Posted on Jul 4, 2020
What are some skills I should be learning/practicing in preparation to take over as an E5 squad leader?
14.4K
78
29
13
13
0
Besides the obvious basic Soldiering skills/Team leader tasks
Squad Leader
SGT
Company First Sergeant
Platoon Sergeant
Platoon Leader
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 23
2
2
0
Congratulations you have a new addition to the family.Get to know your team.Getting to know them and teaching them the skills they need to know is very important.Teach them and challenge them to qaulify expert and score the highest in PT.Most of all respect them the same has you want to be respected.Not all sqaud leaders do this but knowing them and doing things with them one on one when they need help means a lot to them.Dont constantly knock them for their faults.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Learn how to listen to the Soldiers who serve under you!!!!!!!!!! You may be the boss, you may be the guy with the strips and the guy who gets the higher pay check. But the day you forget that the 8 or 10 or 12 Soldiers who serve under you are human beings with human problems, human wants, human desires and who most likely are just as smart and just as knowledgeable about their jobs and ABOUT YOUR JOB as you are is the day you become an utter failure. So learn to listen and remember what they say and want to say. If you can learn this one lesson you will probably be a successful Squad Leader. And being a success is much more fun and much more self fulfilling than being a failure because you never learned how or tried to learn how to listen. Good luck because you asked the right question which means to me that you are already on the right road to success.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Counseling
Battle Drills from FM 7-8
Your Unit FSOP
Packing your Basic Load correctly
Correct Physical Fitness Training
How to build, Update and use a Leader's Smart Book
Battle Drills from FM 7-8
Your Unit FSOP
Packing your Basic Load correctly
Correct Physical Fitness Training
How to build, Update and use a Leader's Smart Book
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Technique -
1. How are you going to get 9 squad members to follow you and your orders. Another way of saying, “what type of leader do you want to be?”
2. Establishing interfaces (networking) with other squad leaders, Platoon Sergeant/Leader, and first sergeant.
3. What tasks/roles (platoon, company) are required of your position.
4. Predesignating who’s in charge in your absence.
5. There will be personnel conflicts internal to your squad and external to your squad. Start thinking of your resources and potential courses of action to resolve.
6. Understand what you should handle and what you should refer up the chain of command.
7. Specific act; ask your platoon sergeant (or first sergeant), “what are the top three issues you have with new squad leaders)”?
(That’s enough for now).
A lot of these can be accomplished by networking with other squad leaders and your chain of command.
Last, remember your are squad leader. You can’t do it all be yourself.
1. How are you going to get 9 squad members to follow you and your orders. Another way of saying, “what type of leader do you want to be?”
2. Establishing interfaces (networking) with other squad leaders, Platoon Sergeant/Leader, and first sergeant.
3. What tasks/roles (platoon, company) are required of your position.
4. Predesignating who’s in charge in your absence.
5. There will be personnel conflicts internal to your squad and external to your squad. Start thinking of your resources and potential courses of action to resolve.
6. Understand what you should handle and what you should refer up the chain of command.
7. Specific act; ask your platoon sergeant (or first sergeant), “what are the top three issues you have with new squad leaders)”?
(That’s enough for now).
A lot of these can be accomplished by networking with other squad leaders and your chain of command.
Last, remember your are squad leader. You can’t do it all be yourself.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
BLUF(bottom line upfront) get on the computer and start learning the office work involved in a platoon/section.
Start embracing and learning Microsoft Excel, Power Point and Word. There are many books and online tutorials to guide you through basic user functions.
The reason behind this; there is a tactical side of your job and an administration side of your job that usually suffers neglect. Learn how to build clean, efficient products for your team, squad and possibly platoon.
Dive into the EES, learn its functions and prepare your NCOER support form.
Start embracing and learning Microsoft Excel, Power Point and Word. There are many books and online tutorials to guide you through basic user functions.
The reason behind this; there is a tactical side of your job and an administration side of your job that usually suffers neglect. Learn how to build clean, efficient products for your team, squad and possibly platoon.
Dive into the EES, learn its functions and prepare your NCOER support form.
(2)
(0)
MAJ John Lavin
In 27 years I never once had to give a presentation using Power Point! If this is now a requirement for success in the US Military WE ARE IN BIG TIME TROUBLE, REALLY BIG TIME TROUBLE!! Excel might have been useful once or twice during those 27 years and Word could have been useful when I needed it but I found that Clerks and Admin Sgts were a useful substitute for not knowing how to indent a letter properly. As for having to spell stuff correctly, they still make books called “Dictionaries”, don’t they?
A good leader knows how to lead a bunch of Soldiers who have the same MOS you do. So learn how to lead and let the clerks and Admin Sgts learn how to use MS Office.
A good leader knows how to lead a bunch of Soldiers who have the same MOS you do. So learn how to lead and let the clerks and Admin Sgts learn how to use MS Office.
(1)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
Sir, I disagree. I challenge you to see that knowing only the tactical side of any MOS and leaving “the rest” up to clerks and admin sergeants is the wrong answer. Why not be as well rounded as possible ? Also the majority of products made; MDMP, TLPS all are done utilizing Microsoft office when not done analog. As an NCO I stand fast in recommending he tackle the administrative side of the section/platoon as much as possible. Learn 2 levels up right ? 2 levels up is a PSG. MAJ John Lavin
(1)
(0)
MAJ John Lavin
I wrote my post mostly as a very tongue in cheek reply. But you do present a real concern I’ve had for a long time. What is the role of a Soldier? A Soldier is a warrior who does what warriors do. Yes, most of a Soldier’s career is learning how to be a warrior in a garrison environment. I know that. And a lot of garrison life involves doing administrative things like writing reports and doing things that are better done using Excel than using the multiplication tables I learned how to use in the third grade. However, the job of a Soldier is to learn how to be a good warrior and how to do things warrior’s do so when the Soldier has to do his or her job for real he or she can do it the way a trained warrior is expected to do it. Soldiers are not office clerks because they are warriors first but in today’s US Military it seems that the warrior ethic is being replaced with an IPhone ethic that is anything but a warrior ethic. So I wonder what is more important in todays US Military. Teaching the warrior ethic the American way or using an IPhone to call in a drone to do the job and forgetting that when the shooting stops and the drones stop the Soldier is still there to clean up the mess and make the place live able again? I’m very afraid that the warrior ethic is becoming passé and IPhone warfare is the new norm. But IPhones don’t have any ethics, do they?
(1)
(0)
2
2
0
Oh and trust but verify.
And don’t micro manage, give your team leaders just enough rope to not fuck themselves so they can learn, but then mentor them as well. Leadership is putting you there for a reason pass that knowledge on
And don’t micro manage, give your team leaders just enough rope to not fuck themselves so they can learn, but then mentor them as well. Leadership is putting you there for a reason pass that knowledge on
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
1
1
0
So just thought of another one that I really don’t see much of since I came to the Army.
Ownership.
Own your dudes, own your choices, when leadership pushes something down, own it.
Ownership doesn’t just include owning yours or your dudes success, but also their failure. As a leader, what can you teach in order for them to learn and not make the same mistake? Do AARs but make it a conversation not just talking.
Be a mentor, don’t coddle your dudes but give them just enough rope not to hang themselves and then positive as well as constructive feedback.
Sorry I’m on con leave and I’m just thinking so forgive the rambles
Ownership.
Own your dudes, own your choices, when leadership pushes something down, own it.
Ownership doesn’t just include owning yours or your dudes success, but also their failure. As a leader, what can you teach in order for them to learn and not make the same mistake? Do AARs but make it a conversation not just talking.
Be a mentor, don’t coddle your dudes but give them just enough rope not to hang themselves and then positive as well as constructive feedback.
Sorry I’m on con leave and I’m just thinking so forgive the rambles
(1)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
Thanks a lot for your feedback SSG. I completely agree with having to own up to not only your mistakes but that of your subordinates as well. Have had many experiences of that in my short time as an NCO.
(2)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
It happens man, I was talking to one of my old Ops Officers from the Marines and it’s something I haven’t seen a lot of in the Army.
If you’ve got questions or anything feel free to shoot me a messageSSG (Join to see)
If you’ve got questions or anything feel free to shoot me a messageSSG (Join to see)
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
As SSG Baswell said, communication is key. Delegating tasks is also important as this shows that you trust your subordinates. Counseling is a big thing too. Avoid cookie cutter counseling. If you genuinely care for your Soldiers, you'll develop these skills naturally.
(1)
(0)
1
1
0
All of them.
You won’t know which ones you will need most.
Confidence, Candor, Compassion, and Mission accomplishment.
Be a bit old school, it work then and it will in the future.
HtH
Tim McCoy
You won’t know which ones you will need most.
Confidence, Candor, Compassion, and Mission accomplishment.
Be a bit old school, it work then and it will in the future.
HtH
Tim McCoy
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
-
Ask questionGet expert advice and
tips for your questions. -
Post updatePost pictures, personal updates, plans, or anything you like!
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google