SSG
SGT
SPC
Squad Leader
Senior Leaders
Responses: 3
8
8
0
Clearly this kid doesn't belong in the military, you do what your are told, when you are told, and how you are told. Leadership doesn't only involve the individual, it also involves the team. The team concept is (or was, I've been out too long) was instilled from Basic Training.
Good leaders know their soldiers, have talked to them, watched them, understand what they need. My leadership style was to not always answer the questions direct, but to make my soldiers look for the answers. I would give a task, then watch. If the soldier was able to figure it out, great. If not, I never immediately gave the answer, but I would ask them questions to direct them in the right direction. My thinking was some day they would be leaders and need to know the answers for their soldiers. Yes I could have given the answers from the start, but in the process of finding the right solution, they then will better remember.
A good leader also leads from the front. The leader knows how to do the tasks given, or if he/she doesn't, they know how to find the answers. They get involved in the tasks. If a leader is always just giving orders and expecting things to be done, he/she really has no idea what may be involved in getting the task completed. Even as a SGM I was on trash detail, burned shit, I never gave a task that I would not, could not do myself. As a SQD Leader, yes I was directly involved in the tasks given. As a PLT SGT, I was a little more removed, but I still got out there. The further up the leadership chain you are, the more time involved.
A good leader needs to know when to have a hard hand, when to just give direction. The problem with the Army now is "Everyone is a leader", not true. In my 22.5yrs of service I have seen many NCOs who weren't and never would be leaders but were pushed into the situation. Many soldiers had great minds, hands, were very good at getting a task done, completing the mission, but were not leaders. Yes, the Army makes ok Leaders, but I believe great Leaders are born with the instincts, traits of a great leader. These leadership skills, when coming naturally are far superior. The Army screwed up when they got rid of the SPC ranks. You can force a person to become a leader, that person can develop skills, but if the natural instincts to include desire, will, courage, will to accept responsibility for right or wrong, ability to asses others, ability to asses a situation(just a few) are not present, those being lead will not get what they deserve from a great leader, nor will the mission get completed in the same way. Lead, Follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY. But hey, I'm just an old retired guy now shoeing horses and making knifes, so what do I know.
Good leaders know their soldiers, have talked to them, watched them, understand what they need. My leadership style was to not always answer the questions direct, but to make my soldiers look for the answers. I would give a task, then watch. If the soldier was able to figure it out, great. If not, I never immediately gave the answer, but I would ask them questions to direct them in the right direction. My thinking was some day they would be leaders and need to know the answers for their soldiers. Yes I could have given the answers from the start, but in the process of finding the right solution, they then will better remember.
A good leader also leads from the front. The leader knows how to do the tasks given, or if he/she doesn't, they know how to find the answers. They get involved in the tasks. If a leader is always just giving orders and expecting things to be done, he/she really has no idea what may be involved in getting the task completed. Even as a SGM I was on trash detail, burned shit, I never gave a task that I would not, could not do myself. As a SQD Leader, yes I was directly involved in the tasks given. As a PLT SGT, I was a little more removed, but I still got out there. The further up the leadership chain you are, the more time involved.
A good leader needs to know when to have a hard hand, when to just give direction. The problem with the Army now is "Everyone is a leader", not true. In my 22.5yrs of service I have seen many NCOs who weren't and never would be leaders but were pushed into the situation. Many soldiers had great minds, hands, were very good at getting a task done, completing the mission, but were not leaders. Yes, the Army makes ok Leaders, but I believe great Leaders are born with the instincts, traits of a great leader. These leadership skills, when coming naturally are far superior. The Army screwed up when they got rid of the SPC ranks. You can force a person to become a leader, that person can develop skills, but if the natural instincts to include desire, will, courage, will to accept responsibility for right or wrong, ability to asses others, ability to asses a situation(just a few) are not present, those being lead will not get what they deserve from a great leader, nor will the mission get completed in the same way. Lead, Follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY. But hey, I'm just an old retired guy now shoeing horses and making knifes, so what do I know.
(8)
(0)
SGM Mikel Dawson
SGT Richard Hanson SSP/CGS - Here is a video showing some of my work. Not so great in the beginning over 25yrs ago, but have progressed and continue to do so. In all the years I have only sold one knife. Many I have given away. Many has been to vets, who pay into a fund who supports vets. I take no money for them, all goes to the vets.
(0)
(0)
SGT Richard Hanson SSP/CGS
I give some knives away, I do sell quite a few. I used to donate a Damascus Blade hunting knife to the Rein Cow Horse Association every year to be presented to the winner of the Steer handling challenge where the rider works a steer up and down the fence, turning it back at the fence corners and preventing it from getting to the main part of the arena. I had back surgery a year ago that has really slowed me down. Starting to get back into the swing of things. I donated a Damascus knife to the American Legion to raffle off to help offset the costs of flying WW II Veterans back to DC to see the WW II Memorial, also donated knives to the United Way Campaign to raffle off. I have made well over 200 knives, hard to say where all of them went. I lost my knife log when my computer crashed a couple years ago. I also mentor the Blacksmith Club at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. I love working with those kids. Some of them stay in touch with me after they have graduated. I moved from Rapid City to my wife's family ranch at Oral a year ago and I am slowly getting a shop set up in the Barn. I have to hang an exhaust hood and set my forges up under it, and I am back in business. I have about a dozen blades in various stages of completion that I need to finish.
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
If Your Not A Leader, This WILL Happen To You...
You'll Never Be A Leader Without Leadership Training AND The Ability TO Lead Others....
They Both Go Hand-In-Hand.....
And Respect Is Never Demanded, It's Commanded; And You'll Need All Of That You Can Get.!
You'll Never Be A Leader Without Leadership Training AND The Ability TO Lead Others....
They Both Go Hand-In-Hand.....
And Respect Is Never Demanded, It's Commanded; And You'll Need All Of That You Can Get.!
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google