Have you run into the (7) Signs of Weak Leadership?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:46:16 -0400

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Have you run into the (7) Signs of Weak Leadership?
By Aleksandr Noudelman
Experienced Educator & Fitness Coach

It’s vital to understand that just because someone is in a leadership position, doesn’t necessarily mean they are meant to be in it. Put another way, not all leaders are born leaders. The problem many organizations are suffering from is a recognition problem – they can’t seem to distinguish the good leaders from bad ones.

Here are a few key behaviors that beset a weak leader:

1. Their team routinely suffers from burnout
Being driven and ambitious are important traits for successful leaders. However, if you are excessively working your people or churning through staff than you aren’t effectively using your resources. You may take pride in your productivity, in doing more with less. However, today’s success may undermine long-term health. Crisis management can become a way of life that reduces morale and drives away or diminishes the effectiveness of dedicated people. With any business, there are times when you have to burn the midnight oil but it should be accompanied with time for your team to recharge and refuel.

2. They lack emotional intelligence
Leaders who are weak are always envious of other peoples' successes and are happy when other people fail. They see themselves in fundamental competition with other executives and even with their subordinates. Such envy is a root cause of the turf wars, backbiting, and dirty politics that can make any workplace an unhealthy one.

3. They don’t provide adequate direction
Failing to provide adequate direction can frustrate employees and will hinder their chances at completing tasks correctly and success. Poor leaders might not tell employees when a project is due or might suddenly move the deadline up without regards for the employee who's doing it. Project details can also be vague, making it difficult for staff to guess what factors the leader considers important. If a project involves participation from more than one employee, a poor leader may choose not explain who is responsible for what part. Good leaders provide adequate direction and are always there to provide descriptive feedback when it is needed.

4. They find blame in everyone but themselves
Weak leaders blame everyone else for their mistakes and for any mishaps that happen to them and their division/company. Every time they suffer a defeat or a setback, a subordinate is given the talk down, or worse, an axe. Great leaders don't do this and they always stay positive no matter what the circumstances are. They are accountable for the results and accept full responsibility for the outcomes.

5. They don’t provide honest feedback
It is very difficult for weak leaders to give the honest messages or constructive feedback to their subordinates. When they have to say something negative to someone, it's always someone else, usually a superior, who has told them to do. By that time it is to late and the leader hasn't really identified the problem before it reached the climax. They also make it a point to let the individual know that it's not their idea. Good leaders speak from the heart and provide honest feedback that is backed up by facts. They never wait for superiors to identify problems for them.

6. They're Blind To Current Situation
Because weak leaders are egocentric and believe that their way is the only way, their followers are afraid to suggest anything new. Those who follow such leaders only give them praise or the good news. Such appreciation only gives a boost to their status and ego and the leader is left clueless as to what the current situation is as well as the changing trends in the marketplace.

7. They're Self-Serving
If a leader doesn't understand the concept of “service above self” they will not retain the trust, confidence, and loyalty of their subordinates. Any leader is only as good as their team’s hope to be led by them. Too much ego, pride, and arrogance are not signs of good leadership. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates…the leader is a weak one.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 5:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:48:31 -0400

. . .Toxic Leadership

I thought I was uploading 3 pdfs with relative information

. . . I was wrong. If I remember, I'll convert one to jpeg after I finish this assignment.

Response by SSG Izzy Abbass made Jul 20 at 2015 5:55 PM

SSG Izzy Abbass — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:55:17 -0400

I've seen a couple of these both in the military and afterwards. I had a CO who told us directly that we were about 4th in terms of importance in his world. I also had a CEO in the civilian world who used to call routinely on Saturday night and say we were having a staff meeting the next morning at 0800. I did stop answering my phone on Saturdays. As for the military, change in command could not have come faster.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 5:58 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 17:58:21 -0400

I've run into all seven at different times, civilian & military at varying ranks and positions. It is critical to fix at the mid-level and senior ranks as they tend to control the broader umbrella below them. Senior & executive leaders that have these weaknesses create a toxic work environment that leads to problems with productivity, retention, morale, etc.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 20 at 2015 6:00 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 18:00:20 -0400

There are so many leaders in name only. That's the problem with today's military.... Too politically correct. George Patton would never have been promoted in today's climate. We need leaders and war fighters. Not politicians!

Response by SPC George Rudenko made Jul 20 at 2015 6:15 PM

SPC George Rudenko — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 18:15:02 -0400

I would ask the question COL Mikel J. Burroughs What is worse? The young leader who falls into these leadership failures? Or the command staff who sees it and doesn't correct it? Or, the command staff that by action or omission encourages such behavior?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 7:45 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 19:45:00 -0400

Since I see some of these signs the next question is how do you change it? I recently had one SNCO tell us that he sees three reasons people come in to his military. and then proceeded to say that if you joined for the first two (job security and education) you would not make it. He seemed to think that the only valid reason to join was if you joined out of tradition. Yes joining because you want to serve is a good reason but that does not mean the other reason are invalid, and sorry for the rant. I take it a bit personally when leadership stands up and says that most of you are not good enough.

Response by SGM(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 8:30 PM

SGM(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 20:30:19 -0400

I try daily to lead my troops from the front. I'm always first to do whats required and involved in what's asked.

I remeber the "do as I say" leaders of my past and try to never be that guy. I always encourage my "joes" to do and be more than what's expected or believe they can. I also challenge my PSG's to keep me challenged in leading and preparing them.

Last month I almost lost a specialist to heat. By taking charge and doing what was neccessary and not comfortable I showed them leadership is what must be done, not what I feel like doing. I didn't realize it until we were AARing the event and one of my E7's said "Top, you saved that kids life, I don't know I'd have been able to do the things you did."

It ment more to me after the fact than I can explain. Cause I didn't think I just acted. It showed me, I need to train my guys harder. Not tell, but teach and show by action.

We as leaders build our troops daily often by not only what we say, but more importantly what we do and dont do.

REMAIN AWARE LEADERS, they are WATCHING!

-Sidewinder 7

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 23 at 2015 3:49 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 03:49:22 -0400

I've definitely worked for some leaders with "qualities" like the ones mentioned in the article.

The bad leaders who stick out to me were the ones who felt like they always had to yell and/or micromanage.

One Chief I worked for once was the epitome of "Captain Obvious." I would come to him for something, say someone outside our Chain of Command was trying to pull one of my people for some detail. I would go to him and say "Chief, here's the situation, what should we do about it?" His reply was "IT1 this is the kind of thing that you need to inform the Chain of Command about and get them involved!" To which my reply was "Why do you think I'm coming to you Chief?!?"

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Feb 23 at 2016 8:38 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 20:38:27 -0500

Yes I have run into weak and despotic leaders at times COL Mikel J. Burroughs.
1. "Leaders" who blame subordinate for failures that they make and accept glory for the team.
2. "Leaders" who demand of others what they do not demand of themselves.
3. "Leaders" who are focused on style for appearances sake and not substance of the unit.
4. "Leaders" who are yes men and those who surround themselves with yes men and can't tolerate constructive criticism.
5. "Leaders"who sincerely believe that they are the best things since sliced bread despite all the evidence to the contrary. These tend to elevate their ideas in their mind as exemplary while all others are inferior and not worthy of consideration.
6. "Leaders" who do not permit failure in training when the risk is low and blame subordinate for failing in riskier missions which could have been avoided with adequate training.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 5:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:36:25 -0500

I served under a Commander who practiced numbers 3-7. It was disastrous for our Company and the effects are still being felt years later. Thankfully weak leaders are a minority in our force.

Response by TSgt Dawn Premock made Mar 4 at 2017 2:17 PM

TSgt Dawn Premock — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 14:17:13 -0500

I had a supervisor who got his position only because he made rank. He fit all 7 of them. It was very difficult to work for him.

Response by SFC George Smith made Mar 4 at 2017 4:57 PM

SFC George Smith — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 16:57:37 -0500

the information would Have been nice to Have 25 years ago to weed out a bunch of Bad ones... before they got too far...

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Mar 4 at 2017 6:07 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 18:07:27 -0500

Numerous time a day.

Response by SCPO Morris Ramsey made Mar 5 at 2017 9:39 AM

SCPO Morris Ramsey — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:39:31 -0500

They are often hypocrites. Many are also fearful they will be discovered and that is why they are often on the offensive.

Response by SGT Jason Follis made Mar 5 at 2017 11:07 AM

SGT Jason Follis — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 11:07:06 -0500

I have been at my civilian job for a long time now, and this is an epidemic in the American workplace. At times I have been very fortunate to have prior service military leaders placed in positions of leadership, and you can really see the difference.

Response by CMDCM John F. "Doc" Bradshaw made Mar 5 at 2017 8:23 PM

CMDCM John F. "Doc" Bradshaw — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 20:23:25 -0500

Yes Sir!! Titles don't make a leader nor does a College Education or Degree!!! Mentors are so vital for young future leaders. A Great Leader will surround themself with capable and qualified Professionals and listen to Wise Counsel from those who are Senior and Junior to them to make informed decisions!!! Experience is an Awesome Asset to have available!!! My Humble Opinion Sir!! Doc Bradshaw

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 5 at 2017 11:17 PM

COL Charles Williams — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 23:17:08 -0500

Yes... I work there now... COL Mikel J. Burroughs

Response by CPT Scott Sharon made Mar 6 at 2017 10:10 AM

CPT Scott Sharon — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:10:40 -0500

Yes, I have run into all 7 of them in my military and civilian career. I would say the military did more to develop my leadership capabilities than anything I have done as a civilian.

Response by CPT Ronald Scherick made Mar 6 at 2017 10:44 AM

CPT Ronald Scherick — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:44:23 -0500

This question brings back memories of an incompetent LT COL who was our clinic chief. He would hold weekly inspections and lift the seat off the dental chair and yell at my assistant to clean the grease off the gears that work the chair . Then maintenance would come thru and slop new grease all over it. Another time I was working on a Saudi officer who was here for a school. He had a tooth that could not be saved when I told him it had to be removed he stormed out to the same LT COL's office and complained . I was called to his office and told to save the tooth. I respectfully said it is beyond hope. If you can save it I would appreciate you taking over for me. That set him off and he called in the COL in charge of the dental detachment who started out as a grunt in WW2,and was an oral surgeon in NAM. He looked at the tooth and ordered me to remove it and walked away. The last and best example I remember is when I was treating the wife of the commanding general of FT LEE. She was scheduled to come in to see me and the LT COL came in and took my assistant to cut the grass around the clinic. I said sir the generals wife is coming in today he might want to chose someone else to cut the grass. He took my E4 assistant anyway to cut the grass. When the Generals wife came in I apologized to her that the treatment will take a little longer and might be a little more uncomfortable as I didn't have an assistant today. She said to me I do not usually pull strings and walked out to the LT COL office. she shortly returned to the treatment room escorted by the LT COL and another assistant to help me.

Response by SP5 Robert Ruck made Mar 6 at 2017 10:48 AM

SP5 Robert Ruck — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:48:51 -0500

Unfortunately in government service the yes people get promoted because they are the yes people. They eventually run things and continue to promote the same type of yes people so this type of management never ends. New, innovative, out of the box solutions are frowned upon because to change the status quo means taking a chance. Taking a change raises the possibility of something go wrong. If something goes wrong then someone has to pay the price hence just saying yes eases the burden on everyone. The bureaucracy lumbers on.

Response by SPC Paul C. made Mar 6 at 2017 10:49 AM

SPC Paul C. — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:49:43 -0500

These are the kind of leadership discussions I am seeking on Rallypoint. We have a lot of great leaders out there with great advice that I would like to use in my current job.

Response by Jenn Moynihan made Mar 6 at 2017 10:52 AM

Jenn Moynihan — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 10:52:24 -0500

5 out of 7 where I currently work. Unfortunately the direct leaders at the clinic also suffer from burnout. Not a good combo. But the "upper echelon" if the company have zero clue what goes on daily. This is a stepping stone for me and it's soon time to hop to the next one. One thing I can say - I have learned a lot from poor leadership & if ever in a supervisory position I will be able lead well.

Response by SGT Stephen Tucker made Mar 6 at 2017 11:19 AM

SGT Stephen Tucker — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 11:19:04 -0500

Leadership training starts at the very bottom. Its how the foundation is build. I was very fortunate to have some wonderful mentors who showed me the things that I needed to know to become successful as a leader. First as a solider you have to follow before you can lead. One very smart NCO told me as a young solider you have to be well rounded. In order to do this you should pick one thing from each one of your leaders that they excel at and learn it from them this way you become proficient in all areas of being a solider. For example if one NCO/Officer was all about PT then learn everything you can from him about PT. If another excels at his MOS/Job skill then learn that from him. If another takes care of his troops better than anyone you have ever seen then watch and learn from him and so on. Be smart on all the regulations everything you need to know someone has written it down somewhere that you can find the answers too. No one is going to know everything but you should be able to know where to find the answers to any questions you have. That way when it becomes your time your experienced in all areas you need to be to perform your job as a leader. You must be proficient yourself before you can mentor others. Any leaders over all goal is to accomplish there mission. With that said you need your troops to work as an effective team. This means you have to take care of your soldiers first and provide them with an education and discipline because if you don't know how to you cant expect them too know. This means taking an interest in each one of them and learn what there strong and week points are. Once you have figured that out its up to you to teach them how to overcome there short comings. The old saying your only as good as your weakest link. If one of your soldiers is lacking more times then not its the leaders fault. I used to have a CSM I worked for that said we don't have any bad soldiers just bad leaders. If your troops fail then you fail and thats on you as a leader. You are ultimately responsible for your actions and those that are under you. You have to be willing to except the consequences and not pass the buck for the things that happen to your team. Being a great leader is not an easy task. It requires a blend Caring Discipline and Proficiency. Its just like anything in life you will make mistakes you have to learn from. The only difference is when you make a mistake as a leader your whole team suffers. There are exceptions to the rule sometimes you just get a solider that just wasn't meant for that life and its up to you to get rid off them so everyone else does not suffer. I have found its a lot easier to lead if your soldiers want to follow you and not let you and the team down. Anyone can tell someone to do something but to make them want to do it is another story. I have worked for people that were shit bags and only cared about them selves its very frustrating and usually everyone suffers for it. When those people get ahead from back stabbing others believe me it makes me sick and they are out there. I call them shit bags because the title is well deserved. The moral of the story is don't be a shit bag!!!!!

Response by SN Keagan Miller made Mar 6 at 2017 11:21 AM

SN Keagan Miller — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 11:21:08 -0500

Humility, active listening, good rapport with your staff and subordinates, knowing when to work and when to loosen up, communicating effectively and honestly and taking constructive criticism. If there's anything I learned in the military it was differentiating between good and bad leaders. I wish our leaders in public life could learn some of these and take them to heart!

Response by MSgt Richard Randall made Mar 6 at 2017 1:43 PM

MSgt Richard Randall — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 13:43:30 -0500

It’s really easy to sit back and commiserate on the 7 signs of weak leadership. All of us can recall instances and anecdotes where weak and poor leadership has affected our units, our mission and, perhaps, each of us as individuals. It’s much harder to stand back and look into the mirror and perform a little objective self-evaluation. No matter how high in the leadership chain we rise the challenge of being a “leader” is never easy. Those that think that assuming the role as a leadership is easy are delusional. I went from being a young Air Force buck sergeant team chief to running a corporate IT organization with over 100 professionals scattered all over the country. Regardless of the level of leadership the challenges remained the same. There were times both in the military and in civilian life where I had to put on the “asshole” hat and have both superiors and subordinates wonder if I’d missed “taking my meds.” I’ll have to admit, there were times I wish I’d taken something.

A couple of things I would recommend to anyone in a leadership position is the book “What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School: Notes from a Street-smart Executive” and the 1949 movie “Twelve O’Clock High.” The book outlines tools and techniques one can use to sharpen their leadership skills. The movie gets down to the nitty gritty of leaders who feel they know everything but ultimately find out they know very little. Twelve O’Clock High used to be mandatory viewing for all new cadets at the Air Force Academy. I don’t know if it still is but it should be.

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Mar 6 at 2017 1:51 PM

GySgt Kenneth Pepper — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 13:51:24 -0500

I have seen numerous cases of each while on AD and after retiring. In the civilian sector there is a tendency to promote based solely on technical knowledge. People move into top management positions bypassing the normal progression from being led, leading at the "front line" floor positions, and through middle management. And then the executives wonder why that person, who was such a shining superstar, fails at being a leader.

Response by SMSgt Roger Horton made Mar 6 at 2017 2:25 PM

SMSgt Roger Horton — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 14:25:39 -0500

Sir, I have seen or been a part of all those. From local to federal governments its is rampart. SPC George Rudenko is correct. The local county admin here don't hire anyone in management positions smarter than they are. there seems to be very little pride in the work place anymore. You can see it in their dress, their attitude, and their work ethics. All goes back to weak or no leadership.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 2:58 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 14:58:55 -0500

Not everyone will make a good leader, however everyone should try at least once. Becoming a good leader takes practice and good mentorship. Some people are naturally good leaders, but for those that aren't, find a mentor that you think is a good leader and learn from them. You'll make mistakes, but that's the only way to learn.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 4:58 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 16:58:55 -0500

Well, I can tell you I recognize a lot of this in a lot of the "leaders" I have around me now. All 7, in fact. Joy joy.

Response by CW4 Angel C. made Mar 6 at 2017 6:14 PM

CW4 Angel C. — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 18:14:28 -0500

Yes plenty in the military. And if you've been paying attention you can spot at least 6 of 7 in just one person. Just get on Twitter!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 6:46 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 18:46:28 -0500

Sad but this is a major problem in my unit now. It's a problem we as leaders strive to prevent however, it is honestly destroying the morale as well as retention rate. Slowly but surely Senior leaders ( not in this category themselves) are recognizing the problems more and more and are being proactive.

Response by SGT Kevin Leake made Mar 7 at 2017 12:48 AM

SGT Kevin Leake — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 00:48:41 -0500

I was always taught you must respect the rank/position but the person wearing the rank/position must earn your respect. So always lead by example earn the respect of your peers and return it and the rank/position will come to you through your actions.

Response by MSG Roger Mannon made Mar 7 at 2017 10:12 AM

MSG Roger Mannon — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 10:12:51 -0500

Everyone has heard the saying, "leaders aren't born, they're made." That may be true but it seems to me some take a lot less "making" than others. I think we have all stumbled across a leader or two that displays one or more of the above weaknesses during our career. For the most part, I had really good leaders while in the military. It was during my civilian career that I found the worst leaders. I actually had two (from the same organization) display all of the above - all the time. There are always exceptions but I believe the military produces more and better leaders than all the civilian organizations combined. I have been retired for a long time but, when I was active, becoming a good leader was an expectation and your superiors helped lead you along that path. In return, you were expected to do the same for the people you lead. Self-perpetuating, if done right.

Response by MSgt Wayne Morris made Mar 7 at 2017 12:51 PM

MSgt Wayne Morris — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:51:15 -0500

I'm sure most of us have over the years and I have seen it myself while wearing the blue suit but in the civilian world also. The one difference IMHO is that the military in most cases managed to weed out the poor leaders but they seem to flourish in the civilian world either thru family, friends, or other connections as who you know seems to matter more in the civilian world than what you can do but at least most vets tend to have better survival skills than non vets when it comes to dealing with non hackers.

Response by CPT Jeff Harrod made Mar 7 at 2017 3:11 PM

CPT Jeff Harrod — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 15:11:11 -0500

In my civilian career, I have seen a lack of Emotional Intelligence to be the most common weak link. Many people feel that they have to crawl up the back of someone else in order to achieve advancement. It is truly a shame to witness....and makes one wonder what our economy could look like if their was just a touch of Emotional Intelligence in the leaders of companies.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2017 8:56 PM

CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 20:56:45 -0500

The most valuable resource in any organization...people. All of these behaviors can certainly be attributed to 'leaders', some can also be attributed to organizational culture; e.g., (1. Their team routinely suffers from burnout. While I was working a Hq job, everything had to be done yesterday. This put pressure on us to deliver work that was not always up to par and actually created more work. I don't blame my director or supervisors for this phenomena. It was a cultural norm that I saw in all organizations. But, my leadership recognized this was not healthy and took great pains to allow us "time for your team to recharge and refuel". It made a high stress work environment manageable. Work hard and play hard...

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 8 at 2017 12:08 AM

COL Charles Williams — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 00:08:51 -0500

Yes

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Mar 10 at 2017 11:03 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 23:03:16 -0500

I wasn't at your military sitrep nor the Civilian one, SSG. I surmise at the Military one your respect to serving that Cmdr. Was not at its peak.. As for the CEO and his Sunday morn mtgs I draw that your respect waivered also .. At a base I was at on the West coast a Colonel came in and took over from a Major that had her number for LC and and she left 3 months early.. there was talk and that's all there was.. scuttlebutt that's what I took it as..
When the base had an alert and we had to report up to our section at the hospital Dietetics/Nutrition Food Svcs , the Major didn't take it serious, she let people show up in Jeans and other civilian attire. It wasn't our ORI... It was my 1st one, I'd only been there a couple months.. e'body looked at me like I just got off the bus...
I turned my back to look to make sure my zipper was up.. a couple other off duty NCOs showed up in their Fatigues too.. so I wasn't alone in that respect. A Lt. Came in and got the sign in sheet from the major.. about 15 or 2o minutes later they announced the duty sections could dismiss us.. I seen that Lt. count us and noted that only 3 were in uniform (at least I think it might of been what she may have wrote on the clipboard she had.
Back to the Colonel; She had a staff meeting that happened to fall on a day off again. I just had gotten back to barracks from a training session with base Honor Guard and seen the note on the door. It would start in 20 minutes.. hmm, can I get there that fast.. I think so.. I got there
With a couple minutes to spare.. anyway, we had a busy meeting .. talk about getting back to standards.. showing up for base alerts in uniform(fatigues or whites)
Decently pressed. .. Haircuts... Fatigue caps to be worn with whites as they are a type of utility uniform... proper eyewear as authorized. I had aviator lenses in my sunglassses but not the mirror lens, (I did have a pair but didn't wear while in uniform.. had worn for Military funerals a few times.. but not when the Lt. was on the detail for an officer funeral.). after the meeting and the Colonel was gone, I heard some negative stuff going on among some of the Airmen.. I spoke up;
" I think you don't like it because you got too complacent.. I see you slip into the locker room in civvies coming in through that back door.. You Airmen Know the rules.. just follow them and it'll be a lot easier for you. One of them Got on me about my service cover, that I had shined the brim and that wasn't authorized. I told them that one was given to me by the Honor Guard Supply Sgt. For Honor Guard Use. We also had the chrome domes to use . .. it depended upon what we were doing... I told them give the Colonel their unwaivering support.. to respect the uniform, the rank and the Service..". One them said in a off-handed way: "oh, suck up!" ... nobody else laughed.. his support team didn't have his "6" .. I was going to talk to him on the side but a TSG told him he wanted to see him in the office.. . A few minutes later I was going by and the TSG called me in. I was only going to have a informal counseling session, the TSGT turned it into a formal sitrep.. counseling form and ear-chewing session
I asked why he needed me present(I knew why but was being coy.). The TSGT said s'thing about him saying about me saying to indirectly "suck-up" to the Colonel. I asked him if that's what he thought I was insinuating... I was giving him a chance to walk back his comment but held-to and said that's what he thought I had insinuated.. "If that's what you call it,
Airman D______, I gave you your chance
To walk back your comment.. but you sealed your fate. ". You determined your destiny.. by your own words.. actions..
or inactions..
I don't like what actions someone above me in the Military has done But as long as they're in accordance to Regs I followed them, that's what is asked of me, regardless of what they think of myself and the troops under their command. What I've done is to try to see if I can change their mind to see the troops and myself in a more positive light.. if that don't work I work on another alternative...
Usually seek transfer to another unit..
if enough troops do that maybe that officer's superiors will want to know why
So many seek orders.. and will observe to find out why. Hopefully they can see the Forest for the trees.. and see what the real problem is and state why... not be on his side just because he's one of their
Group of officers. Civilian heads of Depts
may not always be the best choice to head a Dept or even or lead a corporation and we s'times wonder what the board of directors seen in that person.. why'd they choose him? Was it nepotism? Did he have what it takes to make the comkany
Perform the way it does? Maybe he is an
A** but he is earning the company$$$$!
I worked for a guy that had the head for business but he needed a equal to run the food end of the business that knew what paying guests wanted.(he had a brother that knew what it took, he was older and controlled the money). It surely wasn't factory fabricated pieces of Panko breaded chopped chicken that had more filler than a gravel pit.. that could be Got for $1.25 a serving in a box of 24 and sold for $6.00 ea. and buried in a cup of cheap tomato sauce. That barely had any Italian flavor.. The menu was overloaded.. too many expensive high dollar items for a medium priced restaurant... and they tasted lousy.. the high priced items..
He begged his brother to return.. the brother told him give him control of the menu and what goes on it. He cut it Dow to 10 items with 3 being rotating specials :
A fish, a beef and Poultry (chicken or duck or goose...). A lot of fresh meat, no factory fabricated meats.. good juicy burgers, real veal and pork cutlets..
real gravies made from stock.. the restaurant got turned around.. it wasn't
floundering.. barely making enough to pay bills.. The younger brother hired in a Chef and four good Assistant Chefs.. there were also some good assistants hired. The restaurant was really doing good.
It went from the pits to being a high-end dollar restaurant.. The older brother kept wanting to cut corners but it was the wrong corners.. he wanted to bring in
Instant mashed potoes.. and bring back some pkgd gravy ssuces.. so younger brother picked a expensive brand but had a excellent flavor but rarely if ever used it. He tried as much as possible to have real potatoes for mashed.. Some people are the right ones for jobs and some are not..

Response by TSgt Cindy Leonard made Apr 19 at 2017 2:35 PM

TSgt Cindy Leonard — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 14:35:33 -0400

It's horrible, but I see it happening more & more. I can say that I've learned more from bad supervisors/ leadership than my good ones: I've learned what NOT to do! I've see the effects of bad leadership & how it tears a great team down & apart & that doesn't have to happen, that really shouldn't happen!

Response by CPL Beth Allsop made May 4 at 2017 11:06 AM

CPL Beth Allsop — Thu, 04 May 2017 11:06:13 -0400

Thanks for the article Col.
I've been handed many good and bad leaders along the way, but the current situation is the incompetent encouraging the more incompetent! I tried to get involved with this week, resulting in less than the ideal outcome, therefore I have just decided to ride it out, hold my tongue, and keep looking for a new job.
Bad leadership habits can be created, when you're thrown into the fire without anything to save you and then you pass the buck there's no coming back from that. But that is the world I live in right now.

Response by MSgt Stephen Council made May 4 at 2017 11:35 AM

MSgt Stephen Council — Thu, 04 May 2017 11:35:44 -0400

COL Mikel J. Burroughs Wow, sounds like a government civil service managerial advanced course. Since I retired, I have learned that civilian managers in general are only concerned with their own advancement and to hell with the people who they are "supposed to" mentor. The average civil service manager couldn't lead a pack of starving wolves to a rotting carcass.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2017 8:09 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 May 2017 20:09:50 -0400

Sadly, I have run into this in both the military and civilian worlds. In each case, I have had one leader each who has epitomized all 7 signs of weak leadership! In both cases I started out solution-oriented, quickly became frustrated, and eventually got to a complete eff it mentality. The one thing I can say about both of those "leaders" is that they helped me create long checklists of things never to say or do myself. I have tried to live by that list in company command, and will carry it in my heart through all my jobs and experiences.

Response by PV2 Glen Lewis made May 24 at 2017 2:25 AM

PV2 Glen Lewis — Wed, 24 May 2017 02:25:33 -0400

Sad to say but it sounds like I need to get a passport Colonel. I don't see a consistent approach to the problems we face in our country right now.

Response by SGT Mark Terrell made May 26 at 2017 5:05 PM

SGT Mark Terrell — Fri, 26 May 2017 17:05:43 -0400

Mission First has always been My mantra, however to complete the mission I as a leader must Honestly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of my team. Further I must take mission parameters and the Commanders intent to get my team prepared and trained up to Charlie Mike

Response by CDR Kenneth Kaiser made Jun 11 at 2017 4:53 PM

CDR Kenneth Kaiser — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 16:53:14 -0400

I always thought that those that yelled at it as a means of correction fit somewhere in this list. I strove rather trhan punish to find out what was causing the problem and fix it. Of course that depended to some extent on the situation and whether you had the luxury of correcting the situation at that moment.

Response by SGT Mark Sullivan made Jul 10 at 2017 7:24 PM

SGT Mark Sullivan — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 19:24:54 -0400

Had a general manager that, claimed he was a veteran, that was the worst. Failed to set the example, continuously micromanaged, promoted anyone that buddy's up to him rather than do their jobs, brought in his own group of headhunters who routinely harassed workers because of personality issues.

Response by SGT Linda Burgess made Jul 11 at 2017 10:59 PM

SGT Linda Burgess — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 22:59:34 -0400

I think in my career I worked for or barely escaped working for all of them.

Response by AN Christopher Crayne made Jul 12 at 2017 12:19 AM

AN Christopher Crayne — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 00:19:55 -0400

Fully agree with that. I had my share of these "leaders". And I'm not impressed .

Response by CW4 Michael Moritz made Jul 13 at 2017 1:54 AM

CW4 Michael Moritz — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 01:54:32 -0400

In a war zone leadership shows their true colors of worth and value. Weak leaders amongst officers surface when; 1) there are limited resources and necessities even got the job must be shared. This makes enlisted disrespect officers if their personal needs are met prior to enlisted needs of equipment to do an essential task assigned them, 2) appearance of being self centered settling rules that do not apply to them or their immediate associates, 3) unwillingness to do dirty physical task as they are beneath them to do, example fill sandbags, etc. 4) the biggest lack of leadership, not inviting section leaders mostly E-8 s to command and staff meetings. Think about it, a junior officer calls the motor pools to get update on vehicles then give second hand information to the 0-6? Lack of respect for NCO's will lead to your failure in war times. 5) OCS, ROTC, and especially West Point must trained new officers in how to lead and use their noncommissioned officers.
I was an officer, I can honestly tell you the smartest soldier I ever met was an E-8. This soldier had 42 years service upon retirement. These guys are college educated, get stuff done, intelligent, and basically do not like us. They choose not to be an officer out of choice, they are the back bone of the system the heart. This guy was so bright, even the highest ranking staff officers requested to speak to him on his to get stuff done or request it. Like officers NCO hold many different jobs out of their MOS and acquire hands on knowledge, how to do. Just an opinion, my favorite officer was a draftee who rise to general, now this guy was loved by all his soldiers. He preached about the good of the order in our deeds, and how the group was more important than the individual. A draftee during the Vietnam War whom rose from E-1 to General, yup this is why you got to love America as we do.

Response by PO1 Don Rowan made Jul 21 at 2017 8:12 AM

PO1 Don Rowan — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 08:12:40 -0400

Not only in the military but in government, period, for the last 20+ years.

Response by PO1 Donald Hammond made Jul 24 at 2017 6:00 PM

PO1 Donald Hammond — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 18:00:59 -0400

I used to do all of those everyday just to piss my guys off. lol
1 - "No liberty until attitude improves"
2 - "We have to show the command what an idiot Chief so and so is. Get to work"
3 - "What part of 'fix the damn thing' don't you understand?"
4 - "Hey, you are the one who did what I said, so you are to blame"
5 - Ok ok I always gave honest feed back "HOW DID YOU EVER MAKE E-5????"
6 - "If I want your opinion I'll beat it out of you"
7 - "Yes sir! I cleaned that bilge until you could eat out of it."

Now for the sea story. Gotta have one. My first command. I was a nublet. We were shooting practice torpedoes for certification. I got put on the command phones just to listen in and learn. We fired a torpedo. Sonar reported to the Control Room "Torpedo has turned around and is coming towards us". Commanding officer "That is impossible. They have a 180 degree shut down" Sonar : "It is definitely coming this way". CO : "I will have the head of the Sonar Supervisor on a platter for this incompetence" Torpedo "DIE YOU FILTHY BASTARD! DIE!" bang - bang - bang

Yes, it was a training torpedo. Had been fired numerous times. The 180 shutdown had failed. The torpedo had no warhead so it hit the submarine about 10 times down the length of the hull trying to kill us. Yes, the people in the Control Room had to be treated for injuries from holding in the laughter and busting their guts.

That puts #8 up there. Poor leaders don't trust their people.

Response by MSgt Victor Moss made Jul 26 at 2017 11:29 AM

MSgt Victor Moss — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 11:29:46 -0400

Leadership is the art of getting people to eagerly do what they otherwise wouldn't do, and make them think it was their idea. If I was doing my job right, I could walk around with a cup of coffee all day, and only having to set it down if someone came to me needing my assistance. As a leader, I never accomplished anything ... but my team accomplished a lot.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 29 at 2017 1:58 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 01:58:11 -0400

I am actually surrounded with some of those characters’ leaders

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 6:11 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 06:11:22 -0400

Whether good or bad leadership, to me it doesn't matter. I can only control my emotions and learn from the good, the bad and the ugly. Put it this way, what could we take away from good leadership if you never knew bad ones? Or how would we teach others if we only knew one way? I've been in 19yrs now and I've seen them all from military and civilian. It's a learning experience of patience and take-aways

Response by SGT Eric Knutson made Aug 3 at 2017 8:19 AM

SGT Eric Knutson — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 08:19:09 -0400

Sort of affiliated, something I overheard one of the SNCO's in my first unit say to another troop who was getting into hot water, has stuck with me my whole life since "I will not tell you who you friends are, or are not, BUT your friends will either drag you up or they will drag you down." like I said, that has stuck with me always and I have tried to implement it in everything I do, I join a new company, I look around at who is actually getting things done correctly and I try to associate with them, those who are just going through the motions I try to avoid as much as possible. When looking at a new job, I look around at the other employees and maybe talk to or at least listen to them talk about the company before I decide I let myself get hired.

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Aug 3 at 2017 8:20 AM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 08:20:59 -0400

Everyday as a civilian.

Response by Maj Dale Smith made Aug 3 at 2017 4:12 PM

Maj Dale Smith — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 16:12:42 -0400

Absolutely, I was a SAC Command Post controller in a former life and there isn't enough room here to tell you all I have seen. Suffice it to say that I watched an Ops group commander (O-6 colonel) self desgtruct while engaging a Lt. General (O-9) because the O-6 didn't know his mission or the mission of a numbered air force prime asset. I, along with a number of other staff members tried to explain this to the Colonel prior to his taking action to no avail. I had to also give the Wing Commander (O-6) a "Heads-up" that a numbered air force commander would probably be calling him. I watched a Squadron Commander (Lt. Col O-5) authorize strategic asset aircraft to land under unsafe runway conditions. I used some code to the aircrew to let them know just how slick the runway would be. The Squadron commander was more concerned about a fuel and TDY divert cost than the lives of the aircrew and the $200M aircraft they were flying. He missed the entire rationalle of leadership and I had worked in private enterprise before going on active duty. Economics is certainly a consideration, but not when the loss could be people and assets and it is a training event and not operational. This guy went far, he became a HHQ commander and he really looked good in his official photo. He did not have a combat aircrew medal though, even as General. Not a very high medal in the scheme of things, but it telegraphed to the aircrews that he was a premadonna at a cocktail party and not a "get your hands dirty and follow me" kind of guy. Fortunately, he has retired.

Response by Sarah Zayas made Aug 3 at 2017 4:29 PM

Sarah Zayas — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 16:29:57 -0400

I have encountered #3 inadequate direction. If a leader is CLEAR the subordinate WILL obey. A leader should also be a roadblock hunter, removing any obstacle that hinders a subordinate from doing their work. Communication from a leader should be in written form so that it is routinely evaluated because too many "leaders" are too lazy to communicate properly, or refuse to prioritize.

Response by CW4 Steve Knotts made Aug 5 at 2017 9:36 PM

CW4 Steve Knotts — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 21:36:40 -0400

These leadership shortcomings extend well past the military. My daughter is currently a 2nd year surgery resident. I have stressed to her for years the importance of leadership. It's seems to me that doctors are assumed to be leaders just from their education. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have suggested to her that she meet with the director of the program to include REAL leadership training. It's missing at every level. You can run down Col Burroughs list and check each one off. What a shame. From hospital administration, to attending physicians, senior residents. None have any clue.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2017 12:27 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 12:27:48 -0400

I greatest attributes was Senior leaders who mentored me. They were well rounded emotionally , and spiritually gifted. They orignalist in life they understood their weaknesses , and applied there strengths equally. One of my greatest role model was a 1st Sgt. and maintence warrant. I took there advice to heart improved my weak , curtailed my strengths to be well rounded. When screwed up I admitted it to my team and we corrected it and accomplished the mission.

Response by AA Joseph Moody made Aug 9 at 2017 1:18 PM

AA Joseph Moody — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 13:18:41 -0400

This looks like a check list for promotion, and I wish I was being sarcastic in saying that.

A few weeks ago I was talking with an IT friend of mine on the topic of leadership, and one thing that impressed me when I was enlisted was that the military teaches leadership from day one, both in how to be a good follower and in giving younger members limited options to lead in low risk/cost situations when it can.

But the military, regardless of branch also understands the value of choosing when and were people have their teething pains when it comes to learning leadership (although from what I've heard less now than it did 20 or more years ago) Because let's be real, we would all rather a young leader to make their mistakes when the dollar cost is low and no lives are on the line.

But in the IT field mistakes can costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars an hour when they are made, and in other industries and the military poor leadership can cost lives, which leads some to look for professional leadership but that comes with the gap that leads to the above listed problems and people not understanding the nuances of the tasks they are responsible for.

Young officers being told to listen to their senior NCO's I think is about the best mentor ship program I've seen for leadership and I dearly wish that was implemented in the civilian world far far more.

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Aug 9 at 2017 1:58 PM

SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 13:58:25 -0400

It's not really 7 signs of LAEDRSHIP failure, leaders are not groomed enough, too young, wanta bees and do not set the example or want to take blame for their actions. They want to run their own ship and not take corrective criticism. They don't know what BE, KNOW and DO really means and they take care of themselves and no ones else and are not team players. You can write a whole book on LEADERSHIP but to sum up in few words is what I wrote above because your failure will get you killed in combat or someone else in combat. Being professional in everything you do is not going to make you good NCO or LEADER you sometimes have to spill the blood or get you boots muddy to prove really who you are in this world. Your mentors made who you are today and who you will be in the future, also your mentors formed a mold of a person who is to change the world in everyway that they can by coming up with ideas and solving problems by working as a team. That what LEADERS do to win in any situation and in combat and against our enemy.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Aug 9 at 2017 2:28 PM

1SG Dennis Hicks — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 14:28:41 -0400

Any system that promotes individuals based on what they see and not what is hidden can generate TOXIC leaders that are weak and will eventually fail after they destroy good future leaders and prevent additional ones from wanting to stay.

Response by Cpl Don "GUNNY" Miller made Aug 16 at 2017 8:25 PM

Cpl Don "GUNNY" Miller — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 20:25:26 -0400

Several come to mind Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Maxine Waters, Mueller, McMasters, and Adam Shief to mention just a few of the top of my head

Response by 1SG Charles Simpson made Aug 21 at 2017 9:53 AM

1SG Charles Simpson — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 09:53:22 -0400

To be a good leader; develop strong self respect, never tell a lie to anyone, never take a shortcut on discipline and training and never walk around a problem

Response by COL Dave Sims made Aug 23 at 2017 8:43 PM

COL Dave Sims — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 20:43:22 -0400

Well my Dad, the old Marine Master Gunnery Sgt, told me - "When in charge be in charge, when you screw up raise your hand and always be aware of what your mission is." That was always my modus operandi, for better or worse, during my career. And so each morning, now and then, I can look in the mirror when I shave and smile ! I feel I was always a better commander than a staff officer..but here's the deal -- weak leadership is a reluctance or fear to address problems. Your soldiers are counting on you to fix "things".

Response by PO3 John Priest made Aug 25 at 2017 10:45 AM

PO3 John Priest — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 10:45:29 -0400

I was fortunate in the time I was in the service to have not run across that type of leader. I understood directly and trusted that my seniors would never make me do things that they themselves haven't or wouldn't have done themselves... I've seen E-6s and E7's out on deck painting right along side of me...

Unfortunately I have run across more than a few in civilian life...and they are usually the death of the team, and sometimes the corporation.

Response by Clayton Benignus made Aug 30 at 2017 10:38 PM

Clayton Benignus — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 22:38:39 -0400

As per Item 3,They don’t provide adequate direction, a good subordinate will try to guess what the best course of action is, as is their job. Far too often, they will guess wrong, though is generally no worse than an error in good faith. That is why a Leader has to make his periodic rounds to keep tabs one everybody, to keep them going in the right direction. Absentee Leaders are not Leaders.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 4 at 2017 4:57 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 16:57:00 -0400

Back in the ancient days, when I was an LT, I worked for a captain in an organization that shall remain nameless in the interest of protecting the guilty. This captain worked for a major who shared the captain’s “leadership traits”. As a result of that experience, I would add some additional “signs of weak leadership” to the 7 listed. These are:
8. They lack pertinent knowledge – knowledge pertinent to their job, to their function.
9. They have no standards – this could be related to the “poor feed-back” item also. If there is nothing they can compare behavior or performance to, then they are incapable of determining whether it’s really “bad” or “good” or “indifferent”. This can probably be related to the lack of knowledge item.
10. They provide a poor example – in personal conduct, in execution, in work habits. They’re the “do as I say, not as I do” types.
I am sure that someone can analyze this further and perhaps consolidate some of these "signs", or link them to the previous seven, but this is my “first reaction” to the article, based on my own experience.
Oh! Both the captain and the major were branch transfers into the branch, and seemed to be “more lost than cross-eyed crabs”. :-)

Response by CPT Earl George made Sep 4 at 2017 9:35 PM

CPT Earl George — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 21:35:02 -0400

they are often hard to find

Response by LTC Wayne Brandon made Sep 5 at 2017 7:33 AM

LTC Wayne Brandon — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 07:33:13 -0400

A primary reason for my retirement 11 years ago at age 55 was due to imbecilic leadership that became intolerable. So many 'modern' leaders have no idea as to what the true art of leadership is or looks like, so instead of being completely clueless, they read the current best seller on the subject and immediately embrace whatever that author has espoused as having worked for them.
Suddenly they are now the SME on leadership but when questioned about something as simple as what every leader must be, know and do, most will fail every time - at best, make some good guesses.
Naturally, there were good and bad leaders in the Army - most were adequate but then a select few were truly brilliant in plying their skill set and became not only a role model to subordinates but also an inspiration to be better at what they were.
One such leader in my career was MG General James Pocock. He is the 'real deal' as they say.
It was always bad for an officer to be chewed out by him, far worse for him to simply say, "I'm quite disappointed in your performance" for those words stung. While personally never having been on the receiving end of that remark, the officers who were were always moved to do much better in the future. He was a great division commander and is a personal friend to this day.
His book "Across The Barbed Wire" tells the story of an East German family's attempt to escape into West Germany. It has been called "Fascinating, compelling and historically accurate."

Response by Maj Dan Rasmussen made Sep 7 at 2017 5:22 PM

Maj Dan Rasmussen — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 17:22:14 -0400

Look at the Navy ship accidents. You can not survive on five hours of sleep day in and day out.

Response by SGT Dwane Ott made Sep 19 at 2017 10:07 PM

SGT Dwane Ott — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 22:07:08 -0400

Sir with all due respect
We need to screen all of are officer to make sure they have what it take I was NCO AND new more than officers out of the acdamey it time to start to make a combat leaders not pussy Sir

Response by PO2 David Allender made Sep 21 at 2017 3:16 AM

PO2 David Allender — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 03:16:11 -0400

We appear to be on the verge of World War 3, My worry is if Trump decides to run the military as LBJ ran it during the Nam war. GOD help us!

Response by SSgt Liam Babington made Sep 21 at 2017 7:25 AM

SSgt Liam Babington — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 07:25:28 -0400

I, as an NCO could not say very much, but we as a group did one time file a Article 138 UCMJ! The officer in question was weak and toxic! We did it with reluctance but for the good of the unit, it was done!

Response by SPC Byron Skinner made Sep 23 at 2017 11:46 PM

SPC Byron Skinner — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 23:46:41 -0400

Sp4 Byron Skinner A rather intriguing question here, especially in light of two US DD 51's being rammed by civilian cargo ships so far this year. From information that is available to the general public the military has a huge leadership problem. A failure of Junior Officer leadership is an understatement in both of these cases. Just a guess on my part but I think some of the problem is in the education of young military officers, To much technical and not enough Liberal Arts. Reading book about the military in antiquity, the Roman Era and the early and later middle ages and concerting on the causes and the after effects of major and even minor wars is critical training for the young officer. The hundred years wars being a series of minor wars which in themselves are of not significance but taken as a whole changed civilization in Europe. Most military officer even in the upper end if the chain of command fail to understand the context of civilization that all military officers function in even though that influence has nothing to do with the current chain off command. The Speech of Henry V before the battle on Angicourt (Sp?) is as relevant today as it was in 1432. Today we use an example of good leadership in the Military in the person of George Patton Jr. Patton who was well read in the Liberal Arts as were most of the career officers in the Army and Navy in WW II. George Patton understood the technology of his era but it was secondary to knowing what others is similar situations did before you. Troops from the fire team on up need confidence in their leaders, Even Platoon Leader are expected to know tactical movement and what other did before you. This is all the intangibles of being a leader.

Response by TSgt James Carson made Sep 24 at 2017 5:42 PM

TSgt James Carson — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 17:42:46 -0400

We, don't have real leadership any more. We are bound to not hurt SNOWFLAKE"S feelings or hold the rich and powerful accountable anymore. We are loosing our way of life in this country that was once great because we don't want to hurt some one's feelings or cause a shack up in our government. Ever wonder why Hillary Clinton isn't in prison. I don't and you shouldn't either. We enabled this crap to happen and don't want to correct what we've done wrong for the sake of our parties. There are No parties these days. It's just them and us. Now get a grip on it. Change it if you don't like it, before someone else you definitely don't want doing it does. Look at what has happened in the world you live in and see what has happened. We now have strangers living and one day dictating to us how we will live.

Response by SGT Kevin Taber made Sep 28 at 2017 7:18 PM

SGT Kevin Taber — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 19:18:26 -0400

holy shit do you know my boss? it describes him to a tee

Response by SGT J M Porters made Oct 6 at 2017 7:06 AM

SGT J M Porters — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 07:06:07 -0400

In a perfect world. Ha, its great reflecting and chatting with you . But Duty calls

Response by SPC Dave Loeffler made Oct 8 at 2017 1:07 PM

SPC Dave Loeffler — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 13:07:42 -0400

Poor leadership is a product of, todays environment where children are awarded for average performance! have no expiations and no responsibilities. They begin life's work as politically correct!

Response by MAJ David Brand made Oct 9 at 2017 2:30 PM

MAJ David Brand — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 14:30:53 -0400

Thanks for sharing!

Response by SPC Christopher Jackson made Oct 15 at 2017 2:49 AM

SPC Christopher Jackson — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 02:49:30 -0400

Yes. When I stationed with now, the loong deactivated 8th Infantry division. We had a 2LT PLT LDR that while in training, a training maneuver battle drove us down a damn road single file, ducks in a row that, an enemy M1 shot all four of my Platoons tracks... pop, pop, pop, pop! He was too busy to bother about our surroundings as he tried to read a lensatic compass while he set it on his armored APC. No need to further elaborate on how stupid THAT was. But he ended up getting sent to brigade and then forcefully discharged for being a terribly incompetent officer. /Faceplam!

We disliked that jackass to the point that we had a PLT meeting and we all said how we felt about this lack of leadership. and this asshat was supposed to lead us into battle on the Fulda Gap (google it) if the former soviets tried to attack across the east/west border????

Response by CWO2 James Mathews made Nov 3 at 2017 10:53 PM

CWO2 James Mathews — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 22:53:39 -0400

I would personally hesitate to evaluate my own leadership qualities. I will leave that task to those with whom I was fortunate to serve with. However, I have found in serving as a Command duty officer it was necessary for me on occasion, to use rather stuff language to seniors who failed to recognize my decisions. True, after each situation I was called before the Commanding Officer for a rather stiffly Worcestershire and reply. However, no mention in my later records or evaluations of these instances, to which I have concurrently were all legal and within regulations! Other than that, I will say that I have found, in my experience, a great variety of excellent approaches to good leadership in the US Navy Submarine, for with only a very few disappointing ones which were soon "weeded out!"

Response by SFC Tony Bennett made Nov 14 at 2017 4:38 PM

SFC Tony Bennett — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 16:38:16 -0500

Sounds EXACTLY like tRUMP......

Response by SN Jay Perry made Nov 21 at 2017 2:43 PM

SN Jay Perry — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 14:43:00 -0500

CO of my last ship in the USN was the poster child for 1,2,3 we ran through FIVE Chief Engineers, and an MPA in a YEAR! The Ship managed to fail not one, but two OPPE's during that time. The CO had the XO running engineering for part of that and he burned out so quickly that he took retirement (after 18 years) rather than stay for the deployment. His next hand picked choice was a man who had already been through the perspective CO board HAD HIS ORDERS to a new construction frigate when the CO got them changed to have him be our CHENG! The CO never could understand (even as the new CHENG fixed the material and personnel problems in engineering) why he did not like his second straight tour as a CHENG. Furthermore, the CO who had won medals in Vietnam (aboard PBR's) was obviously out of his depth dealing with tight quarter maneuvering of the ship. It would take an inordinate amount of time to get the ship alongside the pier/or rafted ship, using two tugs most of the time (every other CO I have had could do that with ONE or even no tugs. The CO (who had the con) put us ACROSS the bows of a LOADED AE and only the quick thinking of the safety officer on the bridge kept us from getting killed. We missed Kilauea by less than 10 yards! Lastly he would not trust anyone without the gold braid on their hats to make even the most minor decisions, we would stand hours on plane guard and have to have the conning officer continuously give orders for speed and course corrections. I pointed out to him that I had hours steering by seaman's eye keeping ship lined up the stern light of a CV and he told me that I could not do this with a SPRUCAN. Later that night I convinced the conning officer to allow me to try (he did so while standing BEHIND me as I steered for half an hour without correction), when the skipper read the deck logs he came unglued on the CON.

Response by MAJ T Ferris made Nov 26 at 2017 7:50 PM

MAJ T Ferris — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 19:50:16 -0500

Had a boss who was exactly like this. The guy is still on Active Duty. I feel sorry for anyone who must sever under him.

Response by Col Robert Wallace made Dec 7 at 2017 12:17 PM

Col Robert Wallace — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 12:17:24 -0500

You are so correct, Col. Burroughs & SSgt Robinson. Military leaders should be warriors, not politicians. Remember how may generals were fired by Obama because they dared to tell it like it is and not be politically correct. Now that Donald Trump is POTUS and with his respect for the military, it is hoped that all military personnel can return to what they have been trained to do - defend our country, the US Constitution and our way of life.

Response by SFC James Asbill made Dec 7 at 2017 11:12 PM

SFC James Asbill — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 23:12:12 -0500

Love the way this is spelled out and expressed .... And hope it fosters lots of debate and self reflection

Response by SGT Kyle Bickley made Dec 24 at 2017 9:05 AM

SGT Kyle Bickley — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 09:05:09 -0500

We need war Lord's. Patton was one! In my opinion the best we have ever had. He was there to win the war by any means necessary. Wish our Generals would follow his example other then be Candy Asses. If that offends one on this sight, 15 years of warfare? Please explain that one!

Response by Capt Joseph Olson made Dec 24 at 2017 11:45 PM

Capt Joseph Olson — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 23:45:20 -0500

Yes, I know the type. Had one as a major unit commander. Feverent believer in the "beatings will continue until morale improves" school of leadership. He had his shot and was told to retire as a Colonel. Lucky for us troops, his vice commander would go on to 4 stars, and he mitigated the worst damage. I had a DOS then so I was an immune bystander.

Response by LTC John Bush made Dec 25 at 2017 9:01 AM

LTC John Bush — Mon, 25 Dec 2017 09:01:58 -0500

SORRY nothing new here! Read about what George Washington went through and you can go back or forward in history with the same results. Bad leaders are like cockroaches they will always be with us and can survive a nuclear attack. Just have to identify, cope and based on your position and authority make corrections. You can personally fix your unit or at least make a lot of progress but not if you are worrying about everyone else.

Response by MSG Keith Folger made Dec 30 at 2017 7:17 PM

MSG Keith Folger — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 19:17:28 -0500

So long as drunken wife beaters get evaluations that make them appear to walk on water we will have weak leaders.

Response by MSG Richard Cooper, PMP, SIPM, CMAS made Jan 5 at 2018 12:25 AM

MSG Richard Cooper, PMP, SIPM, CMAS — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 00:25:51 -0500

Soliciting ideas to make an informed decicion is one thing, leading by consensus is wrong. The infantry has the best motto: Follow me and do as I do".
V/r
Richard

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2018 3:49 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 15:49:40 -0500

At our office here, the CPT just down the hall has a paper taped to his door by a predecessor, with this simple unsigned statement in big, plain Times New Roman caps:

"If serving is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you."

Response by SMSgt Ronald B. made Jan 8 at 2018 2:11 AM

SMSgt Ronald B. — Mon, 08 Jan 2018 02:11:41 -0500

Nearly everyday - more on the government civilian side, followed closely by the officer corp who are focused first and foremost on what they need to do next to advance their career (enter Political Correctness here). The Jr. Officers of today - have not clue about leadership - other than what they've read- and they are conditioned to believe enlisted are the scourge of the Earth - vice seeing them as the backbone of the military and the SNCOs as the self-made leaders with more detailed functional/operational experience than the majority of officers.

Response by Ruth Rodie made Aug 26 at 2019 1:38 AM

Ruth Rodie — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 01:38:56 -0400

Sometimes it seems a leader is created merely due to time served, rather than actual leadership ability. I have also seen an amazing amount of favoritism in my days. Regardless of the actual situation, the ability of subordinates to make the boss feel “important” seems paramount. Many can not seem to handle smart subordinates even if the subordinates have no desire other than doing a good job.