Any tips or advice for a new team leader?

2019-01-24T18:13:00-05:00

Not that I have no clue what I'm doing just want to give my soldiers my best.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Jan 24 at 2019 6:17 PM

2019-01-24T18:17:49-05:00

Listen to your team. Follow precedent and protocols

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 24 at 2019 6:18 PM

2019-01-24T18:18:45-05:00

I am going to give one piece of advice. Try to make life predictable for the soldiers. Give them advanced notice. No last minute stuff.

Response by SSG Edward Tovatt made Jan 24 at 2019 6:23 PM

2019-01-24T18:23:27-05:00

Live the NCO creed. Set the example of your standard and hold your people accountable. If you have any specific concerns, I may be able to offer more but I'm not very familiar with how different our jobs are.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:25 PM

2019-01-24T18:25:38-05:00

Be tough but fair. Give them no slack but reward and praise them for all their hard work. Work hand and hand with them and truly understand everyone on your team. Their strengths, weaknesses, family, personal life. Just be a guy or girl that cares for them and the will multiply their output ten fold. Also, make sure you train them hard with aggressive yet possible standard. that way they can grow up the right way and become positive, knowledgeable Future Leaders for our Army and not this toxic trash that we see now.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:27 PM

2019-01-24T18:27:47-05:00

I also recommend quizing your team (with a few added consequences to drive it home) and solidifying their basic fundamentals of a 31B and continuing from there. Make them the best they can be.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 24 at 2019 6:32 PM

2019-01-24T18:32:21-05:00

1) Know your people.
2) Remember that leadership isn't about you. It's about your people and your ability to influence them to accomplish missions.
3) Every person you have ever met has been a leadership example. Either a good one (emulate them) or a bad one (they've taught you what not to do). Remember those lessons.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:36 PM

2019-01-24T18:36:33-05:00

Perform your quarterly counsellings!
If you get into the habit of doing quarterly counsellings early on, it will make writing NCOERs that much easier and provide a regular forum for one on one time with your Soldiers.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Jan 24 at 2019 6:37 PM

2019-01-24T18:37:00-05:00

Demand the best, and settle for no less.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:37 PM

2019-01-24T18:37:08-05:00

Make a leader’s book. Have copies of your soldiers last APFT, weapons qual, most recent counseling, contact info etc. It will make your life easier when the Squad leader/ PSG comes asking for something.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:46 PM

2019-01-24T18:46:57-05:00

10% of your soldiers will take up 90% of your time.
Soldiers will do what you inspect, not what you expect.
Show soldiers what you want soldiers to be. For example, if you want soldiers standing at Parade Rest when they first come up to you, they better see you at Parade rest every time you speak to the Squad leader.
You’re a team leader, not the fuhrer. Respect goes both ways.

Best of luck

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 24 at 2019 6:50 PM

2019-01-24T18:50:21-05:00

1) what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Hold no double standards.
2) be honest with your soldiers. If you don't know something say so, but seek the information from higher, and pass it down.
3) don't attempt to hide mistakes. Trust me, those above and below you see them. Use them as a learning tool.
4) teach and train your soldiers to be better than you are. You'll improve along the way too.
5) remember, the higher you rise, the less personal time you get. Plan accordingly.
6) your least performing soldier will take more of your time than your super stars. Work efficiently with the shit bird, so you can take more time for ones that should stay.
7) break the cycle of dysfunction, treat your soldiers better than you were as a private. That doesn't mean be a pushover either.

Response by CPL Mark Andersen made Jan 24 at 2019 6:51 PM

2019-01-24T18:51:28-05:00

1 - don’t be a dick
2 - don’t be a push over
3 - your troops come first. For example, you and the squad leader eat last.
4 - listen and learn from your squad leader, and other NCOs. You will see examples of what to do, and examples of what not to do, this is where rule 1 comes into play, don’t be a dick.

Response by SSG Ronald Colwell made Jan 24 at 2019 8:40 PM

2019-01-24T20:40:02-05:00

Do what your trained to do,be a leader not a follower. Separate yourself. Be the example for them to follow. This can all be done while still showing care and compassion for them. They will remember you for this

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jan 24 at 2019 10:00 PM

2019-01-24T22:00:13-05:00

Before you were a leader, you were a follower; emulate the best examples of leadership you experienced and don't repeat the examples of bad leadership you experienced.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Jan 24 at 2019 10:54 PM

2019-01-24T22:54:49-05:00

Praise publicly, criticize privately.

Bad news never gets better with time.

Do EVERYTHING as if your Soldiers are watching you. Because they are.

Part of your job is to fight the Squad Leader. IN PRIVATE. Stand up for your troops, protect them from stupidity. Tell the Squad Leader if (s)he is reading the situation wrong. But once you are back in public, you treat that plan as if it is your own, embrace it, and execute to the best of your ability. NEVER let the troops know that you disagree with the CoC, it breaks down the CoC and leads to future problems.

Make your team the best team in the Platoon. Make your squad the best squad in the Company. Make your Platoon the beat Platoon in the Battalion. Etc. Strive for excellence.

On the other hand, don't let perfect be the enemy of good enough.

Learn the difference between "we stay until this is complete and completed to standard," and "let's call it a night, we'll get after it again tomorrow.". This is a hard one to learn, but it is critical for your troops.

Time is the single most important commodity. Use it wisely. Both your time and your Soldiers' time.

Finally, when you have time, play "smart Soldier/strong Soldier." Inform your Soldier's what the topic of the week (day/month/whatever) is. Gather them in a group, and go down the line. Ask questions. If Soldier gets it right, nothing happens, on to next Soldier. If (s)he gets it wrong, drop. Next Soldier, same question. If (s)he gets it wrong, join first Soldier. And so on. Once someone gets it right, everyone recovers. And on to the next question.... Soldiers have a choice - they can get smart or get strong. This only works well if you quiz them with reference material available (to settle disputes), but WITHOUT reference material in front of you. You show them that you already know this stuff and give them something to aspire to. But if you are asking questions out of a book, you build resentment because you are asking them to know things that you obviously don't know.

There are a million and one other nuggets, but these are the first that came to mind.

Response by 1SG Michael Farrell made Jan 25 at 2019 1:05 AM

2019-01-25T01:05:31-05:00

Lead by example, keep it simple, avoid surprises and learn how to listen.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2019 12:45 PM

2019-01-25T12:45:38-05:00

Make sure you live by the NCO creed. It sounds cliché but you would be surprised how many leaders (NCOs) who only live for themselves and fail to do the basics of being a team leader like for example, checking rooms in the morning, leading by example in pt and training, teaching your soldiers not only their job but yours as well. Don’t keep good information from them to make yourself better they need to know as much information as you to better the army as a whole.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2019 1:52 PM

2019-01-25T13:52:58-05:00

My advice is to remember the Soldier Creed and learn the NCO Creed... also take what you have learned from NCOs that you looked up to and lead by example...

Response by SGT Chris Stephens made Jan 26 at 2019 12:26 AM

2019-01-26T00:26:11-05:00

Don't act like you know everything. When you mess up, admit it. Show them that you're human.

Response by SGT Robert Liles made Jan 27 at 2019 1:55 PM

2019-01-27T13:55:53-05:00

Train your soldiers as if war could happen at any time, it will save lives. Videos give ideas for training also insite for training events.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2019 10:22 PM

2019-01-27T22:22:16-05:00

Demand respect through your actions, not your words. Uphold standards. If you ever Have to REMIND your soldiers of your rank, you have failed as a leader. Demand a lot from your soldiers, but give them the same effort in return.

Response by SGT Donald Croswhite made Jan 28 at 2019 3:52 AM

2019-01-28T03:52:37-05:00

Never be afraid to ask your fellow team leaders for advice and suggestions. Also the rank above you should have already gone through your situation. Asking before is always better than asking after you've screwed up. And don't pretend to be perfect in front of your troopers. If they know your looking out for them, they'll look passed the process errors.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2019 9:21 PM

2019-01-28T21:21:53-05:00

I didn't read all the comments. The few I did read give sound advice. My .02 is this, if you are willing to learn from your Soldiers, most times they will be willing to learn from you.

Response by 1SG Timothy Lincoln made Feb 27 at 2019 10:16 PM

2019-02-27T22:16:47-05:00

Study hard. Learn from formers. Love your troops all the way. Love eating with them. Sleeping and shaving and shitting with them. Training with them and love teaching them. Love earning their respect and confidence in you and take the tough jobs. Listen you your NCOS. Go fight at least one good fight. Stay the course for 24 years. Keep in touch with Bubba's before they die off. Honor brothers at funerals and remember them. After your Army career work for them again as a contractor both here and there. And after 14 years of working with the Army's Elite warriors, and you get older like me, and can honestly say that you have done your very best wherever the Army sent you, took care of the wives and children from all your troops, you might be able to say.......I've been all I could be. That's all troop. Man I sure hope this helps you troop. Last thing. Not too many atheists in a foxhole. Learn to pray to God. I think you can do it. I have confidence it you little brother. Go with speed and accuracy.