Has the Army Lost the Art of Leadership?

2015-07-04T14:05:50-04:00

http://taskandpurpose.com/army-lost-art-leadership/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=tp-facebook&utm_campaign=culture

The Army Has Lost The Art Of Leadership

Army “leaders” have grown too comfortable choosing the easy wrong over the hard right.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2015 2:15 PM

2015-07-04T14:15:12-04:00

Holy smoke, Chief, it's the damn truth! Isn't there some AR or DA Pam against telling the hard truth?

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 4 at 2015 2:44 PM

2015-07-04T14:44:01-04:00

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member I have read the entire article and there are points that I totally agree with in this Commander's assessment, but all leaders don't fall into that category and the entire Army (in my opinion) is not taking the easy wrong over the hard right. I can't tell you how many days and nights that the CSM and I pondered over ideas and concepts to improve the welfare of our soldiers. We were always assessing our leadership and how we operated. I never enjoyed processing a soldier out of the Army until I did everything in my power and everything within the chain of command to find out what made that individual tick and what we could do from a leadership standpoint that would take them from being a non-productive soldier into a productive individual within the command; and for their future. I feel that author's frustration, but I don't think it is across all the ranks in todays military and I would never throw in the Hat because I couldn't figure it out. There are definite pockets of this compliancy abound! My objective as a leader was to inspire, motivate, and build a culture and climate that was conducive to success and wining under the requirements within garrison (peace time) and success and winning on the battlefield. A leaders job isn't supposed to be easy or have all the answers. It’s hard work every day and leaders have to constantly find ways to improve their leadership reach, their command teams, and improve the overall readiness of the soldiers under your watch! If it was easy then we could use the drive-up window at McDonalds and get our Easy Leadership Meal for the day! I perceive this article as a “wake-up” call to anyone who has given up and takes on that duck like mentality and says: “This is just the way it is!”
Remember this is just my perspective on the the subject RP Members!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 4 at 2015 3:31 PM

2015-07-04T15:31:29-04:00

I commanded and never experienced this derth in leadership 15 years ago. A problem is identified but what is the solution?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2015 4:56 PM

2015-07-04T16:56:35-04:00

I read this and I agree to some extent. I think we have lost what it means to lead. To be a leader you have to lead others. That doesn't mean you do what it takes to get promoted or to get a good NCOER/OER. If you lead well it will work itself out.

I have seen it. Leaders simply blame the soldier for everything and take no responsibility. I recall when you were told that you were a reflection of your leadership. When a joe fails at something my first question is to the leadership of that soldier. If he screwed up that is a different issue. But if a soldier fails an APFT I will ask their leader if he knew he was not able to pass and if so what were you doing to address this. If they just call them weak then I know he is a really talking about his ability to lead is weak.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 4 at 2015 5:05 PM

2015-07-04T17:05:10-04:00

On first reading the article, I understand where the author is trying to go, but I think he missed the mark with his initial assessment, and went down the wrong "rabbithole" so to speak.

The Haircut & PT thing is about being a shining example. Setting a superior example FOR your folks. Something to emulate. I think he just completely missed that.

His article has some great meat to it, and for the most part I agree with several of his assessments on why X is NOT good leadership, however his "inspirational spark" was off-target, and requires an azimuth check.

That said, not knowing that simple things is very telling. Knowing WHY we do things is often more important than how we do them. If you understand the general philosophy, execution regardless of situation becomes significantly simpler.

Speaking from the Marine Corps side, the "Mission Accomplishment, Troop Welfare" coin of leadership is like the needle on a compass. It always points us back to absolute North.

Again, I see where his is going with this, and generally agree with him based on his logic chain, BUT I think he missed the very first turn on the hike, and ended up somewhere that isn't quite right.

2ndLt Matthew Johnson Capt Richard I P. Maj Richard "Ernie" Rowlette can you "check my math" on this, and make sure I haven't done the same thing I'm accusing the author of?

Response by SSG Melvin Nulph made Jul 4 at 2015 5:08 PM

2015-07-04T17:08:40-04:00

No, but with the political & social changes it seems the on going battle for political correctness or confused way of thinking, will go on. I have faith the right in the eyes of true leaders will never go away and the Art of Leadership will never lose sight of the purpose or the task at hand. (It may seem concealed, lost or even camouflaged to us older leaders only because we are no longer in the system that will always have a new mission at hand).

History has its way of repeating its self, & we learn from history.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2015 7:03 PM

2015-07-04T19:03:32-04:00

There are plenty of good leaders left. And there has always been bad ones. I have experienced both. We live in a time where everything is metric based. PT score, length of hair are easy things to quantify. Real leadership is much harder to measure. Some folks seem to have a hard time understanding that. I think this officer does.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 5 at 2015 9:45 PM

2015-07-05T21:45:03-04:00

Haircuts and PT are a way for a leader to set the example. It'd be completely inappropriate to expect the soldier to pass his PT test if you can't pass one. Now once you pass your test, schedule unit PT, set clear expectations, and counseled the soldier on a failure that soldier is asking for a one way ticket out of the service. If you don't uphold standards the standards will drop and morale will plummet.