Transitioning from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant is no joke.

SSG (Join to see) Brother, I feel where you are coming from! Like you, I continued to be the "hands on" NCO and I never really stopped being that way. My friend and mentor told me that I made it to where I was because of my abilities (leadership and technical abilities), but there is more to it now that you have been promoted. I learned just how right he was.....

Here's what I would tell you if you worked for me- keep doing the things that made you successful but make sure you are passing the experience down and leaving room for your troops to learn and make mistakes. Don't let your eagerness to continue being "hands on" get in the way of your responsibility to supervise, teach, and mentoring your troops. I had to learn that one the hard way and it sucked.

If you do all the work who will supervise your men an give them feedback on how to improve? Also you need to allow your team leaders to develop and have confidence in what they do this is done by being that communicator and teacher ( leadership development ).
Your going to make mistakes and want to take over as a SSG best thing todo is work and develop your team leaders and empower them. SSG RAMIREZ

During my 22 years of service I was sometimes called a terrible leader because I liked to get down in the trenches with my guys and get the job done. I never failed to do all of my other duties, but a lot of my leadership didn't like that I was so hands on with my troops. I often had to explain to the higher ups that if they would get off their high horse and get a little dirty now and again the troops would have more respect for them than they do now. I know that it is not the job of the SFC, MSG/1SG or even the SGM/CSM to be working along side of the troops, but if every once in a while they would the Soldiers that work for them will truly respect them and do just about anything for them.

Balance is the key though. Being in the trenches with the troops all the time detracts from your other duties. Make sure that you accomplish all your duties and for the most part your leadership will leave you alone. Make sure to learn the fine art of delegation. As a Staff Sergeant you have at least one Sergeant and probably a strong senior Specialist. Use them to your advantage. Give them tasks to accomplish and check up on their progress. I was given a very important piece of advice from a great friend and mentor. Train yourself out of a job. That way when you are absent you do not have to worry about things getting done the right way. Best of luck to you.

I wish I could answer that question for you battle but I also am having a problem with the same transition. It's tough going that many years used to getting your hands dirty and standing in the mud with them and taking pride and preaching that but then having to sit back more now. I still do the something it's all I know and if I am scrutinized for it then so be it. We are still soldiers and I don't look down upon anyone my guys know this. I haven't really haven't posted or responded on rally point in a while but when I saw this I had to respond. Best of luck in finding what fits best, I say go with your heart man.

Use it as a learning tool for your young E5s. Once you make SSG, you continue to progress in your own career and do not micromanage the subordinates. After you feel that you have molded your E5s to great leaders, this is when you take a step back and let them take charge. That's why they have team leaders. It's a system that in a perfect world should work. I had to learn to take a step back after I noticed how eager my young Sergeants were.

I found myself doing the same when I was promoted from SGT to Staff Sergeant. I was talked to a lot by higher ups and even Senior Enlisted NCO's not even in my company cause I still got my hands dirty so-to-speak!!! But I did was build a serious relationship with my Soldiers, a working relationship, one where they knew they could approach me along with their immediate leaders. Although I work with them, they knew my position and what the rank stood for. I demanded my respect and got it. Therefore transitioning into the Senior rank (SFC), I got my hands dirty less and it was easy for me.
I don't see where you are doing anything wrong SSG. Do what you do, gain the respect of your Soldiers and be the best.
SFC Marty K. Thompkins (Ret)

SFC Rooks and SSG Carter used a very important word...balance.

I'm not sure who told you that Staff in Staff Sergeant meant pogue manager, but that is not the case. Team Leader and Squad Leader are the two most important jobs in the Army...that's where the rubber meets the road. The difference between the two is that now you have 3-4 subordinate leaders that you must coach, mentor and supervise. That does not mean that you don't teach a class anymore, it doesn't mean that you no longer help put up the tent, etc. It means that you do more leading and you have more responsibilities (especially administrative). Now instead of having a couple of E4 evals to do, you have NCOERs to write AND ensure the E4 evals/counselings got done by your subordinates, etc.

The balance comes in where you decide the squad gets the most benefit. Are they better off doing a task while you attend to other matters, or is this the instance where an extra pair of hands makes the difference? You should have a balance of both as the mission/time dictates.

That's a hard question I myself struggled with this also. It's like teaching your kid to drive a car they have to do it and your SGT s need to lead. You are responsible to lead them young SGTs and since they are leaders you have to let them do that. What I've learned to do is to once in a while when I'm not busy is I'll work in with the Soldiers and let the SGT lead, because I don't mind working either. This.allows the Soldiers to see I am a member of the team and I can evaluate the SGT s leadership potential at the same time.

Who told you that? lol. As a young NCO I liked to do it all, but to be an effective leader your subordinates need to be able to do their job. They need to get their hands dirty and use some elbow grease. Don't be the NCO that tells you joes what to do while you sit in the back and smoke cigarettes BSing. You can work hand in hand with your troops but know your role is a mentor and supervisor.

I learned transitioning from SP4 to SP5 held problems I didn't expect. I can't imagine if I'd stayed in and made SP6. As E4 in my office, I was the one everyone came to and I ended up redoing their paperwork MUCH of the time. When I made E5, everything changed. I was one of them, but not. I had my job still, but had to instruct them, as in classes - and got SO little respect, because they knew I'd "fix it". Transferring out to Camp Casey was the best thing that happened to me. Work WITH your people, SSG, but do not work FOR them. As in "doing their stuff for them" instead of requiring they do their part.