Tag Archives: Leader

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The Selfie-Leader Part I

Please Like, Share and Follow Me As I Lead

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“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves” – Lao Tzu

 

For those who read articles published by the Company Leader and other leadership initiative based sites in support of the Armed Forces, you understand that in order to dissect what a “Leader” is, it is important to first understand its definition. According to ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession, leadership is defined as “the activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization” (Department of the Army, 2017). This should sound remarkably familiar, as it is one of the most common board questions asked during any evaluation or promotion board.

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Counseling in the Guard and Reserves

A Personal Observation

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Counseling is one of the most important tools given to Non Commissioned Officers in today’s Army. It allows us to provide valuable feedback to our subordinates, and allows us to map out development plans that will ultimately shape the Army of tomorrow. So why is it so rarely utilized in the National Guard and Reserves?

 

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Moving a Mountain

An essay about SHARP

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You cannot move the mountain alone overnight.  The purpose of this essay is to inform about sexual harassment and assault in the Army.  Army Regulation 600-20, chapter 8 requires annual training on Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Program (SHARP).  So, why do cases of sexual harassment and assault continue to take place?  Simply put, tackling the topic of SHARP can feel like moving a mountain.  You can move a mountain if it is broken into smaller, more manageable pieces.  We can begin to move the “mountain” of SHARP issues by addressing contributing factors.  Three contributors of SHARP issues include toxic work environments, behavior patterns, and dated teaching methods.  All missions have a starting point.  Moving this mountain begins with addressing toxic work environments.

CAMP HOVEY, Republic of Korea — Staff Sgt. Chamiracle Earls, right, the Sexual Assault and Harassment Response and Prevention, or SHARP, victim advocate for the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, explains a scenario room decorated as a bar to other Soldiers during an open house event for the SHARP 360 building on Camp Hovey, South Korea, Dec 13. The SHARP 360 building contains scenario rooms that consist of vignettes such as a gym, a shower room, a bar, and a barracks room designed to provide realistic scenarios that Soldiers could encounter in their daily lives. (Photo Credit: Republic of Korea Army Cpl. Dasol Choi, 1st ABCT Public Affairs)
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Principles to a Successful Army Career

A Command Sergeant's Major Perspective

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Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Schroeder, U.S. Army Forces Command senior enlisted adviser, discusses trends and priorities for Army leaders, and gets feedback from 1st Cavalry Division enlisted leaders during an open forum at Howze Auditorium Dec. 8 at Fort Hood, Texas. Schroeder, who served as the III Corps and Fort Hood senior enlisted adviser from September 2012 to June 2014, discussed FORSCOM priorities and topics with leaders, including improving readiness, equipping the force, training, operationalizing the total Army, sponsorship, career progression and development, family care plans and many other topics. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Keith Anderson, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 1st Cavalry Division) (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Keith Anderson)

Military service is a unique profession that less than one percent of our nation answer the noble call to serve their country. Some are motivated to join based on a relative that served or something more profound such as, answering a higher calling. In the quest to serve, some will make a career of their service while others will only commit to their first term obligation. Whether they decide to make it a long-term profession, or move on after a few years, one should aim to have a successful career serving their country. While there’s no exact recipe or secret to a successful Army career, it takes dedication and sacrifice to ultimately achieve success.

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Nobody Puts LT In The Corner

The NCO Responsibility To Mentor

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The second lieutenant walked through the office door, I sat at the squad leader desk working on counseling’s and my platoon sergeant was napping behind his desk. The lieutenant greeted us and introduced himself as our new platoon leader, I welcomed him and turned back to my work. My platoon sergeant squinted at him and stood up, he grabbed a chair and put it in a corner. “This is where the kids sit until they learn their place.” He grunted and turned around to sit down at his desk. This first interaction set the tone for the new platoon leader and his interactions with all NCOs.

1st Lt. Timothy Goldstone, platoon leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, briefs an operations order over a terrain model with his Soldiers and visiting U.S. Military Academy cadets at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, July 26, 2017, during a platoon live-fire exercise. The cadets are spending three weeks in Germany training with the “Iron Brigade” as it hones its Soldiers’ readiness in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Ange Desinor)
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Copy and Paste Leadership

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In a 21st-century leadership environment that is dominated by technological advancements, communication between noncommissioned officers and their soldiers is easier today than it’s ever been. Compounding this ease of communication with the United States Army’s long-standing philosophy of standardization, today’s leadership environment has created quite the conundrum for the new era of NCOs. Though the Army’s workplaces are dominated by multiple levels of structure, it is essential for NCOs to understand that the key to effectively developing their Soldiers is individualized leadership.

 

Professional Counseling

Second Lt. Isaac Brunson practices conducting noncommissioned officer counseling with Staff Sgt. Devon Perry, a student attending the Logistics Noncommissioned Officer Academy at the Army Logistics University. (Photo Credit: Adam Gramarossa)
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An Enlisted Perspective

Expectations of a Company Commander from the Ranks

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Perception matters and the perspective of the Soldiers you lead provides insight. How are you being perceived? How do you know what they need from a Company Commander? Who is experienced enough to lend legitimacy to the enlisted perspective? Enter, the Noncommissioned Officer. Every young lieutenant can remember the Noncommissioned Officers who significantly impacted his or her career. When I arrived to my first unit,  one week before deployment, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. The leadership and perspective of my NCOs informed my leadership. One NCO in particular gave me even more than I could have expected.

The 8th Army Command Sergeant Major addresses Soldiers at Yongson Garrison, Republic of Korea.