What's the most important thing you are looking for in a senior leader (Brigade Commander and above)? What do you need them to do for you?

First off Congratulations on your selection.

During my career, there were two ranks that I hated serving with...a First Lieutenant Aid De Camp for a General Officer that thought he was a General, and a Full Colonel bucking for his first star. Both categories made life miserable for all those around them.

Give subordinates room to lead. Yes, folks make mistakes let them. Continue supporting your people and they will make you shine like a brand new penny. I worked with 2LT David Petraeus, Cpt Dick Cody, and Cpt John Vines. A Unified Command Commander, a Vice Chief of Staff, and a Corps Commander.

Congrats Sir! As a junior enlisted Marine, I rarely saw my commander at that level. As a junior officer in the Army, I don't see him much more. Making yourself present and available to the guys at the bottom would make a difference.

I think the most important thing a commander (at any level) does is set the tone for the culture of the unit. However you act and respond to things will trickle down all the way to the line. I see it in the civilian world constantly. Businesses try to change their culture from the bottom up and it doesn't work. Change comes from the top down. Most guys I know want a commander that is honest, fair, and is focused on training with common sense. Do things they way they should be done to make sure your BDE is ready to fight. Even if it's unconventional or goes against some manual somewhere (which will change in a couple of years anyway). We always like seeing our commander stand up and do what's in our best interest even when it goes against the grain.

WOW! Congratulations, COL (Join to see)!

My first association with Army commanders was as an Army Civilian. I enjoyed the leadership of four Major Generals in my 6 years as a DAC. The Command was pretty small. We had Brigades with Battalions, but they weren't the size one might expect. Our Brigades had about 100 people, 90% of whom were DACs.

IMO our best Commander was inspirational. He generated enthusiasm for the organization and mission. To my Air Force ears his speeches sounded like a lot of HOOAH, but I learned that was what the organization needed at the time. He developed a new vision for the command, "One Mind, One Heart, One Purpose" and sold it well. It helped bring the disparate parts of the Headquarters, recently consolidated at one location, together as a team. You couldn't go away from one of his commander's calls without being lifted up to a more positive approach to your work. It's hard to define how he made this happen, but integrity, enthusiasm, communication, and sincerity were all parts.

I think all of the really good commanders I served with in my 22 years in the Air Force and 6 years as a DAC listened to their senior enlisted person (First Sergeant, Senior Enlisted Leader, or CSM). It kept them attuned to the concerns of the enlisted and civilian work forces. Often the CSM had a good handle on ground truth that the Commander needed to hear.