Thoughts and philosophies on leadership are as varied as leaders themselves. Moreover, those who have written about the subject have much more experience than I, however, my passion and love of the art and study of leadership is every bit as strong.
     I am sure that none of what will be mentioned here is new to any leader; however, many times, it is the basics that are forgotten. I feel very strongly about these leadership basics and have taken this time to share them. I’ve broken it down into sections of who, what, where, when, and why as it pertains to leadership. Though these thoughts are not all encompassing, these basics have served as my “run, block, tackle, and catch” fundamentals of leadership. The aforementioned basics are paramount to the success of any football team, and no play or special team may perform without having a solid grasp of those basics. Keeping that in mind, I feel that the basics listed below are worth mentioning and have provided the Soldiers and leaders with whom I have served great successes.
     It is important to remember that this article, like Army doctrine, is merely a guide. The basic doctrine that governs how all troops, batteries, and companies conduct business is the same. So why then, aren’t all units exceptional if the doctrine that guides them is the same? It is because as an Army, leaders are what make units great and not the doctrine. These guidelines and tenets are geared towards the senior noncommissioned officer (NCO); however, I believe that these fundamentals are applicable to leaders at all levels.
     The “who” is fairly simple; it applies to all Soldiers, DA civilians, and their families. This is our team – the Army Family. These are the people to whom we as leaders are dedicated to serve.
     The “what” of my thoughts are as follows:
·         Lead by example; commitment to our Soldiers and their Families is paramount. If you as a leader are not committed and passionate about what you do, our Soldiers will know it and will conduct themselves accordingly.
·         Have faith; trust our soldiers to do the right thing. We must foster an environment that is conducive to our Soldiers taking initiative and growing. In today’s asymmetric battlefield, Soldiers must make quick decisions that will affect lives. Harness their abilities and desire and help them to be better.
·         Keep a watchful eye; train and supervise our Soldiers always. Ensure that you are present throughout every facet of training, mission, or task. Our presence will help reinforce the importance of what they are doing. If it is important enough for our Soldiers to do, then it’s important enough for us to be there. Our presence will also help to establish parameters and keep Soldiers on task or on track.
·         Mentor, teach, and train our Soldiers; take the time to show them what “right looks like”. Don’t make assumptions about our Soldier’s knowledge base on a task or mission. If you do, do not be disappointed if the results are not up to you expectations and attempt to “blast” them because things aren’t as you wanted them.
·         Know when to step in; take the time to talk with our subordinates at every available opportunity. When supervising and inspecting training, use that time to help Soldiers understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. Soldiers will more often than not, work harder to accomplish a task or mission if they have a good understanding as to why it’s important. This will also help you to gauge strengths and weaknesses within your unit and help you to decide where you must focus your efforts on either a particular task or Soldier.
·         Evaluate our subordinate leaders; ensure that they are caring and training for our Soldiers as you know they must be. A simple way of trying to gauge the abilities and worthiness, and more importantly, the character of a leader is to ask this simple question, “Would I trust this leader with leading my own children?” If the answer is no, then work to improve this leaders abilities. If this leader cannot or does not improve, then take measures to remove the leader from position and ultimately the Army if necessary. The defense of a nation is no place for apathy or complacency, especially with leadership.
The “where” has been alluded to in the previous paragraph. These guide lines apply from the field of play to the field of battle. It should go without saying that leadership and the tenets of it, are applicher place that puts you in contact with Soldiers.
     The “when” is nowable in every environment. Apply them in the field, in garrison, in combat, and every ot and always. It is important to apply the basics of leadership presently to ensure an investment in our leadership future.
     The “why” is to preserve our Soldiers and ensure that they are properly trained, led, and cared for. America has entrusted its sons and daughters to our care and they are deserving of nothing less than our most diligent efforts and best leadership. Keeping in mind that, we as leaders must never forget that the rank and positions that we hold are bestowed upon us to serve our Soldiers and their interests, and not vice versa. Never forget where you came from. If you keep this in mind you are less likely to make arbitrary decisions and recommendations regarding the disposition of our Soldiers.
     Lead, train, and care for our Soldiers with the same care and compassion that you would your own children. Do everything in your power to ensure that are properly prepared and trained so that they may fight, win, and return.
     Remember always that leaders and NCOs are the nucleus of our Army. We must remain strong and confident. Remaining competent and vigilant will keep the power of our NCO corps. firmly in our hands. Our passion and love of what we do should permeate our organization. We must be the standard-bearers and standard enforcers. It is crucial to treat Soldiers with dignity and respect. I realize that leaders have worked hard to attain their respective rank or position. In that regard, temper your decisions with patience and understanding when dealing with challenging situations or Soldiers. Just because we can treat a subordinate a certain way, does not necessarily mean we should. 1SG’s and Sergeants Major must be extraordinarily cautious when reprimanding subordinates. Remember, we are in very powerful positions and could do more harm than good if our words or actions are overly harsh. I am not suggesting for one moment that you do not deal firmly with subordinates when they fail to meet standards or mission requirements; I am merely stating that we must proceed with the wisdom and patience that our years of experience have bestowed upon us.
     Lastly, I feel that we as leaders should strive always to have Soldiers give loyal to the person we are and not the rank we wear. Regulation mandates that respect and loyalty be given to the rank; however, it is much more a challenge and an ultimate reward to have Soldiers respect the leader beneath the rank. Something that I have tried to convey as a leader is to exude the youthful enthusiasm of a young corporal with the knowledge, wisdom, and the temperament of a Sergeant Major.
     These thoughts are neither prolific nor profound; however, these basics have continued to serve me well. Leadership, as with anything, is a continual learning and evolving process. According to John Maxwell, longtime leadership expert and author, as well as Command Sergeant (CSM) Major Philip Rowland, 94 Army Air and Missile Defense Command, and CSM (Retired) Ricky Lovett, former battalion Command Sergeant Major of the 3^rd battalion, 2^nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 31^st ADA Brigade, men whom I respect tremendously, it takes about 20 years to develop a sergeant major or good leader. I realize that this is just the opinion of a small few; however, it merits thought in that leadership is an ongoing and long process. Leaders must always strive to learn and grow. In this way we are continually improving, not for ourselves, but for those whom we lead.