With no deployments, and none on the horizon either, is there some advice to improve and become the leader my soldiers deserve?

2018-05-28T14:09:44-04:00

I have 4 years reserves 4.5 years AD infantry 1 AAM, 1 Good conduct, EIB, 2 COA and and AS. I have been looking for a while how to become a more effective leader in todays Army, I have read books studied up on civilian leadership. It's not that I am doubtful of my leadership ability but I have not gotten much negative criticism in my career as an NCO and I am a firm believer in "if your not getting better your getting worse". Part of the reason why I think I have not gotten an really better verbal reviews is because of my personality, not to say everyone likes me but I think when people work with me my personality turns their opinion of my performance from objective to subjective at least to my face. I'm a non deployed infantry SGT with most of my career on ATGM strykers (mounted) and about a year on the line so my exposure to dismounted maneuvering is limited. My biggest flaw is that I kick myself in the ass to much and am extremely hard on myself. I guess my question is with no deployments and none on the horizon either is there some advice to improve and become the leader my soldiers deserve?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 2:47 PM

2018-05-28T14:47:42-04:00

Be the leader that you strive to be

Response by PFC Shan Clark made May 28 at 2018 3:03 PM

2018-05-28T15:03:04-04:00

I don't have the experience to help in this regard. But I wish every E5/E6 were like you and striving to be a better leader/soldier. Keep up that mentality and stride and you'll see what doors to take when they eventually present themselves to you.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made May 28 at 2018 3:16 PM

2018-05-28T15:16:38-04:00

My 2 cents... Since you are actively searching for help, then you are doing right. Good on you! I would find some books about the struggles that many Generals had when WWII ended. I think there are some on the leadership reading course (the Navy has one, pretty sure the Army does too). This is not a new problem you are facing, and it is one that many have struggled with, too. I would suggest, also, that you try to take any schools that would help, after you get your troops there first, of course. Best if luck to you!

Response by SSG Brian L. made May 28 at 2018 3:20 PM

2018-05-28T15:20:03-04:00

Get with your first line and ask for the discussion to be candid.... "what do I need to do?"... the number of ribbons or deployments mean nothing to me in the terms of leadership.... there is no way to honestly assess something none of us can witness or critique

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 28 at 2018 4:10 PM

2018-05-28T16:10:28-04:00

Have you done any of the sub courses the Army provides?

Response by SSG Steven Mangus made May 28 at 2018 4:35 PM

2018-05-28T16:35:23-04:00

Don't ever forget where you came from and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty with your troops..get to know own your subordinates and what motivates them and don't be afraid to stand for what is right..don't be the rank and file NCO and your will be fine..

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 4:41 PM

2018-05-28T16:41:33-04:00

Stop worrying about awards, look at other E5’s and ask them for help. When you go do your team live fires and squad live fires ask your PSG to shadow other leaders and watch them on their lanes. Master the basics with your fire team through everything from weapons proficiency to all 14 battle drills. Don’t sit in the company area take your men to a field and do some work.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 28 at 2018 4:44 PM

2018-05-28T16:44:34-04:00

This is what I expected from the E-5s:
1. You are where the rubber meets the road. Know your soldiers.
2. Treat them with dignity, respect, and compassion (although sometimes you need to be a hard ass) to foster trust.
3. Cross train them.
4. Appreciate them.
5. Fight for them.
6. Lead by example.
7. Help them grow professionally and personally.
8. Take care of them.
9. Teach them technical and tactical knowledge.
10.You might think of creating an SOP for the Stryker for different positions and tactical drills.
11.There is no leadership formula, however, I suggest you list what leadership traits you want to live by.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 6:35 PM

2018-05-28T18:35:58-04:00

If you want more leadership time, volunteer for an assignment. As a reservist you control your career. There are local and OCONUS opportunities. Sometimes you need to get away from those that are farmilar with you.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made May 28 at 2018 7:37 PM

2018-05-28T19:37:44-04:00

Don't worry about awards. The reality is that the ones who were lower enlisted or new lieutenants following 2001 Afghanistan and 2003 Iraq are either out or are in senior leadership positions by this point. We get it, and so should your subordinates. Love your soldiers more than you love yourself, and every decision should be with their best interests in mind. Getting better doesn't happen immediately or overnight. Being in a plateau isn't necessarily meaning you're getting worse either. Keep making good decisions, and don't be afraid of new ideas especially if you're in a position to try out those new ideas in a controlled environment.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 28 at 2018 8:14 PM

2018-05-28T20:14:50-04:00

One more item that is crucial is to watch how the E-6s and E-7s operate.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made May 28 at 2018 8:22 PM

2018-05-28T20:22:09-04:00

You say "non deployed" or do you mean "non deployable". I know it's a play on words possibly, but two words that can easily be misused.

Being hard on yourself is not a bad thing. If folks are always praising you, there's usually something behind it (kiss ass, 1SG/CSM's boy, shit like that). If you're not hard on yourself, you cannot grow. At the same time, your leaders should be counseling you quarterly to tell you how you can progress, things to maintain, and things you need to stop doing. If that's not being done, it's a problem, but not one you can't fix. They're very generic, but have you looked into career maps for your MOS? They won't tell you how to be a better leader, but they can give you career points where you can hit certain marks and get leadership/troop time to grow yourself. Leading is a trial and error process. There is no magical book, manual, or person who can get it right, and when you see them, see my reasons they're usually like that.

A good way to grow is to ask questions of senior leaders. Doesn't have to be NCO's. There are some great officers out there, and I'd recommend start with Warrants (if you can find one). They're like unicorns. Warrants have been in our shoes and maintain one shoe in the NCO side while having another in the Officer side. Best of both worlds. If you have AD brothers you talk to, ask to see their NCOERs. Not to pick on them or belittle yourself, but they have to hit marks too for promotion and you would be surprised at how much of it you could copy, refine, and make it your own.

What did you want to see in a leader when you were an E1-4? How about as a NCO? You have to take everything into account. Take the good, the bad, the retarded, and incorporate it into how you want to do things going forward. Make yourself the "all around" leader and not the "one dimensional" leader that cannot see past the regulations. Lots of "book leaders" out there who are shut down the second the book they read forward and backwards doesn't apply to a situation they find themselves in. Know your FM's, DA PAMs, AR's, MILPER messages, if possible in this era of joint, know what those who are your counterparts are doing. The Marines are good grunts too. What are they doing that you could use in your team/SQD/PLT to make them technically and tactically better? What is the commo guy for your unit doing? Know his job too. You could be the one to fill the radios. What other jobs/positions can you learn and teach to your Joes? What is your SQD LDR/PSG doing? Know their jobs too. You're making yourself stand apart and indispensable to those above you. You'll become the SME(Subject matter expert) on various things that can only help you as you progress up. Know what those two ranks above you are doing and shoot for three. Most of what I said can be done in garrison (the one place we all hate), and most can still be done in the field. Are you in on the planning of missions, are you placing input on OPORDS? Writing them? We could be here all day giving you pointers from a variety of leaders.

Don't worry about deployments. Don't be a medal/patch chaser. No one likes them, and they usually take unessicary chances that can get folks hurt or killed. You have your EIB. You have nothing to prove other than brining those you took there home with you alive. That's more rewarding on the big end than any medal or even the CIB (I'm not a grunt).

If you're in garrison, put your nose in a book, and your ear to the ground. Be quiet and heard at the same time. Don't volunteer for BS, but don't shirk away either. Nut up and Charlie Mike. If you can post this hard ass question, you're ALREADY a step up on your peers who won't do something like this until it's too late. In fact learn as much as you can, and watch them come to you. Even of they have a CIB, short tab, or long. You'll be the wealth of information they'll be looking for. You'll get your CIB in due time.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 8:28 PM

2018-05-28T20:28:43-04:00

I wish the military would back off the "Deployment equates to Leadership" crap. The average time of service in the military is 15 years for enlisted and about 11 for officers. I imagine this has been skewed on the high side by career servers, and that a large percentage got out after their initial 8 years. After almost 18 years of combat status, we have more then cycled through this average career lifetime. While I don't have numbers to back it up, I bet more then half of the current troop have not deployed.

My point is, your deployment should not define your leadership skill. It can, and does, provide experience that folks can draw on to supplement their leadership styles and methods, but much of this collective experience has been distilled and incorporated into our training systems. Focus instead on the next deployment. Take another look at the NCO creed and really try to follow what is presented there. Be, know, and do basic Army Warrior Tasks. At your level, you are going to be the direct trainer of your squad and teams. Lead by setting the example and really "Strive to be tactically and technically proficient."

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 11:02 PM

2018-05-28T23:02:34-04:00

Privates are easy to keep happy.set a routine and fight like hell to keep it from changing. Be on time to formation (Show up a maximum of three minutes past the hit time.) Make formation last as short as possible. Accountability should take less than three minutes. If you get done with work early, release your soldiers. They will work harder and be far more motivated. If possible, do not keep them past the time work is supposed to end. Also, when it comes to swearing, I don't know if you hate it or love it, but don't make a big stink about it. You joined the Army. Not the Girl Scouts. If civilians aren't around, swear till your heart's content. Seriously. The most frustrating thing is formations that take forever and NCOs who tell their men not to swear.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 11:20 PM

2018-05-28T23:20:41-04:00

First, the number of deployments doesn't make you a better leader. In fact, I like deployments cause its a lot easier to maneuver troops in a deployment then back home when they have so many distractors. Deployments are like vacations from the garrison headaches. Yea the stakes are higher but the troops are more focused. If you really want a deployment then you just need to volunteer. It's not going to magically turn you into the leader you want to be. Second, ask your rater what you need to do to be a better leader and how that would reflect on your evaluations. Use their experience and mentoring to be a better Soldier to your Soldiers.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2018 11:53 PM

2018-05-28T23:53:06-04:00

I would suggest forget the deployed/non-deployed bit. Being deployed doesn't affect your overall ability to lead soldiers. Seriously, if someone wants to make a big deal about you having never deployed, then there are an awful lot of soldiers higher ranking than you who must be terrible as well.
Some deployments are little more than an extended TDY. Others are a cakewalk. And then I am certain there are deployments that are genuinely hell. You can volunteer to deploy. Or not. Ultimately, the Army decides when and where you go.

Response by SSG Anthony Balkas made May 29 at 2018 3:52 AM

2018-05-29T03:52:03-04:00

Go to Ranger school.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made May 29 at 2018 4:09 AM

2018-05-29T04:09:53-04:00

Yeah, don't fall for the deployments make great leaders crap. Almost none of my NCO's were deployed in the 1980's when I served. The one that I did get that served as Infantry in Vietnam and saw the close in fighting, really sucked as a leader. He was a great guy otherwise, just could not lead or make any critical decisions in anything approaching a reasonable amount of time that the job required. During manuevers we had long pauses, exposed out in the open, subject to enemy fire while he sat there and thought about what to do next (he was pretty bad). As a squad we would joke we had informal secret plans to drop him off on a street curb somewhere if the Cold War ever went hot. :)

Response by SPC Jesse Peeples made May 29 at 2018 4:35 AM

2018-05-29T04:35:04-04:00

I think you should just worry about mentoring younger memembers

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 29 at 2018 7:41 AM

2018-05-29T07:41:46-04:00

Thanks for serving- read all the military leadership and tactics book, civilian leadership does not translate well into the Military. Being hard on yourself is not bad, as it helps you to be critical when examining your self. Not everyone deploys, not your fault, roll of the dice, and not every unit deploys either. Look at leadership styles, pick the one that is best for you and drive on!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2018 4:52 PM

2018-05-29T16:52:11-04:00

I think MAJ Landgren said it best. Sun tzu said if you know your enemy but not yourself or you know your self but not your enemy you will loose 100% of the time but if you know both your enemy and yourself you will be victorious 100% of the time. What that all means is look at yourself objectively and see where your faults are. Improve on them and learn what is lacking with your Soldiers that are in your leadership. Be know do and put the need of the Soldier first. But never forget yourself. If you don't takecare of tourself, your Soldiers will fly right past you. I have seen it many times. I former good Soldier of mine is now a SGM.

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made May 30 at 2018 4:36 AM

2018-05-30T04:36:17-04:00

You are definitely doing something right - by asking for mentorship - my sincere advice - do not be like me - try to work on your personality, networking is a big factor - something I failed to learn until it was too late - everything else has been covered by other amazing Officers and Non-Coms.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2018 11:02 PM

2018-06-02T23:02:36-04:00

Newsflash: 99% of leaders in the 80’s and early 90’s never deployed. Desert Storm was barely a deployment. The army survived. Same formula as always. Know your men and look after them. Take care of them and they will take care of the mission.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 2 at 2018 11:13 PM

2018-06-02T23:13:21-04:00

Deployments are great however they are not everything. The best thing to do is what you are doing. Continue to better your self where ever you can. Try to get in Military and Civilian education when ever you can. Work with your seniors to learn from their experience and use it in your daily life. Being a good leader is a person who leads from the front and takes care of their Soldiers. If you can do that you will earn and keep the respect of your Soldiers and Peers.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jun 3 at 2018 10:15 AM

2018-06-03T10:15:43-04:00

WTH? You do know that the Army is currently deployed in about 50 different countries right now right? Niger was not suppose to be a combat zone, but the yolkels made in one.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 14 at 2018 10:58 AM

2018-09-14T10:58:21-04:00

E5 is where you can start to build yourself into a good leader. Get the CSA's reading list. Read the books on the list. Think about how it applies to your job and how you can learn to critically think about problems. Don't bring your subordinates problems to your leadership without some potential solution(s). Volunteer for the tough assignments & do well on them. Your leadership will notice and recommend future opportunities. Ask to do some additional duties to boost your Evals.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2019 1:35 PM

2019-05-05T13:35:43-04:00

You don’t need a deployment or a War to be a good leaders. Lead by example and take care of you Soldiers.

Response by SGT Donald Croswhite made Aug 14 at 2019 4:56 AM

2019-08-14T04:56:48-04:00

It's a great opportunity to train up great leaders for when the fight comes back. I would get with my squad leader and set up a training schedule.