What do YOU think YOUR best method of motivating your troops is?

 Great question, I
personally believe in being 100% involve, no great unit was ever lead from
behind a desk.

These are some of the things that had made me successful,
and I am no expert as I constantly continue to learn and seek growth.

1. Believe in the mission. If your troops don’t see a genuine
interest from you, do not expect them to care neither. Remember if it’s
important to you it will become important to them.

2. You are a Soldier first. We must instill pride in being a
SOLDIER. The way we look, walk, talk, behave etc. Live the Profession of Arms.

3. Short term goals as a team or individuals, I like to use
the term mile stones. Something they can achieve within a quarter, semiannually
and annually. Not to be confused with the long term goals immediate
satisfaction tends to motivate the individual to pursue their ultimate goal. “Military
goal 20 more push-ups and sit ups and 1 minute off run within the 1st
quarter”. Civilian goal one class  towards
a civilian degree a quarter”.

4. As a Platoon, section, squad, challenge them to completed
their assigned SSD’s getting the PLT 100% completion during 1st quarter.
During 2nd quarter focus on crew drills, EIB prep etc. Think outside
the box find what drives each individual in your team, be creative remember
this is not the Army we grew in and these Soldiers are definitely not the same
generation you know.

5. Be adaptive mission will change, uniforms will change the
environment will change. Learn to adapt be consistent and follow up. Never said
you are doing something for them and forget about it.

6. In a sense you must become a family. Why family? Family goes
beyond a team. Accept all of your Soldiers for who they are. Be tough on them
but always be fair. Do not a have favorite Soldiers all should be treated the same
with dignity and respect.

7. Set the standard, never lower the Army standards for them.
Notice I said the Army standards not your own. Be realistic with your
expectations and be ready to correct the same deficiencies 1000 times.

8. Never make it personal. They are humans they will make
mistakes and when they do you need to have mercy and kindness the same way you
would like if you were in their shoes. Be forgiving.

9. Care for them and I mean everything they do you need to
know. Do not try to run their lives but be engaged. Don t assume cause you love
football they all love football. Whenever the opportunity present itself for a
team building event don’t plan it accordingly to what you and most of the guys
or gals like. Every post has a Museum start by doing an outing teach them some
local unit history and allow them share how they feel about their impact in the
unit and Army as a hole. This will give you a great source of information about
who they are as individuals.

10. I save this one for my last and most important to me. “Lead
from the front” If they are cold you need to be cold, if they are doing PT you
need to be doing PT. Amazing things will happen when you show them that you are
with them all the way. Do not ever abuse your position as leadership roles are
a privilege not a right. You are not bigger than the Army be humble and thankful
for the opportunity to lead Americas gift. Remember this are someones love ones treat them as if they were your own.