Posted on Jun 14, 2019
1LT Engineer Officer
15.5K
209
78
25
25
0
I am leaving for advanced camp in a couple weeks and to be prepared, this is one of my weaker areas I would like to develop. My reserved quiet nature works against me. However, I believe I can still work to my strengths by using the principle of "be brief, be bold, be brilliant, and be gone" in my interactions. I want to become an inspirational leader, but I don't want to come across fake by trying to be someone I am not. That being said, I am willing to change.
Avatar feed
Responses: 33
SPC Erich Guenther
1
1
0
Edited >1 y ago
Geez, your too early in the program to be worrying about most of that stuff. Just be yourself and learn as you go. Don't act up or act out which you already stated you know you would be spotted as a fake. Just be yourself. Two of the best Infantry CO's I had. One was a Potato Farmer in the ARNG and the other was former Special Forces at the 101st. Their strengths were they didn't turn into a "Sam the Eagle" type or any other acting role. They realized Army BS when they saw it and called it out. They stayed real. Your probably quiet and reserved because you have not really had a command yet of subordinates, you have only commanded equals. Huge night and day difference right there. Trust me when you stand in front of a formation and some Joe is having a side conversation while your talking........your going to get pissed naturally and then you will exercise your leadership appropriately. Or if your on a PT run in the company and your former star soldier falls out and starts puking on the roadside your going to be disappointed and express it later. Or my favorite, your standing at the rear of a honor formation and you notice private snuffy reaches around and picks his ass while standing at attention (and you think to yourself Jeeeeeusus, you have to do that now during a pass and review?)...........always a favorite of Officers and NCO's alike.....heh-heh. Ah, some days I miss being in the Army, ha-ha.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Maj John Bell
1
1
0
Step 1 Listen to professionals, regardless of rank or social standing or billet.
Step 2 Observe what goes on around you
Step 3 Read about the profession of arms, military military, and philosophy
Step 4 Think about what you've heard, seen and read.
Step 5 Avoid the company of jackasses
Step 6 Make small corrections early, rather than big corrections late.
Step 7 Never act in anger, frustration, or out of emotion
Step 8 Never worry about if you shine, help your subordinates shine.
Step 9 When you screw up, and you will screw up, own it.
Step 10 Gracefully allow your subordinates to take calculated risks and make well-intended mistakes.
Step 11 When it is raining $#!*; smile, embrace the suck, and soldier on.
Step 12 Go back to step 1.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CWO3 Us Marine
1
1
0
Loudest guy in the room is often not the smartest, or best leader.
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SSgt Boyd Herrst
1
1
0
Quietly.. cut the brass band effect..
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
1LT William Clardy
1
1
0
Honestly, that is one of the worst principles I can think of for leadership, and it's only marginally better for addressing folks up the food chain.
To start with, boldness and brilliance aren't things you can choose to have. Most of the time, you will have very few clues as to whether you're being bold or foolhardy, or whether your brilliant idea is incredibly short-sighted. Instead, focus on being tactfully honest, informed and effective, both when asked your opinion and when tasked with being the decision-maker or the point of the spear. If you do that consistently and well, your reputation will reflect it and you may not be known as a brilliant leader, but being the leader that folks up and down the chain know they can rely on in a crunch gets you more opportunities to excel than you might think. And when you do excel, don't waste time worrying about who gets the credit -- it's amazing what you can accomplish when people don't think you're in it to claim the glory.
Second, don't be afraid to delegate. You're surrounded by cadets every bit as competent as you - use them as the resource they are. The cadre will, knowingly or not, pressure you to handle everything personally, but you can't. Herding kittens is nothing compared to getting a company of cadets to make their SP times consistently. So delegate and spot-check instead. In advanced camp, on the eve of my day as company commander, I spent less time (by far) briefing my platoon leaders than standing back in their platoon briefs, listening to ensure that they fleshed out the details I hadn't, and did so in a way that fit my overall guidance. Those platoon leaders were happy to run their platoons without being micromanaged, although I did get some good-natured razzing from a Tac NCO when he realized that my guidon bearer and I were really just hoofing it down the trail ahead of 3 platoons marching semi-independently to the same destination. One other tip about delegating: pass credit and accolades through to the folks you delegated to, but be the face taking the blame for problems and tasks not accomplished.
Another tip, specifically for advanced camp: Find some way on the first day, while everybody is arriving and getting settled, to gather your squad and introduce yourselves to each other. Learn (or choose) good-natured nicknames which reflect your individual character (preferably with a touch of sardonic humor). Done right, it will get you started as a team with character and cohesion, both of which will make your squad more visible in the eyes of others.
If you're still reading, go look up "The 'Eathen" by Rudyard Kipling and pay attention to the last half - it's poetically condensed essence of military leadership, with color. Actually, reading almost any Kipling is guaranteed to add some color to your attitude once you learn the stories behind the poems -- the next to last verse of "Soldiers and Sailors" takes on more gravitas if you know the story of the HMS Birkenhead's final voyage and the troops' final muster (the "Birkenhead drill"). Military leadership especially needs color, because otherwise it's a damned grim business to be in.
Lastly, always keep in mind the words of Montrose's Toast:
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!" — James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
(1)
Comment
(0)
1LT Engineer Officer
1LT (Join to see)
>1 y
Thank you for all of the great advice sir! You gave me a lot to think about. Be brief, bold, and brilliant for me meant to think out what I am going to say in advance and deliver it in a concise confident manner. As you said, it is hard to know if you are being foolhardy or bold. However, proper planning makes rash decisions less likely and better informed. I will sit down and write out out what I consider to be an ideal leader and incorporate what you said.

I really like what you said about military leadership needing color and appreciate the reading suggestions. I will check them out.
(1)
Reply
(0)
1LT William Clardy
1LT William Clardy
>1 y
With any luck, you should be receiving a package with some light reading that I found to be thought-provoking for many officers-still-in-the-making, despite being science fiction. The author served as a junior officer with the Marines during the active part of the Korean War, and this was one of his early works, written from the perspective of a freshly commissioned lieutenant dropped into his first combat command.
I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to share it or otherwise dispose of it however suits you best.
[EDIT]
For anyone curious, this is my recommended reading contribution:
https://books.google.com/books?id=H290CwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage
(1)
Reply
(0)
1LT Engineer Officer
1LT (Join to see)
>1 y
Thank you sir for this excellent book! I received it during the 3rd week of camp. I apologize for the belated response, as I just recently got back from follow on training. Coincidentally, I met a cadet named West that the main character reminded me a lot of, and he also enjoyed the book.
(0)
Reply
(0)
1LT William Clardy
1LT William Clardy
>1 y
No apology necessary, 1LT (Join to see). I'm glad it did find you, and that you found it worth reading.
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CPT Infantry Officer
1
1
0
b u
(1)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
LTC John Griscom
1
1
0
Best of luck.
(1)
Comment
(0)
1LT Engineer Officer
1LT (Join to see)
>1 y
Thank you sir.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
LTC Ken Connolly
0
0
0
Set the example. Don't try to be someone else.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
MAJ Terry LaFrance
0
0
0
Let us know how it goes
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Sgt Tee Organ
0
0
0
Understand the material, understand the situation, understand the process to gain insight on both. The rest falls into place.
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close