster. One such relationship is that of peers within units and across commands. This is often overlooked, but the more informal connections between Commanders, PLs, or First Sergeants from sister units can often have lasting impacts.
This goes beyond sharing products and lessons learned from training, with peers being a unique source of encouragement and advice. Leadership can have an isolating affect and hierarchies can turn interactions transactional if you let them. Reaching out can take time you might spend elsewhere, but the chance to build a support network is well worth it. Speak candidly yet respectfully with your peers, and do it often.
Outward
Fostering relationships with external stakeholders can likely seem even more extraneous than doing so with peers. But, we can observe the same when it comes to how we communicate with external stakeholders. The bottom line is that Range Control does not write your review and you may never see the members of an attached unit at an exercise ever again. However, the cliché remains true, it is in fact a small Army.
Never miss an opportunity to exercise indirect influence and reach out to outside units, installation assets, or even leaders in sister service/foreign partners. You broaden your own horizons in the process, develop rapport for when you’ll need it, and create a positive reputation for yourself and your unit. Be friendly, ready to learn, and always clarify what you and your unit can do for them.
Inward
Finally, we most often forget to communicate messages internally. This means truly processing the firehose of information we consume every day in the Army. Stay intentional about what you say, what you ruminate on, and how you develop. Avoid autopilot by revisiting how you have spoken to others and yourself in the recent past, utilizing notes if necessary.
What you say to yourself about your role as a leader can be just as detrimental or beneficial as what you say to others. Practice positive thinking and maintain your confidence, while always finding room to improve; you owe it to yourself and those around you.
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The message of this article should be clear; know yourself, your message, and most importantly, your audience. Speak efficiently, balance professionalism with honesty, and find relationships where you’d least expect them. There is however, one more key aspect to communication; feedback. In all the relationships described above, ensure that communication goes both ways.
Ask your commander to reiterate their intent, review a subordinate’s understanding of an operation, listen to a peer’s triumphs and frustrations, and find out how your unit can better work with an outside entity. Above all, communicate; speak to yourself and those around you with understanding and respect; your mission depends on it.
1st Lt. Dylan Nigh is an Active-Duty Army Officer currently serving as the Executive Officer for the Technical and Information Support Company (TISC) in First Special Forces Group (Airborne). He enjoys reading, volunteering, and writing on innovation and leadership.
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