How do you develop Command Presence?

2020-07-11T18:25:12-04:00

As a young NCO this is something that I've struggled with.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Jul 11 at 2020 6:50 PM

2020-07-11T18:50:39-04:00

We have all struggled with command presence in the beginning, the best advice I have is be knowledgeable about your job, never be afraid to admit you don't know something but learn it quickly, know your troops, seek out good leaders and learn from them as they do their jobs and create your own style. Take it slow and don't yell about everything or you will appear a caricature rather than a leader. It will come to you don't force it and one day you will not notice your effort and the troops will have a great leader.

Response by 1SG Brian Adams made Jul 11 at 2020 6:53 PM

2020-07-11T18:53:03-04:00

Be, know, do...lead by example..

Response by SGT Justin Brothen made Jul 11 at 2020 6:54 PM

2020-07-11T18:54:54-04:00

Delegate, your the Sgt. Do what is most beneficial to your team, motor pool Monday knock out your pmcs have your guys do portions. Rotate them so they know it all, when it comes to the signatures that's your realm. If your guys preformed to your standard send them on a early lunch. Then you go get the signatures, it's good leadership and will reflect in the opinions of your soldiers.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jul 11 at 2020 7:31 PM

2020-07-11T19:31:51-04:00

Command presence is one of those intangible and fickle things. I was told I had it on occasion, but I never saw it as a specific item to work on. Over time I started to recognize the causes vs. the perception of command presence and what I was doing to encourage it, albeit subconsciously. Never too early start on that path. The key stuff involves visibly caring for your people and the mission. Getting things done while making your people better. Being recognized as pushing the command along vs. going along for the ride. Think that's all? Add a dose of helping your peers (competitors) be better. Getting recognized as a player outside your squad/platoon goes a long way. Never equate humility with ineffectiveness. Most people will do their jobs better than you can. Encourage that and honor that later on. If you're recognized as someone who can get things done with some style points, your name will float around in larger circles. If you're fortunate enough to pick up more stripes, more will be expected of you. Always demonstrate the promotion was the best damn decision made that year. Expand your knowledge base about 3 times larger in diameter than you need to do your job. That way you'll see where things interface, where things can go wrong, and what you can do to improve it. Becoming a valued commodity doesn't hurt. Never be the weak link where everything stops if your expert halo goes dim. Rather be imminently expendable because you brought your people along to do fine without you. You see, when you become skilled in these things, and more, the intangible and fickle things tend to fall into place.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 11 at 2020 8:50 PM

2020-07-11T20:50:38-04:00

Be fair. Be honest. Learn to counsel. Do your best to make everyone around you successful.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 11 at 2020 9:00 PM

2020-07-11T21:00:52-04:00

The when in charge be in charge phrase comes to mind. Hopefully you have a SL (if you aren't already one), PSG, and 1SG that mentors and develop you as a NCO. But know that you are a NCO and you work your ass off to be the best leader you can. Trust your gut, maintain your integrity, and take care of your troops. They'll differenciate you from a soldier with stripes and a leader they'd follow into hell and back

Response by Sgt Jordan Foster made Jul 11 at 2020 10:38 PM

2020-07-11T22:38:44-04:00

Network Network Network! Take on company billets nobody wants and run with it. In my unit the color SGT was leaving me being a young Cpl saw this as an opportunity I asked him to train me, he left and I was the first CPL color Sgt they had. Now idk your command situation but be versatile knowing your job is one thing. But being the all around go to is another.

Response by CSM Tom Satterly made Jul 12 at 2020 9:11 AM

2020-07-12T09:11:25-04:00

Know what you are doing on your job and treat people with respect. They will appreciate that and treat you with the same. Command presence isn’t something you get with rank, you gain it with respect.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 12 at 2020 9:31 AM

2020-07-12T09:31:33-04:00

As a Team Leader you are not a supervisory leader, you are a direct leader. You do the taskings with them. Don't be their buddy, but know them and understand them enough to change how you interact with them and take care of them. Be competent and confident. When making decisions, make the best decision you can with the information available. Don't change your decision unless new information or situation warrants it.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 12 at 2020 10:50 AM

2020-07-12T10:50:56-04:00

Fortune favors the bold.
Do not be afraid to try something new or shake things up.
EVERY Soldier I know hates corporate leadership.

Response by CSM Eric Biggs made Jul 12 at 2020 12:38 PM

2020-07-12T12:38:13-04:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member, you have received good advice and comments from many on this thread already. I wanted to reiterate a few things and add a little more.
Some have mentioned Be, Know, Do. But what does that mean? It means a few things to me.
Be the best Soldier you can, Be the best at your job at all levels E-1 to your current rank whatever that may be. Be the leader you would march into hell and kick the Devils ass for.
Know your job and that of your subordinates. Anticipate their questions so you can know the answers. Know your Soldiers individually as a person, know their goals, aspersions, fears, etc. Know their family, what is their spouses name, kids, when birthdays and anniversaries are, put those in your leaders book and when possible give them time off, or get them out early. Know your bosses job, be prepared to take over for them at a moment’s notice.
Do for your subordinates what you want your leadership to do for you. Do the hard and dirty work with your Soldiers. Do the really shitty work sometimes so they don’t have to, but make sure they know you are doing it. When they really respect you as their leader, they will do the shitty work for you and not allow you to do it for them. Do be the shit umbrella, keep all the dumb shit from higher from landing on them. Do protect them from other (leaders), always being on the bad details. Do push back on their behalf. Do praise in public and write awards. Do punish and ridicule in private, turn all of those moments into a learning opportunity for them.
It’s a lot of things, but they all are actually kinda easy to do with a little practice. Sometimes you need to say because I said so! While you are doing all the above, your command presence will grow. Your subordinates will do what you say because you have command presence and they respect you!

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jul 12 at 2020 6:42 PM

2020-07-12T18:42:40-04:00

The first thing to understand is that "Command Presence" is the opinion that the observer has of the Commander AND the level of confidence that he or she has in themselves.
This is most importantly built by you being the most Professional and Competent NCO that you can be. You need to be both technically and tactically proficient, Fair and evenhanded in dealing with subordinates and you need to embody the Be-Know-Do attributes of a leader.

When you have made the reputation in your unit as an Honest, Professional, Fair, Unbiased, Technically Knowledgeable, Tactically Proficient Leader that knows his men as well as he knows himself, that "Command Presence" will accompany you wherever you go.
Reputation is a tricky thing, you can work an entire career to develop an outstanding one, and you can shred it in a 30 second lapse of judgement. Once damaged, it will be hard for you to recover.

Response by 1SG Joseph Dartey made Jul 12 at 2020 8:54 PM

2020-07-12T20:54:38-04:00

As 1SG Dennis Hicks said, we all have struggled with command presence. The one thing I did when assigned to a new company as a 1SG was get all the soldier together in the post theater, tell them who I was, what I was about and what I expected from each of them. Then I held a question and answer period. I releases all the lower enlisted, keeping the Junior and Senior NCOs. I would tell them that I would hold them to a much higher standard and I would hold another question and answer period. I would release all the Junior NCOs, keeping the Senior NCOs. I would tell them that I would hold them to a much much higher standard and that I was a no nonsense 1SG and that I would smoke them like a bad cigar if one of OUR soldiers were mistreated. I would regularly visit the maintenance shops and sometimes even turn wrenches with the soldiers and if I had soldiers that had to work on a piece of equipment after the normal duty hour, I would be present. My presence was regularly seen in the barracks, even on the weekends, asking soldiers if there was anything I could do for them. The end result was I was admired and respected.

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Jul 13 at 2020 2:16 PM

2020-07-13T14:16:44-04:00

1. Ensure your troops have a clear, complete understanding of your expectations.
2.Ensure you have a clear, complete understanding of your chain of command's expectations.
3. Hold yourself and your troops accountable to the standards.
4. Even when you disagree with your bosses' decisions, you have to own every order you issue. Never start an order with "The idiot Platoon Commander said we have to...". Unless it is an unlawful order, your job is to get it done whether you agree or not. Complaining about your boss to your troops sets a bad tone.
5. Raising your voice should be done as a last resort. Use it sparingly. It should be shocking for them to hear you do it. It will carry much more weight that way.
6. Your guys will make mistakes. Don't overreact. They are young and inexperienced. Treat mistakes as an opportunity to train them better.
7. Keep your next level supervisor up to speed on issues, but try to always have a proposed solution before you tell them about any problems.

Bearing, knowledge, and temperament are key. Keep in mind Command Presence goes two ways: how you are perceived by those you lead and by those leading you.
Good luck.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2020 2:36 AM

2020-08-17T02:36:06-04:00

Command Presence is overrated attribute in my opinion. I believe that as you gain rank and trust, with that knowledge in your field and control over all the implied tasks along with it you will become the leader you aspire to be. Be yourself and true to yourself and strengthen your weak areas everything will follow. Compare yourself only to yourself in that you can only do and be you. Seek out multiple mentors and learn from their experiences. But in the end be yourself and honest to subordinates, peers and leaders and you will develop a presence that extends beyond the Command. Sometimes that means forging your own path and sometimes it means allowing others to lead and following the path they are leading you down. Avoid burying your head all the time, you have to climb a tree and see the horizon if for nothing else to check your azimuth. A lot of leadership qualities are learned failures until you are owning your duties. Another great way to test yourself is to be uncomfortable and face your fears by challenging yourself with new positions or responsibilities.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Aug 17 at 2020 8:09 AM

2020-08-17T08:09:09-04:00

If you are wondering who is in charge, look around and make sure it’s not you. If you see something wrong, don’t just walk by it. Everything else will develop. It’s not about bluster, swagger, a Clint Eastwood voice, or over the top leadership. Routine things, routinely.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2020 1:08 AM

2020-08-19T01:08:23-04:00

When I was enlisted and crossed my arms over my rank I was mistaken as an officer.

When in Basic and standing in line for some administrative task I was mistaken as prior service.

In public while out of uniform and just jogging I’ve been mistaken as a Marine.

I was first saluted by a SGM when I was a SPC.

While my age contributed to these experiences it doesn’t explain everything. I only stand 5ft 4in at 155lbs

I can definitively tell you the foundation of that was engrained in my years marching in a world class Drum and Bugle Corps (Santa Clara Vanguard). Every minute aspect of our body position was micro managed for uniformity and restrained intensity.

It starts with the shoulders and back straight and chin slightly above parallel.

Be the Zebra the Lion decides to skip and move onto easier prey.

Oh yea, know what you are doing, don't discount the knowledge base around you, and commit to the action you decided without second guessing yourself (at least don't let others know you aren't sure).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2020 11:34 AM

2020-08-19T11:34:28-04:00

I've also noticed something of successful people, and I wish I noticed it for myself sooner in life.
They are OK with being in the unknown, and just go with it. Speak up if something is going down a path you don't like, because if you don't chances are no one else is going to fix it, and then you are stuck with the situation.

The majority of folks don't say anything out of politeness and try to avoid being confrontational. Where I noticed it was bullies thrive on that atmosphere, and folks allow themselves to be conned and controlled by the aggressive personality.

Bullies do this, but they do it for their own self interests. However, when not manipulated for one's self interest it's magically "leadership". Stand behind your opinions, back them up, and don't let the silence around you in the presence of a bulllshitter be confused with agreement by those being silent.