Where is 'Personal Responsibility'?

SGM Matthew Quick — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 00:46:04 -0500

Do you hold your subordinates accountable for their actions/in-actions?

When does 'leadership failure' become 'personal responsibility/accountability'?

Response by SFC James Baber made Dec 13 at 2013 2:59 PM

SFC James Baber — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 14:59:29 -0500

If you don't hold them responsible or accountable for their actions, you are also part of the problem, and to me I believe a bigger part of the problem as you are not teaching and mentoring them to take responsibility for their actions and owning what they need to learn and move forward in the career and responsibilities.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Dec 13 at 2013 3:33 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:33:49 -0500

As soon as I read your question, I thought back to a conversation that I had with one of my Company CDRs when I was a 1SG. We were talking after a Friday PT session and the weekly safety brief was complete. He asked me what I thought about safety briefings. Weren't they just a "check the block" since Soldiers are gonna do what Soldiers are gonna do?

I told him that as leaders, we have a responsibility to talk to our Soldiers about making right decisions, making safe decisions, informing them of the repercussions of bad decisions and ensuring that they have all the tools necessary to make those right decisions (i.e. phone cards, taxi numbers, etc). Once that is complete, those Soldiers will go home, get cleaned up and go out. They will be armed with what we as leaders have supplied them with. At that point, it is up to them to make the right decision. If they do not, they are held accountable and responsible for their actions.

He saw where I was coming from and more importantly, understood that by not providing Soldiers with the knowledge and tools to make the right decisions, we as leaders have failed. If we provide that to Soldiers and they choose poorly, then they are held accountable for their actions.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2014 9:09 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 09:09:26 -0400

I only wish I were allowed to be responsible for myself. I had more authority and responsibility over myself and my own actions as an Active duty SPC than I do now as a Reserve CW2.