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I am currently an SMP cadet expected to commission as a 2LT in May 2016. In my military science course, my PMI recently mentioned that we should all have a Leader's Book as future Platoon Leaders. I know there is an NCO leader's book, but are there specific things I should have as a PL? Prior Platoon Leaders, how did you construct your leader's books? Is there a base template I can use? Where there any forms, documents, etc that you had in your book readily available to make your job easier?
Any help with this would be much appreciated. As an MSIV, we get assigned mentees in the lower classes, so I would like to create this book as soon as possible so that I can familiarize myself with it using my mentorship position and better prepare myself for the days of being PL.
Any help with this would be much appreciated. As an MSIV, we get assigned mentees in the lower classes, so I would like to create this book as soon as possible so that I can familiarize myself with it using my mentorship position and better prepare myself for the days of being PL.
Posted in these groups: 
Professional Development
Leadership
Professional Development Leadership
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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10
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Sir,
Go to staples and get yourself a mini binder with tabs (mini post-its), doc protectors, and dividers.
In it have the following:
Alert roster
Training calander (60-90 days) glide path
Company METL
A section for company training meeting
Manning roster
8 step training model
TLPs
Shell for warno, OPORD, and FRAGO.
Make a seperate book for a picture property book with the following sections:
PBO HR
2062s for sub HR holders
Shortage Annex
Equipment in repair
TMs with equipment illustrations
Pics of equipment laid out with associated BII.
The above will make your life easier.
RLTW!
Go to staples and get yourself a mini binder with tabs (mini post-its), doc protectors, and dividers.
In it have the following:
Alert roster
Training calander (60-90 days) glide path
Company METL
A section for company training meeting
Manning roster
8 step training model
TLPs
Shell for warno, OPORD, and FRAGO.
Make a seperate book for a picture property book with the following sections:
PBO HR
2062s for sub HR holders
Shortage Annex
Equipment in repair
TMs with equipment illustrations
Pics of equipment laid out with associated BII.
The above will make your life easier.
RLTW!
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http://www.part-time-commander.com/platoon-leader-book_61-html/ Hope this helps you out. I would put some tactics in the book if does not already address it.
Army Leader Book Information for Small Unit Leaders | Citizen Soldier Resource Center
Army Leader Book Information for small unit leaders in the Army National Guard
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Basic Cadet (Join to see)
Thank you for recommending the book on leadership in the military. The topic of influence and leadership is fascinating and can apply to various aspects of life, not just the military. I recently came across an interesting book on the site https://freebooksummary.com/category/a-man-for-all-seasons, where the influence of one man changed many things. Though not military literature, the book highlights the importance of integrity, courage, and conviction in leadership. I think it could be a great read for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills. Thanks again for the recommendation.
A Man For All Seasons Summary | FreebookSummary
A Man For All Seasons Book Summaries, Study Guides, Quotes and Character Analysis, Book Themes - You Can Learn Literature Easier With Us!
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MAJ Ken Landgren
Basic Cadet (Join to see) - Perhaps this will illuminate leadership further:
My goal is to define leadership from an academic perspective to a practical one. I hope this will illuminate something new, interesting, and useful. I recall during my army career; studies of leadership were relegated to vignettes. For example, COL Chamberlain talked to 200 Maine soldiers who refused to fight. He succeeded incorporate them into his regiment. At Gettysburg his regiment guarded the Union flank and defeated a larger force with a bayonet charge. However, vignettes have a lot to be desired in regard to leadership. I gleamed from COL Chamberlain’s actions he was compassionate, tactically sound, and aggressive.
This is how I approached being an US Army Officer. I had well trained soldiers who had high morale. I had subordinate leaders who did the right thing in supporting me and the soldiers. There is something about loving people. Something interesting happens, they will often love you back. I know it’s different in the military because we are in the business of killing, but you can still love or respect your people and subordinate leaders. I absolutely loved leading and taking care of the sons and daughters of this country. Most of what I will write was created in my head. Some of it I borrowed from the army institution. Good luck and be a damn fine leader!
CULTURE
When I commanded army units the first action I accomplished was to establish the culture. I got with my NCOs (subordinate leaders) to tell them what my expectations were. There would be no compromise. This is what I went over:
- Organizational Values: Loyalty. Respect. Honor. Integrity. Truth. Teamwork
- Fairness. No discrimination.
- The NCOs and I will try our best to take care of the soldiers.
- Push people to grow professionally and personally.
- Increase the morale.
- The NCOs and I will love our soldiers.
-
PLANNING
You can apply this process for current operations or new operations or tasks to your unit from the boss. I will predicate the following as if you got a new task for your unit.
- Look at the big picture. What is the corporation doing now? What does your boss want from you? What is in the corporate environment that is relevant to you and your unit. How does your unit fit in the corporation?
- If you are given a new task from your boss, find out exactly what he/she wants. This is the most important step.
- Formulate a plan to accomplish the task:
1. Who does what?
2. What will happen?
3. Where will it happen?
4. Why will it happen?
5. When will it happen?
6. How will it happen?
- This is how you execute of your plan. Execution it is easier to use phases. Let us assume the new task is offering a new financial product.
1. Phase I: Overview.
2. Phase II: Classroom instructions.
3. Phase III: Hands on training.
4. Phase IV: Certification.
- Who is in charge of what and who communicates with who.
- What external organization in your corporation do you need help from, and what is the plan to incorporate them into your plan?
COMMUNICATING
- When something new pops up like a new procedure or task immediately give your people a heads up. It does not have to be elaborate. “Folks the corporation wants to offer car loans. More information to follow.”
- If we are discussing a physical location such as your unit will occupy new office space or there is a requirement to set up in a different place, go to the site to learn about it. If you don’t do this, you will have some nasty surprises.
- Like I said if you are given a new task, figure out exactly what your boss wants. Then you can make your plan on who, what, where, why, and when.
- Get with your team and give this plan to as many people as possible, but your subordinate leaders must attend this event.
- Supervise and refine from start to completion. There might be new information or requirements.
MEETINGS
- Create a calendar months out. Put into the calendar important future events.
- Discuss current operations and future operations (if applicable).
- Ask for advice from your team. You do not know everything. They will help finish your calendar and or planning.
- If someone has a suggestion on a different course of action tell them thank you. Adopt if the suggestion is good. You want them to feel important and valued.
- Create a format for your meetings based on what you think is important.
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP TRAITS
- Roll up your sleaves when you can to work with your people. They will appreciate that you will get dirty with them.
- Always take care of your people and fight for them. This builds loyalty and it is simply good business practice.
- Be a great example by the way you carry yourself. You are driven by values. Be the best leader you can be. Epitomize goodness. Be that person people look up to. There is no compromising integrity.
- Build morale. Say thank you. Find out if you have funds for like birthday cakes, small parties, pizzas, etc. Be innovative in ways to build up morale. I arranged helicopter rides for my soldiers. I gave them dinner certificates. At my Christmas parties for the unit, the door prizes consisted of a TV, Boombox, DVD player. The prizes got smaller. One prize was an autographed picture of me in a frame. In the back was a 4-day pass. Essentially, they got 4 days off rom work with pay. The point is they wanted to win these prizes and I was rewarding them in a “World Class” manner.
- HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FOLKS. THANK THEM IN INNOVATIVE WAYS. THIS WILL BUILD UP MORALE!
My goal is to define leadership from an academic perspective to a practical one. I hope this will illuminate something new, interesting, and useful. I recall during my army career; studies of leadership were relegated to vignettes. For example, COL Chamberlain talked to 200 Maine soldiers who refused to fight. He succeeded incorporate them into his regiment. At Gettysburg his regiment guarded the Union flank and defeated a larger force with a bayonet charge. However, vignettes have a lot to be desired in regard to leadership. I gleamed from COL Chamberlain’s actions he was compassionate, tactically sound, and aggressive.
This is how I approached being an US Army Officer. I had well trained soldiers who had high morale. I had subordinate leaders who did the right thing in supporting me and the soldiers. There is something about loving people. Something interesting happens, they will often love you back. I know it’s different in the military because we are in the business of killing, but you can still love or respect your people and subordinate leaders. I absolutely loved leading and taking care of the sons and daughters of this country. Most of what I will write was created in my head. Some of it I borrowed from the army institution. Good luck and be a damn fine leader!
CULTURE
When I commanded army units the first action I accomplished was to establish the culture. I got with my NCOs (subordinate leaders) to tell them what my expectations were. There would be no compromise. This is what I went over:
- Organizational Values: Loyalty. Respect. Honor. Integrity. Truth. Teamwork
- Fairness. No discrimination.
- The NCOs and I will try our best to take care of the soldiers.
- Push people to grow professionally and personally.
- Increase the morale.
- The NCOs and I will love our soldiers.
-
PLANNING
You can apply this process for current operations or new operations or tasks to your unit from the boss. I will predicate the following as if you got a new task for your unit.
- Look at the big picture. What is the corporation doing now? What does your boss want from you? What is in the corporate environment that is relevant to you and your unit. How does your unit fit in the corporation?
- If you are given a new task from your boss, find out exactly what he/she wants. This is the most important step.
- Formulate a plan to accomplish the task:
1. Who does what?
2. What will happen?
3. Where will it happen?
4. Why will it happen?
5. When will it happen?
6. How will it happen?
- This is how you execute of your plan. Execution it is easier to use phases. Let us assume the new task is offering a new financial product.
1. Phase I: Overview.
2. Phase II: Classroom instructions.
3. Phase III: Hands on training.
4. Phase IV: Certification.
- Who is in charge of what and who communicates with who.
- What external organization in your corporation do you need help from, and what is the plan to incorporate them into your plan?
COMMUNICATING
- When something new pops up like a new procedure or task immediately give your people a heads up. It does not have to be elaborate. “Folks the corporation wants to offer car loans. More information to follow.”
- If we are discussing a physical location such as your unit will occupy new office space or there is a requirement to set up in a different place, go to the site to learn about it. If you don’t do this, you will have some nasty surprises.
- Like I said if you are given a new task, figure out exactly what your boss wants. Then you can make your plan on who, what, where, why, and when.
- Get with your team and give this plan to as many people as possible, but your subordinate leaders must attend this event.
- Supervise and refine from start to completion. There might be new information or requirements.
MEETINGS
- Create a calendar months out. Put into the calendar important future events.
- Discuss current operations and future operations (if applicable).
- Ask for advice from your team. You do not know everything. They will help finish your calendar and or planning.
- If someone has a suggestion on a different course of action tell them thank you. Adopt if the suggestion is good. You want them to feel important and valued.
- Create a format for your meetings based on what you think is important.
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP TRAITS
- Roll up your sleaves when you can to work with your people. They will appreciate that you will get dirty with them.
- Always take care of your people and fight for them. This builds loyalty and it is simply good business practice.
- Be a great example by the way you carry yourself. You are driven by values. Be the best leader you can be. Epitomize goodness. Be that person people look up to. There is no compromising integrity.
- Build morale. Say thank you. Find out if you have funds for like birthday cakes, small parties, pizzas, etc. Be innovative in ways to build up morale. I arranged helicopter rides for my soldiers. I gave them dinner certificates. At my Christmas parties for the unit, the door prizes consisted of a TV, Boombox, DVD player. The prizes got smaller. One prize was an autographed picture of me in a frame. In the back was a 4-day pass. Essentially, they got 4 days off rom work with pay. The point is they wanted to win these prizes and I was rewarding them in a “World Class” manner.
- HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FOLKS. THANK THEM IN INNOVATIVE WAYS. THIS WILL BUILD UP MORALE!
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SGT Brian Rawlins, it's not necessarily an NCO's thing (IMHO). Though it may have slightly different info from NCO or Officer's perspective, a Leaders book is simply a Management Tool. You can make it as detailed as you see fit. Mine contains: Alert Roster, Qualification Range (pistol/rifle), Reports and their due date, Soldier and Mission references.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
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My T-BOLC brethren, Jimmy Ho created an App for IPhone. It's on the Apple App Store under "Army Leader Book" (not sure about Android).
Check it out.
Check it out.
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CPT (Join to see)
I found a database thing for army leaders book on android, but not sure if its the same. Thanks for the intel
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1LT Ryan Millican
I have that on my IPhone, it's a good app, really like it. Tell him he did a good job designing it, sir. I'm going to definitely put it to use when I get back to my unit.
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CPT (Join to see)
2LT Ryan Millican
Jimmy will be happy to hear of your update. I'll be sure to pass on the message. Hope you enjoy your time on good ole FT Lee.
Jimmy will be happy to hear of your update. I'll be sure to pass on the message. Hope you enjoy your time on good ole FT Lee.
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I understand that I may be late in replying to your post. But everyone always needs information. Everyone draws conclusions from what is supposed to be written in a book, and basic things have a price. There are three of them: people, equipment and mission. But in each section there is certain information. People: Your salad is everything you know about him and everything you find in his personal file. Equipment - all the equipment of the unit, everything you know about it down to the last detail. The mission statement is everything you need to know, your thoughts, and anything you learn from other sources.
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P.S
If you come across an anal retentive, bald ass Captain with Airborne and Air Assault Wings as well as a RANGER TAB when you go to the MP Basic Officer's Course, don't be intimidated. His name is Captain Huether(pronounced HEATER) and he's all bark and no bite. You should second guess and challenge everything he teaches. He loves it. I mean, he truly enjoys the initiative and moxy when brand new Lieutenants run up to introduce themselves as it demonstrates confidence. I tell ya, he absolutely appreciates the effort.
And it just so happens that I know just about everything there is to know about Captain Huether. We have had an in depth relationship for well over 30 years. "How might this be?", you may be pondering?He happens to be my Son.
Good Luck!
If you come across an anal retentive, bald ass Captain with Airborne and Air Assault Wings as well as a RANGER TAB when you go to the MP Basic Officer's Course, don't be intimidated. His name is Captain Huether(pronounced HEATER) and he's all bark and no bite. You should second guess and challenge everything he teaches. He loves it. I mean, he truly enjoys the initiative and moxy when brand new Lieutenants run up to introduce themselves as it demonstrates confidence. I tell ya, he absolutely appreciates the effort.
And it just so happens that I know just about everything there is to know about Captain Huether. We have had an in depth relationship for well over 30 years. "How might this be?", you may be pondering?He happens to be my Son.
Good Luck!
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Hey Big Guy, I'm a crusty, dusty, old school, WAYYYYY non-politically correct, grouchy, unhappily Retired Platoon Sergeant. I'm going to give you a very poignant suggestion I hope you will take to heart. Oh, by the way, I don't sugar coat anything and in the event I hurt your feelings.....Suck It Up, Buttercup! Because I don't care if your feelings are hurt or that big ego you might be carrying around as you're a Commissioned Officer.
Here's a reality check Mr.MSIV: I could care less if you're a member of Mensa, have a Bachelor's in Under Water Basket Weaving, have a PhD from MIT or recited Shakespeare for the Queen at Oxford. Get it thru your head that you know nothing about being Leader. You wrote of being a "PL", huh? News Flash.....Platoon Leader is a position that is EARNED. When you arrive at your first assignment, you will be "LT". I implore you to become the most prolific "Question Askerer" my Beloved Army has ever seen. Your Platoon Sergeant will Teach, Coach and Mentor you more likely than not using Crawl, Walk, Run or the I Do It, We Do It, You Do It.
You only engage Soldiers when your Platoon Daddy tells it's alright. He will show you SOPs for everything up to and including your packing list, ie: what to pack, when to pack and how to pack.
Fancy yourself an unblemished slate who awaits a scribe to dispense all the worldly knowledge upon you.
Be prepared for your Commander to give you a shit-ton of tasks to accomplish with seemingly unrealistic suspense dates. You are going to be stressed. You are going to be frustrated. If you seek out your Commander and share the aforementioned states of mind, he will crush your Soul. This is where an modicum of humility will come in quite handy as a humble man has the capacity to reach out and ask for assistance. Whereas the egotistical, cocky, arrogant individual will find himself lonely and alone in the sea of dispair. This is where I would let those types of LTs literally flounder until they realized that experience is invaluable. My thoughts always went, when this inevitable event would take place, to this saying I learned from my very first First Sergeant, "Ya know kid, the biggest misconception in the world is people think just because you're educated doesn't make you smart!"
If you don't know or are unsure of what you're doing, Don't Guess! Guessing will get someone hurt or dead, be it in training or combat. If ask the question, some old, grouchy bastard, similar to me, will be more than happy to disseminate said information to you. For if that knowledge is not passed down and inherited, it dies a sad, miserable, lonely death. The knowledge is sad, miserable and lonely, not because it's dying, but because it no longer can assist and be useful to anyone ever again.
Last, however, not at all the least, I shall offer you the final bit of my sage suggestions. This should provoke a visualization as I posted it below my signature block on ALL my official paperwork, emails and documents:
IF YOU'RE NOT THE LEAD DOG,
THE VIEW IS ALWAYS THE SAME!
Here's a reality check Mr.MSIV: I could care less if you're a member of Mensa, have a Bachelor's in Under Water Basket Weaving, have a PhD from MIT or recited Shakespeare for the Queen at Oxford. Get it thru your head that you know nothing about being Leader. You wrote of being a "PL", huh? News Flash.....Platoon Leader is a position that is EARNED. When you arrive at your first assignment, you will be "LT". I implore you to become the most prolific "Question Askerer" my Beloved Army has ever seen. Your Platoon Sergeant will Teach, Coach and Mentor you more likely than not using Crawl, Walk, Run or the I Do It, We Do It, You Do It.
You only engage Soldiers when your Platoon Daddy tells it's alright. He will show you SOPs for everything up to and including your packing list, ie: what to pack, when to pack and how to pack.
Fancy yourself an unblemished slate who awaits a scribe to dispense all the worldly knowledge upon you.
Be prepared for your Commander to give you a shit-ton of tasks to accomplish with seemingly unrealistic suspense dates. You are going to be stressed. You are going to be frustrated. If you seek out your Commander and share the aforementioned states of mind, he will crush your Soul. This is where an modicum of humility will come in quite handy as a humble man has the capacity to reach out and ask for assistance. Whereas the egotistical, cocky, arrogant individual will find himself lonely and alone in the sea of dispair. This is where I would let those types of LTs literally flounder until they realized that experience is invaluable. My thoughts always went, when this inevitable event would take place, to this saying I learned from my very first First Sergeant, "Ya know kid, the biggest misconception in the world is people think just because you're educated doesn't make you smart!"
If you don't know or are unsure of what you're doing, Don't Guess! Guessing will get someone hurt or dead, be it in training or combat. If ask the question, some old, grouchy bastard, similar to me, will be more than happy to disseminate said information to you. For if that knowledge is not passed down and inherited, it dies a sad, miserable, lonely death. The knowledge is sad, miserable and lonely, not because it's dying, but because it no longer can assist and be useful to anyone ever again.
Last, however, not at all the least, I shall offer you the final bit of my sage suggestions. This should provoke a visualization as I posted it below my signature block on ALL my official paperwork, emails and documents:
IF YOU'RE NOT THE LEAD DOG,
THE VIEW IS ALWAYS THE SAME!
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1SG Christopher Rocha, Copy, RLTW! I knew a fellow from
1 Ranger Bn, he was captured at Cisterna, when I mentioned reading a Ranger book, Ray O'Dell asked, "Who wrote it?". I said, "a LT Alteri", O'Dell said, "Jimmy!".
1 Ranger Bn, he was captured at Cisterna, when I mentioned reading a Ranger book, Ray O'Dell asked, "Who wrote it?". I said, "a LT Alteri", O'Dell said, "Jimmy!".
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