Failures in Leadership

CW2 Jonathan Kantor — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 09:45:55 -0400

We have all had outstanding leaders and we have had really bad ones as well.  Describe the worst act a toxic/bad leader did either to you or in your unit.  Don't mention any names, just describe what they did.<div><br></div><div>Here's mine:</div><div>Back when taking college classes meant taking time to go and actually sit in a room with a teacher and other students, we used to have to get the Company Commander to sign off on our tuition assistance, which was 75% at the time.  I worked for an E-5 (I was an E-4) who would sit on his Soldiers' paperwork and turn it into the Company the day it was due.  This essentially guaranteed that none of the Soldiers in the section would be able to take classes.  The SGT didn't have this problem though, he was sure to turn in his form on time. </div><div><br></div><div>To sum that up, a SGT kept his Soldiers from taking college classes because he felt that he should have been the only one to do so.  How do you respect a leader like that?</div>

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 12 at 2014 10:01 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 10:01:05 -0400

I had good leadership when I was in the USMC and when I was a traditional in the Air National Guard, but when I went active I ran into the 'dark side' of leadership.  <div>It was toxic leadership before they came up with that tag line.  </div><div>Later on when I was taking some management classes at the local junior college - when they would give examples of bad leadership and hostile work environments - my personal experiences seemed to be worse then any of the students, instructors or even the text books gave.</div><div>I was brought up better than to act like my upper chain of command did - luckily for my junior members and those I supervised.  I made it appoint to keep the 'leadership by example' my primary compass throughout my entire military career and in my own civilian life outside of duty hours. </div>

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 7 at 2014 10:28 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 10:28:32 -0400

Ok, now first of all you need to define toxic/bad leadership and don't just give me the party line.
Before you start though, you better address toxic/bad soldiers first.

Response by MSG Richard Cooper, PMP, SIPM, CMAS made Nov 3 at 2017 5:17 PM

MSG Richard Cooper, PMP, SIPM, CMAS — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 17:17:32 -0400

Leadership is done by the Infantry motto: Follow me and do as I do

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2017 10:47 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 22:47:24 -0400

Sadly, too many examples to enumerate here.
I can say that each of them provided a fine example of what not to do, which came in handy when I came into leadership positions.
The granddad of crummy leaders was a certain battalion commander I once had, whose trademark was to talk shit behind virtually anyone in the unit's back. He was also famous for concocting tales of his heroic adventures in Iraq, when he was a field grade CA officer in the Green Zone who spent more time in the Green Bean than at his desk.
Easily the worst leader I've ever dealt with, and an even worse person.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2017 11:41 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 23:41:30 -0400

My Company Commander at Fort Carson got one of my female Soldiers pregnant just before a 15 month deployment to Iraq (at the time we did not know he was the father) Once in Iraq he started sleeping with another one of my female Soldiers. Because she was sleeping with the commander she got away with all kinds of ..stuff.. My squad was on QRF duty and someone thought it would be a good idea to test my Squad since I had written the QRF response plan. We got the call and when she did not respond to the trucks my team leader tried to find her as I supervised the rest of the squad getting ready to roll out, we had to roll one man light because noone could find her..When I arrived back at the FOB we got the conducted a massive hunt for her and she was finally found. when questions by her TL she was sullen and unresponsive that's when I stepped in and it got UGLY after that. I submitted her for a Field Grade Article 15 which the commander blocked, i requested to see the BN CSM but every-time he was in the AO my squad was miraculously on a mission. I was finally able to get her on Disrespect to a NCO and the Senior NCOs in the unit basically threatened mutiny if he did not charge her. She then started to claim PTSD issued and that her CoC did not support her so she got sent back to Carson....two weeks later our Commander was replaced and returned to Carson where he continued to sleep with this Soldier. Going so far as to even put her on his car registration, she then wrecked his car and got a DUI on Peterson AB. That started an "investigation" but no charges were ever brought up. I request transfer from the unit as soon as possible after we returned. I found out just this year that he had left the military and become a high School JROTC Commander and slept with at least one of his 16 year old cadets, that is why he is now a guest of the Colorado State Corrections Systemt. I also found out that the BN CSM at Carson was ordered to leave the issue alone so the reason the investigation found nothing is because of command influence blocking the investigation. No One from the unit was ever interviewed about his misconduct.

Response by SGT Zak Baker made Apr 10 at 2018 7:29 PM

SGT Zak Baker — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 19:29:58 -0400

My story involves one of the best leaders I ever encountered, and also the absolute worst. We were in JRTC, hotter than two rats in a wool sock. We had some downtime out at the ISB whilst we were waiting to roll out to the box, LT doesn't want us sitting around so he tasks me out to conduct a hip-pocket 240b PMI. I'm not happy about it as we were in the middle of a spades game, but I comply. I grab the 240b, pick out a patch of shade big enough to fit the whole platoon and begin to round up the guys. That's when I get pushback, see, my squad leader is already sitting comfortably in the shade of the FRS, where there's really only enough shade for two or three people. He insists that we conduct the class where he is located, where most of the platoon would be forced to sit in the 103 degree sunlight. This is where I messed up a little, you see the two of us had a bit of history as E4's. Part of that history involved me chasing him through the motorpool parking lot after work one day when he had been particularly disrespectful. So yeah, in that moment I may have not paid him the respect he was owed as an Sergeant, basically I told him that, seeing how it's my class, that I would conduct it wherever I dang want. (Except I didn't use dang.) So now, the same man who physically ran from me mere months before comes running over like Captain America, talking about how I'd better watch who I was speaking too. That's when the very same mustang LT who started it all grabbed my arm, separated the two of us and took the NCO behind the truck for a dressing down while I conducted my class. The whole platoon in nice cool shade. I recognize that I had a part to play in the incident, but my motivation was the welfare of what I considered at that point to be my joes, seeing as I was the highest ranking specialist and we didn't have a real NCO to take care of them. Eventually a spot opened up in one of our sister battalions and I volunteered to leave instantly. No regrets though.

Response by Cadet 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2020 8:38 PM

Cadet 2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 20:38:37 -0400

We had a sergeant first class that was sleeping with a specialist in his unit. I think he was her platoon sergeant at the time, . They ended up moving him to battalion ( they were still in relationship) and she ended up getting promoted to corporal

Response by SSG Sidney Galloway made Jul 29 at 2021 6:52 PM

SSG Sidney Galloway — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 18:52:43 -0400

Picture this: TRADOC, Ft Lee, 2010. Accreditation team coming through for inspection. With paperwork poorly managed at APG, getting prepared was hectic. NCOIC "surprises" we subordinates at PT that he wouldn't be there for the inspection because his back was hurting (again). I aced his inspection. The next day, the Ft Lee newspaper's front page had an image taken during the golf challenge from the day before. Right there was our injured "leader", right in the middle of his swing. The Department SGM had issues with that.