How do you deal with toxic leadership in your unit?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:07:50 -0400

Our current 1SG, who is a SFC, started out as a great leader and role model when he first took responsibility, but over the course of the last few months he has become the most toxic leader I have met thus far in my career. I understand that he is serving in a position that comes with a great deal of stress and that alone can take a toll on anyone, but it is just getting out of hand. It's to the point now that if you so much as try to bring up a method or opinion that isn't exactly in line with his, you get punished. For instance, one of the best squad leaders we have in the company simply disagreed with the method in which a training event was being handled, and brought it up in a totally respectful manner, and now he is no longer a squad leader. On top of that, the 1SG completely disrespected him in front of the entire company, junior enlisted, NCOs, basically everyone, and was screaming in his face and calling names even. This isn't the first instance of something like this happening with him, and probably won't be the last. It has dragged morale down to an all time low in the company, and made it nearly impossible for leaders to do what they do best, mentor and train Soldiers in innovative ways using the knowledge that they've gained from their experiences. We're just not sure how to handle the situation without sounding like we're just complaining. It's a serious issue, and needs to addressed, but no one wants to put their career on the line. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and I'm not trying to put the man down but things have to change for the good of the unit and the Soldiers in it.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 11:58 AM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:58:15 -0400

Toxic leadership seems to be the new buzz word. I would ensure that you and your subordinates do their jobs to the best of their ability and stay out of the line of fire. The Plt Sgts should be corrected in private, but are they in the wrong? You do not speak of how the unit is doing, you only blame the leader.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Sep 30 at 2015 12:13 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:13:03 -0400

Does the Army have "Company Gunnys?" In the USMC we have the CO, XO, 1st Sgt, and Co GySgt.

Ignoring the "Toxic Leadership" aspect for just a second. Let's focus instead on the "Stress of Command" aspect instead.

Has anyone (perhaps a peer like another E7, hence my question about Co Gunny) approached him and just said "Everything okay? Anything we can get off your plate? You seem stressed."

As 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member we may be focusing too much on the leader, and not enough on the unit. That said... think "symptom" not "cause." So aim for "Cause" and correct that. What's causing the blowups?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 12:13 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:13:17 -0400

You have several options. First and foremost observe the COC. Have your PLSGT speak with the PL. Then have the the PL go see the CDR.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 12:18 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:18:50 -0400

Wait until you get into a really bad firefight, and then frag them!!! (Just a little Wednesday morning sick humor.)

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 30 at 2015 12:28 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:28:13 -0400

Time for a heart to heart with him. If that doesn't work talk to the chain of command

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 1:07 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:07:10 -0400

I would wager all the tea in China that there is a outside stressor on your 1SG that is causing this. Could be at home, could be on the job. There is a lot of admin BS that sucks out a First Sergeant's life force. Good leaders don't morph into a$$holes overnight for no reason.

My advice: see if there is any openness to taking a few things off his plate, or maybe a pass or short leave. Many times 1SGs don't sleep enough. The effect is cumulative. Other times we get so caught up in Soldiers issues and minutae that we neglect ourselves.
I don't know what your relationship looks like, but it sounds to me he needs to get some rest.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 2:07 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:07:37 -0400

SSG Sean Barlow, I would recommend that you speak to him outside of work if you have that kind of relationship. If not then do you personally know any of his peers? Sometimes when we hear it from subordinates it does not go over as well as when we hear it from our peers. Or, perhaps from someone senior to him (that he and you both know well) who could use this as a mentoring opportunity. For example, I had two Sergeant First Classes pull me aside one-time while I was deployed in 2004 and give me a counseling when I was still a Squad leader (Staff Sergeant (P)), but both of these NCO’s I respected greatly and even though I did not agree with my squad going around me to complain or necessarily everything that was said. If they had not I would not have gotten the message. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Even to this day I am often reminded of the events that led up to that counseling and the knowledge I gained from listening to my fellow NCOs.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Sep 30 at 2015 2:13 PM

SSG Warren Swan — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:13:29 -0400

Staff, I feel for you and your Soldiers, but what happened to either the NCO Support Channel working this or the open door policy with either the 1SG, CDR, or BN/BDE CSM's? Has this been tried, and if so what were the results? Not taking sides, but also have you or anyone else detected or sensed that the 1SG could be facing stressors from above or to the side, and needs some one on one NCO time? Nothing violent or unprofessional but maybe the Ops NCOIC or the senior PLT SGT talking to him away from the unit after hours? He can't vent down, but y'all can vent UP in a way that lets him know that maybe y'all as a group sense something's not quite right without questioning him as a leader or a man.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Sep 30 at 2015 3:21 PM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:21:35 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member - Depending on what type of personal relationship you have (or had) with the 1SG, will dictate how you may want to proceed. If he is/was a friend/confidant of yours before assuming his current position, you might try to approach him on a personal level and tell him what you have noticed. If that is not feasible, I think the best way to handle it is to have a discussion with your Platoon Leader (assuming you are the Platoon Sergeant) or Platoon Sergeant and/or Platoon Leader, if you are a Squad Leader, and ask that he bring it to he Company Commander's attention. If the commander does nothing about it, the next step would be to bring it to the attention of the BN CSM/Cdr.

It is not easy or pleasant and I agree with another person's assessment that it sound like some outside issue is impacting the 1SG, but such a situation cannot be allowed to continue.

Regardless of what route you or others decide to take in an effort to resolve the issue, you need to ensure that you continue to perform your duties to the best of your abilities. In that way, your credibility leaves no room for question.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 5:40 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:40:41 -0400

Sounds like its time for an IG complaint to me. Or another route...

Was on a deployment with a female first sgt who treated all male enlisted like crap and a waste of her time. If you were a female, or an officer, you were set. But male enlisted wasn't worth her time. I wont get into exact details, but can say she did not try to hide it at all, and everyone (including the commander) was aware of it.

Upon return from the deployment, things had not changed. Then all of a sudden one day she was gone. We found out during a CC call that over 1/2 of the unit had either filed an IG complaint or gone to mental health about her. She lost her diamond and was removed from the unit.

I would suggest though that you make sure your complaints are valid before pursuing such things. I had an E9 that seemed like a total crap bag to me. Everyone in the unit was always complaining about him. All I knew about him was what I heard and an impression given from 1 CC call he spoke at. I took advantage of his open door policy, and went in to have a talk with him about it. Turns out most of the things I had heard were made up, and the stuff that was not, he had valid justification for. He was happy that I had come to speak with him because he was unaware of how the members in the unit viewed him, and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. Things changed, for the better, almost immediately.

I am not saying this is the right way to go about it, and I was not one of the ones to make file a complaint, though I had thought about it not knowing others in the unit already had.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 10:16 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 22:16:36 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member Sounds like it's time for an NCO intervention meeting. Is your commander paying attention?

Response by SSG Greg Miech made Feb 9 at 2021 11:01 PM

SSG Greg Miech — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 23:01:22 -0500

Need to have a talk with the CSM to discuss it with the 1SG. For the 1SG may have ideas of how to run things efficiently and such but things are nor working out well. The clerk and Training NCO should of helped. I am sure the 1SG wants to be that professional again but when there are DUIs and other failures it comes down to the 1SG and getting hit like this he will take it personally.