Current SPC team leader, soon to be SGT. What are your words of wisdom (one of my favorites, "Don't expect what you don't inspect.")?

Don't expect your Soldiers to treat/respect you any different from how they saw you treat NCOs.

SGM is on point with his advice. In reference to what SGT Angie said, if you find yourself leading peers, be cautious and use the judgment that has clearly already been observed in you (since you're already in a team leader position). There will always be someone who "knows" they can lead better than you. This is a consistent problem when peers are promoted and left to lead in a former peer group. For those of us in the National Guard this is a frequent issue given the (often) lack of a different location to be promoted into. Unit makeup tends to remain a little more stagnant in the NG. Although there are both pros and cons to this stagnancy, I can tell you that when I became an NCO I went from being in the group to the leader of the group. I learned quite a bit about perseverance and character building (my own) in the first couple of months.

If you are not willing to do something then don't ask your men to do it. Do not demand respect, respect is earned.

As a young LT (prior-enlisted soldier) BN S2, I did the things you mentioned, as I did when I was an SL. I was in the dirt helping to set up defensive positions for our S2 van when my S2 NCO, a gnarly MSG, called me aside and explained that was not what he expected of his LT. I listened and learned. There is a point when you have to step aside, but that point is not at the SGT/SL level. So, SGT Malkewitz, as the wise SGM and the others said, lead by example. The hardest part, if you are staying in the same squad, is disengaging the sometimes close friendships you developed coming up in the same unit. There can be resentment on their part that you are no longer their bud. Your new paradigm is friendly, not a friend. Trying to discipline a former friend can be difficult. I hope you listened to the sage advice these wise individuals gave and if not, a year later, I hope you review their words to ensure you listened well.

Thank you for the solid advice, CSM. I am extremely passionate in my position able to lead soldiers and pass my knowledge on. I will take this to heart, no doubt about it.

Thank you, CSM.