This essay aims to inform the reader about being accountable as a leader within our Army. Just as if the end of any mission when conducting an AAR (after-action report), a leader should do this with their Soldiers, seeking things they could do better. Investing in yourself and wanting to do better will guide you to being a better mentor and pave a path for Soldiers to follow. As a leader, all your actions will have an end state; you need to have strong ownership of that end state. I will discuss the importance of having ownership of success and sharing the wealth of success with your subordinates. Owning your mistakes and the mistakes of your subordinates even when you could blame another. Using communication to observe possible problems while …show more content…
It is important to remember you should share the fame with your subordinates, as they helped achieve the task. Also teaching Soldiers that as they grow into a leadership role to also share the success instead of taking it for their own showing selfishness. Doing this will build trust and camaraderie leading to a constant state of readiness within your team or squad. Shared competencies will lead to a joined mindset for the mission's success and motivation to push yourself. “Accountability encourages employees to take ownership of their work and provides an opportunity for them to work together toward a common goal.” (2.). A leader does not only own their successes, but they also own up to their mistakes, which is what I will now …show more content…
Communicate clearly and consistently with your soldiers so they are comfortable with approaching you to give you feedback. It is equally important to listen to them so you can know what to work on yourself, which will lead to them being better as well. You will be able to see the weaknesses you have as a leader and then you will be able to address them. A Leader also needs to be able to take constructive criticism and advice from senior leaders. Being open to learning constantly will lead to competence that competence will lead to trust from seniors and subordinates alike. Myself, I prefer to have constant feedback once anything is completed. I also like to ask questions to my first-line supervisor on what they would have done differently or what I need to improve on. “Informal communication, in which team members freely communicate with each other, is also important to team success.” as stated in Army training publication 6-22.6, Army Team Building
An environment where military members account for themselves as well as others will have a powerful positive impact. Accountability is a must have for all effective
Their optimism and devotion as well as their dexterity to make strategic and sometimes risky plans are characteristics they share, while their devotion and loyalties as well as their personal ideologies contrast. In the midst of detrimental military conflict the attributes of an inspirational leader are reflected in his men, thus ensuring a tenacious and competent
Accountability Is something that is very important and leader and superiors in the Military or in any job for that reason, for the simple fact that it is not only a requirement for you but also very important to your supervisors or chain of command depending on your situation. You can resort to accountability for many reason when it comes to daily productivity as a team or group. Maintaining accountability of anything wether it be equipment or people can be very helpful when it comes to dividing tasks and assignments or just keeping track of everybody or everything you are in charge of. Punctuality is also very important and plays a very big part in accountability, for example, a soldier is late to formation and doesn’t inform his supervisor, this can lead to his supervisor not being able to provide accurate numbers to his/her
It teaches that regardless of facing great challenges, a military leader must demonstrate resilience and insistence. A leader must be flexible in his judgment, beliefs, tactics, and actions. By following Wheeler’s example, a leader must do the utmost to accomplish maximum results with available resources. In addition, discipline is one of the most important characteristic of an Army at all times. Leaders have the obligation to command their troops under any situation and under no circumstance should never allow the lack of discipline.
It takes a lot of time and effort to develop one’s own abilities to the point of mastery. However, it is necessary to be able to pass on knowledge and experience to subordinates (Dept. of the Army, 2019). Subordinates look to leaders to answer their questions and to guide them through the unknown. It is the responsibility of leaders to have the answers or be able to find them. This does not mean that leaders should perform tasks in place of their subordinates.
Returning to the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) to assume command as the brigade commander brings me much joy to be reunited with great Non-Commission Officers and Officers that I have previously served with. Unfortunately, this brigade is no longer the brigade I remember when I commanded a battalion within the 4th ABCT not so long ago. In the last 30 days, I have had the opportunity to observe the ABCT and review a multitude of historical documents to assess the state of the brigade. During my observation, I believe the critical leadership problem in the 4th ABCT’s is the lack of vision for the brigade. Therefore, this critical problem has led to other challenging issues within the brigade.
Through the past 11 years that I have been an enlisted Soldier, I have seen the value of leadership and the effect good and poor leadership can have on Soldiers and
Influential leaders balance the long-term needs of the Army, the near-term and career needs of their subordinates, and the immediate needs of their unit's mission (1). The Army Leader Development Strategy states that "successful leaders recognize that continually developing their subordinate leaders is the key to the long-term health of the Army" (5). [1] The Army intends to develop its soldiers in the operational, institutional, and personal domains (2). These domains allow individual soldiers to control their career development with the guidance of their chain of command and the Army progressively and sequentially. The fundamental truth is that soldiers accomplish tasks because they do not want to let each other down (1).
When a squad leader listens and shows interest in soldiers’ performance, they are likely to appreciate and put effort in their work. Accountability saves time and finances. When soldiers in an organization are answerable and responsible for their actions, utilization of time and funds is adequately spent in among others, identifying solutions towards a challenge as opposed to trying to determine the problem. In this situation, accountability means that every soldier conducts their roles competently, and if a problem occurs, they raise it up instead of keeping quiet and letting it eventually create a bigger consequence. In conclusion, the building of accountability in an organization is crucial.
We all understand how to be a good Soldier. We must not only know those values, we must encompass them. As Dempsey says; (2010) “The Army Ethic begins with the moral values the Army defends” (p. 12). As a Human Resources Sergeant in the Profession of Arms, we have a calling. We have been called upon to take care of so many in so many different ways.
Among these five characteristics; military expertise, honorable service, trust, esprit de corps, and stewardship of the profession, I believe that military expertise and stewardship of the profession are the two characteristics that make a leader excel in the presence of their peers. ADRP 1 defines military expertise as, “Military expertise is the design, generation, support, and ethical application of land power, primarily in unified land operations, and all supporting capabilities essential to accomplish the mission in defense of the American people”. In order to gain trust from your subordinates for them to follow your guidance, a leader must have military expertise. Without being an expert in your field, subordinates will not trust your guidance provided unto them. ADRP 1 defines Stewardship of the Profession as, “Stewardship is the responsibility of Army professionals to ensure the profession maintains its five essential characteristics now and into the future”.
The Importance of Accountability in the U.S. Army Every living thing on Earth demands discipline and accountability, but when it comes to U.S. Army, soldiers are trained specifically in these subjects. There are extreme costs at risk if these principles are not held high by the Armed Forces. Most organized Armies focus on the importance of accountability and teach it in the very beginning stages of readiness. Accountability includes things such as showing up on time to safeguarding sensitive records, keeping account of resources to watching out for fellow soldiers. Almost everything can be tied back to the importance of accountability.
These are just a few of the army values and how they play an important part in an effective leader and follower’s day to day
Leadership in the Army is the fundamental foundation of the organization. Leaders like Officers and Non- Commission Officers implement and set the standard of leader to soldiers. These leaders ensure the Army soldiers are trained and prepare for any hardships they face. The term Leadership can be defined differently based on the organization in which the term is applied to. In the Army Leadership can be described as a "characterized by a complex mix of organizational, situational, and mission demands on a leader who applies personal qualities, abilities, and experiences to exert influence on the organization, its people, the situation, and the unfolding mission" (ADP 6-22).
Be aware of who is above you in your hierarchy structure. It helps avoid going outside of your chain of command and to eliminate any potential obstacles you may come into contact with. If at any time you feel your current leadership is not helpful or causing more problems than usual, you should ask to be lead by someone else who better suits you. The Army defines leadership as “Influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.” Douglas McCarther says "A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.