Tag Archives: Self-Development

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Efficient Self-Development

How Leaders Can Develop the Best Version of Themselves

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Today is the day. Today I will put the phone on mute, sit down with a book, and dedicate my time to developing my personal attributes. Then I will take some time to reflect on my actions and formulate ways to improve and become more in-tuned to my growth. Today is the day that I put all of my responsibilities as a leader, father, husband, and friend aside and truly focus on my self-development. The time has come that I set aside this significant amount of time every single day to invest in a better me.

Also me: Yeah, good luck with that, buddy.

Self Development creates the best Soldier, Leader, and person that we can be
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A Beginner’s Guide to Army Doctrine

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The task of familiarizing oneself with Army doctrine can be both daunting and confusing.  With the information being so readily accessible, becoming doctrinally fluent should be as simple as firing up ArmyPubs for some leisurely reading.  But with the high rate of change in publication and the breadth of publications available (ADPs, FMs, ATPs, ARs, etc…) it is no surprise that many young leaders have difficulty understanding where to begin their studies.

This article serves to demystify Army’s official body of knowledge and provide a foundation of understanding to foster self-study.  We examine four different categories of Army publications and provide recommended readings for each.  While the focus of the piece is specifically doctrine (defined in the following paragraph), it also introduces other publications that are of critical importance to aspiring leaders.*  Study and application of regulations, doctrine, and other publications is an ongoing endeavor that must be sustained throughout the span of a career.  As in all professions, the earlier and more broadly one immerses them self in their professional body of knowledge, the more successfully they will access and apply it.

*Suggested readings selected primarily based on their applicability to the primary audience (cadets and new lieutenants).

A fine setting for studying doctrine. photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Crisp
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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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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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Echo Chambers and Loud Speakers

A Reflection on #AUSADigital2019

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On the heels of a very successful #AUSADigital2019 event, I have been reflecting on the ways we as a #MilTwitter community can be better. Occupying that mental space, and enjoying a cup of coffee, I read a recent blog post from a close family-friend (@awktravels). She nailed it! Reading her thoughts on diversifying media, got me thinking about our own accountability, candor, and “outrage.”

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Writing For Personal Clarity

Why We Write #5

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Everyone has their own way of portraying their feelings, ideas, and problems. For some it’s art, for others music, or acting; for me it has become writing. In this profession especially, writing is the one of the best ways to convey information. It helps to communicate goals and expectations, whether it just be for us to read, or a broader audience.

NCO Writing

Sgt. Nicholas Johnson, 8th U.S. Army Soldier of the Year, writes down answers to the 20 essay questions of the written exam during the Department of the Army Soldier/NCO of the Year competition at Fort Lee, Va. Oct. 3. (Photo Credit: Spc. Fay Conroy, 8th U.S. Army Public Affairs)
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A Corporal’s Perspective

Why We Write #4

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Why do we write? As humans, we write to communicate information and ideas across time and space, when we cannot do so through oral means with physical presence. As Non-Commissioned Officers in the United States Military, we do so because we can no longer afford to do otherwise. Writing is now a part of all professional military education, starting at the Basic Leaders Course that all enlisted soldiers must go through to become NCOs.

Promotion to Corporal

Four soldiers assigned to 444th Engineer Company, Oswego, N.Y., receive lateral transfer from specialist to corporal rank, during the company’s annual training event July 14 at Ft Drum. Pictured here are Barry J. Bullis, of Baldwinsville, Christopher Zajac of North Syracuse, John M. Anderson of Henderson, and Charles J. Delaney of Brewerton, N.Y., receiving promotion from Sgt. 1st Class Charles Haws, unit training non-commissioned officer. (Photo Credit: Spc. Karen Sampson, 362nd MPAD)
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Creating an Image of Leadership

Why We Write #2

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It was a rare weekend when we weren’t in the field, preparing for the field, recovering from the field, or occupied with an upcoming deployment.  If I wasn’t cursed with weekend duty, I either took advantage of Schofield Barracks’ proximity to Waikiki to partake in bottomless mai tais at the Outrigger Reef, or played hermit in my barracks room.  Back then, I pecked away at my top of the line Gateway PC with a whopping 1 MB of RAM, 400 MB hard drive, and 33MHz processor, and a keyboard that clicked loudly with each key stroke.  I was working on a novel, an activity that filled hundreds of lazy weekend hours, but my voice as a twenty-two-year-old novice now seems almost laughably naïve.  Almost as laughable as all that computing power filling up an entire barracks desk, but I digress.

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Why I Write

Why We Write Series Intro

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Over the past year I’ve been working slowly towards expanding my own professional and self-development ideas.  How do I improve as a Leader, as a Platoon Sergeant, as an NCO, as an Infantryman, and as a Soldier?  Introspection has been the driving force behind my journey of becoming better and trying to make those around me better; that’s where writing comes in, it gives me a place to put thoughts to words and words to actions. The Last 100 Yards is a project that I hope will encourage more NCOs to occupy the written realm and help them extend their influence outside of the local unit level.

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To Get Outside the Box, Start Inside the Circle

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My first official duty as an Officer in the U.S. Army was a temporary assignment to Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), working for Cadet Command as Cadre for the ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). I worked for a Lieutenant Colonel who was serving as the Professor of Military Science at Purdue University. He taught me a lot that summer, but one story sticks out. It was a humble parable that continues to resonate with me a decade later.