If a Soldier fails to reach their potential, can you blame their leadership?

I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard some senior oversimplify these situations and place blame solely on the leader. However, it is a shared responsibility: (1) The individual is expected to be personally accountable for their own development and performance; (2) Leaders are expected to set expectations, provide guidance, and offer mentorship. Even when these are on track, unit culture and cohesion can play a big role (those people on the left and right of the trooper role-modeling in presence and word what 'right' looks like).

Have you heard the old adage, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink"?

Leaders have an onus to effectively mentor and direct those they are responsible for. They should both look "whole picture" and individually to see what guidance is needed most. Even then, if a particular individual lacks the requisite self-motivation and initiative, there is only so much a leader can do to see that individual rise to the top. Some people are content to live in "mediocrity".

Yes.... and no.
IMHO, we are not real great at evaluating potential. So if a Soldier fails to achieve, before we start looking at leadership failure, we first have to really TRULY look at potential. One of my favorite quips is think about how DUMB the average person is. Now realize half the people are even dumber than that.

Beyond potential is motivation. Yes, motivation is part and parcel of leadership. But external motivation will never be as potent as internal motivation. Hopefully, as leaders, we can find a way to tap that Soldier's internal motivation. But if the Soldier refuses to motivate, external motivation can only go so far.

So, yes. It is 100% the responsibility of not just first-line leaders, but also second-line leaders, who should be identifying and correcting first-line failures, to teach, coach, mentor, and motivate Soldier's to achieve their greatest potential. Not only that, they should be actively working to raise the bar on that potential and expand to new and greater capabilities.

But there are always limits to what lies within the realm of possibility.

I have literally crossed the threshold in my life I am executing far below my potential. Won't explain it, it doesn't matter.

There is the Army Standard, and then there is Special Forces Standard.

On the one hand I have had soldiers drag down my readiness metrics for the most mundane stuff, and then have had a future soldier show up to battel assembly and literally be the first one through the finish line during the 2 mile run (my thought was, dude what are you doing here as a PV1 Reservist future solider, then poof he was gone to BCT/AIT, and then next time I saw him on my UMR he was classified as a Cadet, OH NOW I GET IT, I knew this kid had his crap together).

****************
My threshold is meet the standard, and how can I help them meet that standard. There are many standards. One to enlist, one to stay enlisted, one to promote, one to become a WO or O, ect.....

I say this over and over, any 25yo PV1 standing in formation has the pathway open to them to make it to full COL. They have to want it. If all they aspire to is to be a perpetual SPC then there is nothing wrong with that either.

In fact............. I had one soldier struggling to not get kicked out because of APFT flag, but he had SIX service stripes on his ASU as a SPC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His goal was to make 20 and be done, but he needed one more enlistment and was prevented from doing so because I had flagged him for APFT failure. He managed to get unflagged, that retirement check was the motivator.

We can't force motivation. I suppose a great leader can find everyone's motivator and work with it.

Leadership should provide opportunities for their employees (military and civilian) to improve and advance themselves. These opportunities need to be presented clearly and honestly. Line supervisors should present these opportunities to the employees they supervise. Also, more directly to individuals who have demonstrated the potential to benefit from the opportunity and have a chance to succeed.

The individual is responsible for seizing opportunities they believe will improve their life in some way by helping them reach their lgoals. But what if their goals are to do the minimum amount of work necessary to complete their assignment with no negative repercussions? Then you can offer the opportunity to be motivated to do more and better, but if they won't take it then offer the opportunity elsewhere.

Training opportunities are an example of this situation. A Commander might be notified of training opportunities leading to a valuable certification, academic advancement, promotion, or a special duty assignment. The Commander should pass these opportunities down the chain of command with instructions to make sure the line Soldiers see them along with instructions on how to apply within the unit. In addition to general announcements, the NCOs may choose to offer the training opportunity directly and personally to Soldiers they know could succeed.

Sometimes unit NCOs are told to "pick two" to fill a training quota. In this case they often must take to most available and qualified. Not always the best person to send, but almost an inevitability.

There is a shared responsibility.. The SM must put in the work, leaders provide the opportunity, training, motivation, and when needed find what THAT individual SM needs to get to the next level...
If the SM does all that on their own as much as they can, leaders just support, and guide.

Thats the positive approach...leaders also must recognize those who are unwilling or unable to put in the work,,,,,,for those leaders should be positively working to separate unwilling or unable or unwilling and unable

Honestly it depends on the context and of the specific details of the issue at hand. I have seen it both ways. If someone fragrantly breaks the rules and policies in place they have to take responsibility of their actions and decisions. I was at a unit once where a Marine was on restriction and confinement to the barracks for DUI. He convinced the Duty NCO to let him get in his car and run to the 7 day store on base. Instead the Marine drove off base. Went directly to a liquor store and proceeded to consume copious amounts of alcohol. He was picked up by MPs when he came back onto base and charged with a second DUI while still on restriction for his first one. I'm all for responsible leadership but this kid made his choices.

But on the other side I witnessed a failure of leadership when a Marine who was clearly depressed and struggling with his mental health wasn't given the proper consideration by his SNCO's. He was attached to an S4 section that at that time had 3 different E7s and assorted NCO's who did little to help this Marine. His peers kept mentioning something was up. Anyone in the barracks knew the guy was struggling. I knew the young Marine only in passing and I made comments to his leaders to keep an eye on him because he seemed down. I didn't know what his regular demeanor was but he definitely seemed a little blue. Cut to a few months later and the guy goes on a date with one of my female Marines. He wanted to continue the relationship and my Marine said no thank you. The guy couldn't take one more rejection and he snapped. He was an armorer and at close of business the next day he made a cryptic facebook post and left the armory with several weapons to include a couple M-4's. It was all discovered the next morning and the Unit goes into lockdown. I have my shop travel in threes just in case for safety when it was announced several firearms were unaccounted for. This was only a few years after the Fort Hood shooting and I feared the worst. His body was discovered by local authorities in La Jolla in the late afternoon. He shot himself in his car and people just thought he was a guy sleeping in his car until he started to show signs of death. This incident is clearly on the shoulders of the leadership. This was a young Marine who everyone could see was struggling but the leadership didn't act on it.

1LT (Join to see) In the military and civilian world, good leaders will mentor their charges.

The troop is handed the tool's for the job but time's it is up to the person on the left an right that has been doing job longer to help them fine the way. The senior makes time for training so you can put that in your toolbox to have when you need it not up to them if the individual (s) are just missing to out of doing there job I say put them in the miss hall sometime.

Lt, ever hear the old adage- "You can take a horse to water, but you can't make them drink!" Some folks are either too damn lazy or lack the work ethic to try to climb higher.