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Some general thoughts for commanders at any level. These are not intended as a “leadership philosophy.” It is just how I viewed things through my soda straw. Of all advice I’ve given to COs, these are the most widely applicable and withstood the test of time.
All COs:
1. You can be humble (thinking about yourself last) without being too modest (downplaying your importance).
End the false modesty of “my job is no more important than yours.” Command is more important. If you don’t see that, then you’re not taking command seriously.
1. You can be humble (thinking about yourself last) without being too modest (downplaying your importance).
End the false modesty of “my job is no more important than yours.” Command is more important. If you don’t see that, then you’re not taking command seriously.
O6-O8:
2. You often have more authority than you realize, but often not as much as you think you need. Legal authority to act is the broadest set of options, and must be clarified to shape your planning guidance. Involve JAG in all stages of planning, not just the legal review.
2. You often have more authority than you realize, but often not as much as you think you need. Legal authority to act is the broadest set of options, and must be clarified to shape your planning guidance. Involve JAG in all stages of planning, not just the legal review.
O3-O6:
3. BDE & above should have more policies than SOPs; BN & below more SOPs than policies.
AR 600-100 has a great definition for policies. Generally, policies implement regulations and higher unit directives, while SOPs prescribe detailed steps to implement policies.
3. BDE & above should have more policies than SOPs; BN & below more SOPs than policies.
AR 600-100 has a great definition for policies. Generally, policies implement regulations and higher unit directives, while SOPs prescribe detailed steps to implement policies.
O3-O6:
4. Don’t fear investigations from IG, Congress, higher HQ, and other avenues. If you’re doing what is right, the facts will come out.
But don’t antagonize your personnel. Sometimes motivating by getting buy-in is better than demanding obedience because you have authority.
4. Don’t fear investigations from IG, Congress, higher HQ, and other avenues. If you’re doing what is right, the facts will come out.
But don’t antagonize your personnel. Sometimes motivating by getting buy-in is better than demanding obedience because you have authority.
O3-O5:
5a. The lower the echelon you command, the easier it is to view failures and negligence as personal affronts. But you are also better positioned to dig deeper to determine why people do, or fail to do, certain things. It’s usually not malice...
5a. The lower the echelon you command, the easier it is to view failures and negligence as personal affronts. But you are also better positioned to dig deeper to determine why people do, or fail to do, certain things. It’s usually not malice...
5b. It’s more common for someone closer to the line to say “soldiers are lazy.” It’s more common to hear a senior leader say “soldiers want to do the right thing.” This is because the senior leaders are looking back with cooler heads and perspective...
5c. Dig into the details. You’ll be surprised to discover how many cases of poor performance can be traced to a dysfunctional home, a lack of a support network, or a leadership failure, rather than a soldier not wanting to perform well.
6. Trust is usually eroded by:
- The misperception that senior leaders don’t care and that’s why they waste our time or create misery
- The misperception that junior soldiers don’t care and that’s why they fail to perform
Each perception reinforces the other. You have to fix both
- The misperception that senior leaders don’t care and that’s why they waste our time or create misery
- The misperception that junior soldiers don’t care and that’s why they fail to perform
Each perception reinforces the other. You have to fix both
O3 (and subordinate leaders):
7. Counseling involves dialogue to understand an issue and developing a plan to address it. The DA form records a summary of the dialogue and the plan. “Sign this pre-printed counseling statement” is not leadership and it’s definitely not counseling.
7. Counseling involves dialogue to understand an issue and developing a plan to address it. The DA form records a summary of the dialogue and the plan. “Sign this pre-printed counseling statement” is not leadership and it’s definitely not counseling.
8. Your job is to retrain and rehabilitate personnel to help them become quality soldiers. I can quote directly from regulations where it says this is your job. If you think that your goal is to “build a packet” on a soldier, then you need to find another job.
9. The military has a wide array of programs to help soldiers with behavioral health, substance abuse, family disputes, financial counseling, and so on. Urge your personnel - often - to use those services before they get into trouble. It will prevent larger problems from forming.
10. For years, I’ve told you that (1) the APFT is a crude test imposed by HQDA, not a useful measure of physical fitness, and (2) despite your higher APFT score, I’m in better shape. You did not believe me. October 1 and the ACFT are coming soon. We will see.
