Posted on Jan 5, 2014

Over a career, we hear from Leaders their Golden Rules or Guides of Leadership or Top 3 _______. What are yours?

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For example, I've had many a Sergeant Major or Colonel give a speech and list their Three Rules of Army Life that they've learned over their career.  It's gotten me thinking now that I'm halfway through my career, what are mine?<br><br>So far:<br><br>  >  Ask BEFORE you pounce.   As NCOs, we so often jump on a Soldier before learning the facts.  Very often, there's extenuating circumstances.<br>  >  Believe in the good of the people.  Learned this in my civilian career.  People are inherently good, meaning that the Soldier is likely not trying to get over, but more likely just screwed up.<br>  >  Know the rules of the game you're playing.  My Soldiers have heard this OFTEN.  There are hundreds of regulations, and you can't know them ALL, BUT there's no reason not to know the ones that apply to what you're doing at the moment.  If you're taking an APFT, know the rules about the APFT.  Facing overweight? Learn AR 600-9.  Curious about your NCOER?  Read the regulation AND the DA PAM.  Because for damn sure, the ones above you have.  As I am fond of saying, if you're playing Monopoly, you want to know when the banker is cheating, so why is your career any different?<br><br>So, what are your three nuggets of knowledge?

Posted in these groups: Knowledge management

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Posted 12 y ago

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Responses: 17

Col (Join to see)

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

SSG Stanley, excellent question, here's the three rules that I've learned thus far 1) first, a take-off of the phrase popularized by President Reagan, "Trust your folks, just ensure that you verify the results." As a leader you are ultimately responsible, 2) next, tell your people 'what' result you're looking for, and leave it up to them on 'how' to accomplish it. The only caveat being if you get the ol' "deer caught in the headlights" look when sharing the 'what,' you may have to offer some recommendations from your own experience, or potentially pair them with someone to help the project along. Also, refer to rule one to ensure positive results overall... and finally, 3) "share the successes" (with your folks, give them the credit for their hard work and celebrate their success(es) both individually and as a team), "take responsibility for failures" (as they're a necessary component for success, and a responsible leader absorbs the impact of any failures that happen along the way), and "enjoy the ride" (remain in the moment and enjoy what you do, as you will very likely recall these later as among the best years of your life)! Again, great question, I hope that these are helpful and that you get a lot of feedback on this thread... wishing you all the best and continued success in the New Year! V/r Maj B

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

MAJ Burns:

Respectfully, the sacred bond of trust and the belief in yourself, your team, your unit and your superiors moves doubt, creates cohesion and provides the next generation the ability to grow beyond the limit of man made boundaries.

I concur the importance to keep up and down the chain informed and to provide them with insight to ensure that they are not blinded.

I learned that as a junior enlisted, I would always provide my leadership with heads up. To this day I inform my leadership if I overstepped my boundaries or if I need to mend a fence.

Transparency is the key to building sacred bonds of trust.

Happy New Year

V/R

CH (CPT) Davis

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SSG Robert Burns

12 y

CPT Davis I have a question about your last line there. And I'm only asking because Im curious of your response, not because I'm challenging it.

If transparency is the key to building trust, what is the value of trust that is built on transparency? When I think about the word trust, transparency doesn't come to mind. That would be more like proof to me.

I think trust and faith are synonymous. And if faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1) how can you equate that with transparency? Just a thought.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

SSG Burns:

Respectfully, here it goes you are absolutely correct you need to trust and have faith when going through trials and tribulations. When I was a SSG I had to have faith that when I crossed over to Warrant after being enlisted for twenty two years I would be able to endure the transition.

When I went from CW2 to 2LT Candidate to be able to be a Chaplain Candidate I was hitting a wall. It wasn't until I was vulnerable and willing to share my personal shortcomings and struggles with others was when I experienced growth which is transparency.

I was reading "Patton's Mind" and General Patton was 55 years old when he was a COL. He struggled with fulfilling his purpose.

When I went through my internship as a Chaplain Resident in order to be a Hospital Chaplain I had to endure a year of group therapy. That is when I realized the importance of hearing others and receiving their input.

I had to bring my defensive walls down and to build a sacred bond of trust I had to allow others to see me.

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CW2 (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

1) Keep a cookie jar/piggy bank. Give to your subordinates by "depositing" into the bank by helping them (giving them family time, taking care of a financial issues, etc). Withdraw from the bank when you need to hit them up for things (keeping them late, etc). Never let the piggy bank go negative or to zero.

2) Treat everyone you work with from PVT to SMA to General the same - with respect, like a human. Everyone in the Army is an adult by the time they arrive at their first unit. Leaders need to quit demeaning their subordinates and kissing ass to superiors.

3) Know what you are talking about. Quit being the leader that says "this is the way we have already done it" or "I heard that...." - know the regulation, FM, ADP, etc and cite it. You don't have to memorize every book in the Army. But you need to know where to look and how to search on Google, and then be willing to spend the time to find it. Example - as an S2 NCOIC I told the troop 1SG and CDRs they couldn't store classified material in their two drawer safe with their arms room keys. It took me like a week to find the answer IN WRITING. Even though I KNEW the answer to be true, I didn't want to be THE GUY that just quoted air.

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CPT (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

1. Every choice you make must be made with reverence for the fact that there are people counting on you to make a good decision. The reason for your existence is to lead them and bring them home alive and nothing besides accomplishing the mission is more important than that.

2. Always be out front. If you have to split your platoon or company to do two missions at the same time, always go with the more difficult or more dangerous mission. Your Soldiers will know and they will respect you for it. If you don't always do this, they will know that, too, and they will lose respect for you.

3. (for officers) Trust your NCOs, but follow your gut. Don't feel chained to the notion that they drill into you in IBOLC or whatever branch school you went to that you must always listen to your platoon sergeant. Don't get me wrong: it is ESSENTIAL that you ask for input from your platoon sergeant and squad leaders because they will show you a different perspective and challenge your ideas. Sometimes, however, you really do know better, regardless of the rhetoric and the jokes that the lower enlisted Soldiers throw around. I used to be an NCO before I commissioned, so I feel qualified to say that even brand new officers know a lot more than most people think they do. Above all, you know right from wrong and always do what's right, even if your platoon sergeant and squad leaders are hounding you to do something else. It takes personal courage to not take their advice, but as long as your NCOs know beyond a doubt that you trust them and value their input, they will respect you.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

CPT Nunes:

Well said, it is important to hear input and learn from those that have served before you. However, when you are in charge, be in charge and stand on regulation.

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SCPO David Lockwood

Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

1.  Always take care of your Sailors.<br>2.  Never forget where you came from.<br>3.  Praise in public, reprimand in private.<br>4.  Listen to what all of your sailors have to say, never discount inputs from the most junior sailor.  They look at things in a different perspective.<br>5.  Get an education while you're in.  If not to help you make rank, to help you when you get out.<br>6.  Be the role model not the do what I say and not what I do guy.  Set the example for all to follow.<br>

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MCPO Stan Rogers

12 y

I couldn't have said it better. Kudos Senior!

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CSM Mike Maynard

Posted 12 y ago

Great question SSG Stanley............<div><br></div><div>This is by know means an exhaustive list and others have listed some great things that I follow as well.<br></div><div><br></div><div>1) Be a servant leader, truly care about those you work with and demonstrate it in everything you do, understand that your role is to make others successful</div><div><br></div><div>2) Improve your unit, your Soldiers and your self every day, preparation allows you to make the most of opportunities, there is no such as luck/fortune</div><div><br></div><div>3) You can do everything with a positive attitude better than you can with a negative attitude - you may not choose the situation, but you do choose how you respond</div><div><br></div>

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

CSM Maynard:

I concur, a servant's heart the ability to serve, and pouring your heart into others. I would not be the leader I am today if it wasn't for NCO's of your caliber.

My CSM's believed in me and pushed me and as you eloquently stated they choose to speak life into situations. They watched their words and ensured that they encouraged all that were around them.

Good post!

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

Posted 12 y ago

<p>Remember where you started from, take the time to mentor, and develop the next generation. Do not eat your future, provide them with grace and the ability to be heard.</p><p><br></p><p>Admit when your wrong and give credit where credit is due.</p><p><br></p><p>Remember it is not about you, the importance of taking the lessons learned from those that have served and down load into the next generation.</p>

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SSG Robert Burns

Posted 12 y ago

My top 3?

1. Have integrity, it takes care of everything.

2. Don't give away everything you know.

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SSG Alleria Stanley

12 y

I see what you did there.

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CMC Robert Young

Posted 12 y ago

Leadership is about service...to those below you; to those above you, and to your peers. We spend all of our lives trying to get to positions of responsibility, and once there it becomes our responsibility to care for those in our sphere of influence.

You must keep learning. Read. Ask questions. Seek other opinions/ideas. Rely on those around you to inform you and mold you because it is not possible in this lifetime to make all of the mistakes you will need to make in order to learn all that you need to know to be good at your job.

Remember where you came from because God is watching.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

Master Chief:

You are held accountable and for all those that are in authority you will be held at a higher standard!!

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

Alibi: When I say you, I mean all of us that are Leaders.

Respectfully

Master Chief

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LCpl Mark Lefler

Posted 12 y ago

1. Do as you say, being a hypocrite will cause distrust quickly, if a leader isn't trusted they will not get the best of those that work for them.

2. Its more important your subordinates respect you not fear you. When people follow a leader out of respect they will do nearly anything, when they follow out of fear, they will look for every way to under mind you.

3. Communication: communicating what a leader wants is paramount, just because they think it in their head does not mean they are expressing it correctly enough that what they are thinking is actually done.

I know its only 3 but i'm putting in a 4th

4.Trust: without trust for them or from them, there is nothing.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

LCPL Lefler:

Have you been reading General Patton?

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LCpl Mark Lefler

12 y

No, its just my personal experiences as a leader and as a follower.

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

General Patton had the same rules that he lived by!

SEMPER FI!

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SFC Michael Hasbun

Posted 12 y ago

I like every single one you mentioned... I'm stealing those..

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SSG Alleria Stanley

12 y

SSG Hasbun, steal away!
Do you have any?

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CH (CPT) Heather Davis

12 y

SSG Haburn:

As your Chaplain the word is acquired!

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CMC Robert Young

12 y

The Coast Guard term is "to re-appropriate".

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Over a career, we hear from Leaders their Golden Rules or Guides of Leadership or Top 3 _______. What are yours?

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