What do you do when a soldier refuses to listen to your directions?

Young man, make sure you lead by example in obeying the orders of your superiors. This is one of the major problems with NCOs and SNCOs both when I was in the Corps. Lead from the front. Use the following leadership traits to become a better leader:

Judgement - Judge the importance of the infraction. Is it worth getting all worked up about?
Justice - Ensure that you treat all of your soldiers with the same standards
Dependability - Can your Soldiers depend upon you , can your superiors depend upon you?
Initiative - Are you an inovator?
Decisiveness - Make a decision and quit second guessing yourself.
Tact - Be tactful in dealing with all Soldiers, both superiors and your Soldiers.
Integrity - Be honest and true!
Enthusiasm - Help your Soldiers be excited about being the best they can be.
Bearing - Ensure that you carry yourself with pride and demand the same from your Soldiers.
Courage - Do not fear the repercussions of your decision making.
Knowledge - Know your Soldiers and their strengths and weaknesses. Know the regs.
Loyalty - The most important of all. Your Soldiers deserve your Loyalty and will return it sevenfold.
Endurance - Patience

To be a better leader, read books about successful leaders and their methods to inspire their men. Seek out those within your outfit that are successful leaders and emulate them.

When you are required to "write up a Soldier" you have failed in leadership and are passing off your problems to someone else. Always keep this in mind.

Correct, counsel, document, fire.

Pretty simple. If a Soldier cannot be corrected or counseled then he gets fired. Under the topics of counseling and correction is punishment and also reduction. Reduction boards should be a monthly thing in your unit. This puts all Soldiers on notice that if they cannot do the work level of their title or grade then they will be made a lower one. OR if you need to have the command punish then again puts them on notice. Additionally if you are counseling that will later support a separation. The military doesn't need that dead weight. Cold answer but you join the military as a adult the world is a cold place.

First time I lipped off as a junior marine, I got the shit kicked out of me by 3 nco's. That's how you get a fuckhead to understand he's not the bad ass he thought he was. All this paperwork bullshit doesn't work. That's why there's so many shit heads running around now.

Its called insubordination

LOL... Well when I was in.. You had some "C.D.K.D" (Closed Door Knuckle Drill) You beat his ass. Then he thought twice about failing to follow an order... Better to correct the issue where there is no mistake who is in charge. Pain and Fear work wonders. Paper trails and slapping their wrist just causes you more problems... Just a thought.

I generally would cite Art 92, Failure to obey a lawful order or regulation. You can also use Art 134 under conduct bringing discredit to the service..not sure the exact clause. Then, you chapter his sorry butt out.

Because I rock.

I've been out for quite some time, but even then there was a divide between the new mentality of administrative leadership where everything was write ups and documentation and old school leadership where you used such things as a "learning opportunity" that might include a physical correction or an out right ass whoopin if needed.

If you are in theater, have your XO or another officer give him the order, while there is a POW conveniently nearby. Then Article 90 applies. He can be court-martialed and executed. Guaranteed to prevent that puke from EVER disobeying an order again!

890. Art. 90. Assaulting or willfully disobeying superior commissioned officer
Any person subject to this chapter who—
(1) strikes his superior commissioned officer or draws or lifts up any weapon or offers any violence against him while he is in the execution of his office; or
(2) willfully disobeys a lawful command of his superior commissioned officer;
shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, and if the offense is committed at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct.

Apply the appropriate violation of the UCMJ along with the fitting punishment. Seems fairly simple to me.