Posted on Jan 18, 2020
Why are NCO’s okay with sugarcoating the outcomes of certain situation regarding junior soldiers?
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If you are an NCO, and your NCO induction stated you are to be honest with your soldiers and not leave them uniformed, why are y’all getting upset when truthful answers come off as brash or not “NCO-like”?
As an NCO, we are not in the business of creating friendships but in the business of leading soldiers. If you are honest to the soldier of the potential outcome, they are far more likely to trust you down the road. If you lie to them or are not honest with them, then you are negatively effecting mission readiness and you now have a soldier that may not listen to you.
So what do you do? Are you honest with them so that they know, which may result in them getting upset at first, or do you sugar coat the outcome to not upset them at first?
As an NCO, we are not in the business of creating friendships but in the business of leading soldiers. If you are honest to the soldier of the potential outcome, they are far more likely to trust you down the road. If you lie to them or are not honest with them, then you are negatively effecting mission readiness and you now have a soldier that may not listen to you.
So what do you do? Are you honest with them so that they know, which may result in them getting upset at first, or do you sugar coat the outcome to not upset them at first?
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 24
Most situations have a range of possible outcomes. Immediately jumping to the worst one and (effectively) saying "you are totally screwed" is no better than (effectively) saying "it's no big deal, don't worry about it.
So yes, there is such a thing as being too brash.
So yes, there is such a thing as being too brash.
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The question is a little vague, but if you're trying to get a leadership lesson I'll give it a shot.
This seems to have to do with telling the truth and tact. For example, in truth a Soldier may be a complete screw up and deserve to be booted out of the Service. How to tell them? You can tell them straight out what a hot mess they are and demand they change today or you'll UCMJ their ass. This might work. It might even be the right approach for some people.
Sometimes it's necessary to communicate in a kinder way. Maybe you need to determine why the Soldier is a complete screw up in the first place. Is it a personal issue, a training issue, or even a medical or psychological issue. You can still communicate that their performance of late has been below standard and explain how it's below standard. Additionally, you might offer an opportunity for them to improve. Of course making the opportunity to improve, which might require hard work, more attractive is the threat of disciplinary action or being removed from the Service. This approach still requires straight talk, but it's fact based and has a fair to good chance of getting the Soldier to try to improve.
Keep in mind what you can't say and who you are. Your can't show any type of discrimination or derogatory comments about any protected group. You aren't a doctor or psychologist, but you can send the Soldier for medical evaluation.
This seems to have to do with telling the truth and tact. For example, in truth a Soldier may be a complete screw up and deserve to be booted out of the Service. How to tell them? You can tell them straight out what a hot mess they are and demand they change today or you'll UCMJ their ass. This might work. It might even be the right approach for some people.
Sometimes it's necessary to communicate in a kinder way. Maybe you need to determine why the Soldier is a complete screw up in the first place. Is it a personal issue, a training issue, or even a medical or psychological issue. You can still communicate that their performance of late has been below standard and explain how it's below standard. Additionally, you might offer an opportunity for them to improve. Of course making the opportunity to improve, which might require hard work, more attractive is the threat of disciplinary action or being removed from the Service. This approach still requires straight talk, but it's fact based and has a fair to good chance of getting the Soldier to try to improve.
Keep in mind what you can't say and who you are. Your can't show any type of discrimination or derogatory comments about any protected group. You aren't a doctor or psychologist, but you can send the Soldier for medical evaluation.
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I try to give as much information as possible but I am also very blunt, when they fuck up I tell them why they did and how to fix it and when they work hard I tell them I appreciate it. I always try to build an understanding but not a friendship. Honesty is definitely the best policy in my view. There is also many other factors of leadership that will decide if the soldier listens to you or not though. There are also many ways to deliver the truth to someone without causing offense.
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The Three Meter Zone: Common Sense Leadership for NCOs - CSM J. D. Pendry
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Once something is known you're either a part of the problem or part of the solution. I rather tell my soldiers straight up what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear. Granted some might get in their feelings but I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to develop the future leaders. If I'm wrong and they come up to me and tell me they don't appreciate the way I communicate (hasn't happened yet) than I need to evaluate myself and might have to fix certain things on my part. If you're coming from a good place sooner or later they'll realize you only want what's best for them, even if it's a hard pill to swallow, but that's why you're there to guide them and let them know they're not alone when things get rough. Everyone has their own tolerance when dealing with stress and no two soldiers are the same, do what's right and consult with your seniors just like you are doing now. No matter where we are in our career we all need help regardless of how hard we think we are.
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You cannot (TRUST) anyone who is not honest. Trust and honesty breed loyalty. Being honest, even brutally honest, is necessary. It can be a matter of tact and diplomacy too. Good leaders should never be afraid to tell it as it is. Officer or NCO we are not in the business of holding hands or wiping away tears.
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PC culture has taken the military by storm. Our enemies feared Marines coming ashore and NOW they laugh at that thought. Liberalism/leftism has taken firm control.
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Your question needs some follow up examples to make it clearer. I come from the old Army (1978) and when a senior NCO gave orders they normally came out loud and brash but this was not because the Senior NCO was trying to be an ass He was simply making sure that they were understood. Feelings are hurt to easily in todays military. It's not about you it's about getting the orders out. Put yourself in the Senior NCO's place and you gave out the orders in a calm and quite way as to not hurt anyones feelings and a dozen body bags rolled up in the back of a deuce and a half. Who's feelings would be hurt then? You are in life and death situations there is no more x-box....THIS IS NOT A FU*KING GAME ANYMORE...GROW UP!!!!!!!
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If it came to keeping informed, I don't care how I got information sugar coat or not, when it came to important stuff. The question is a little vague though, can you give an example to get a better answer?
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