Mission, morale, and toxic leadership (Thoughts?)

Morale is a fairly nebulous thing to define, but at a macro level I focus on where the general group-think is. The formation understands that there is suck. Where you start to lose them is when the suck is contrived through either poor planning, time management, or willfully amping it up. The troops notice when you pay attention to things like fatigue level, organization of events, or a plan for hot chow. A little effort on the part of a leader goes a long way. Do these things, and your Hooahs will be answered in kind.

On a micro level, morale is more personal. Does the Soldier have the opportunity to acheive his goals? Are they being utilized effectively and in their roles? What does their personal life look like? This is more of a first line leader thing. When trouble occurs down in the individuals, morale becomes a threat to the organization one of two ways:
1. Their situation is perceived by the formation to have been poorly or unfairly treated by leadership. Respect is key here. Rules are rules, but their are often extenuating circumstances that when given a fair hearing will temper the outcome.
2. Agitators are left to fester without correction or being addressed, and they garner followers. Once there is a quorum, there will be more extreme actions committed (hazing, bullying, etc) until brought to heel. A group is much more dangerous to cohesion as it will polarize the formation into camps, if left alone long enough.

The cure is being engaged as a leader. Get dirty with them. Take the time to plan events thoroughly. Take the time to sit on the bleachers or on the lane with them and listen to what they have to say. Do this and there will be no surprises, and no one will accuse you of being toxic.

I'm still a young buck, I haven't hit my 4 year mark yet, but one thing I have learned is that every unit has it's own culture. Cultures change; improve and wane, but some units are simply better than others. In the Guard and I assume the Reserves, it's fairly easy to change units, so once a unit goes into decline (gets a bad command team, or whatever it may be) people start leaving. This leaves lower quality soldiers, who stay only because they know that with NCOs dropping like flies, they'll have the opportunity to get promoted. (I have seen this with my own two eyes. In fact I was asked to stay in said unit, with bait of promotion to SSG as soon as I was promotable.) This simply leads to a downward spiral, with soldiers who have a future leaving, and soldiers who wouldn't hack it in a decent unit staying put for promotion.

Such a unit also breeds undisciplined soldiers who view any real leader as toxic, because they're used to a "have it my way" Army. Add in to this brew NCOs who get transferred in, and try to fix it, and you get a pretty miserable situation.

The questions you need to address are these: 1. Are these "toxic" leaders simply trying to hold the standard and perform as soldiers while dragging undisciplined subordinates along by the collar? 2. Or, are they truly toxic, riding on the backs of their troops?

If it's the latter, move to a different unit, get out, reclass, do something, anything.

Forbes.com blog with Jonathan Haidt. Here is how the US Army defines toxic leadership:

Toxic leadership is a combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance.


Personally toxic leaders are looking out for themselves and are quick to point the finger at someone else when something goes wrong. They also are going to take ceedit for everything that is good. As a NCO or Leader in today's Army it is your Duty to be a voice. If you feel that morale or motivation is suffering provide a alternative. I have had to endure a toxic environment in my career and found that I could only control certain things 1) my thoughts 2) My Emotions and Reactions what I feel and what I do. If you are able to present a different Avenue of approach your Soldiers will notice, weigh and remember the positive attitude you chose to present.