SSD2 Module 3 Notes

The culture and climate of a well-disciplined unit should be apparent by its strong core values and attributes displayed by its unit members. Recruiting and processing qualified applicants with good moral values and strong character traits is where it starts. In addition, Basic Combat Training (BCT) further strengthens a Soldier’s moral fiber, focuses on building strong leadership skills, and instills the core values of the Army. The Army needs “standard bearers,” not Soldiers and Leaders who choose the easy wrong over the hard right. Providing proper training and honest feedback will create competence in our military ethics. We need Soldiers and Leaders of strong character that will teach, coach, and mentor the next generation of leaders. A positive command climate and demanding culture is the substance of developing unit cohesion and esprit de corps. Army ethics will continue to struggle if it does not have leaders at every level to enforce the importance of its core values and principles. A strong culture and positive climate play a vital role in shaping our force for the future.

Independent of the Army and country you serve, leadership is always an important subject. There are many civilian books and military manuals talking about leadership. The United States Army divides the subject leadership in three levels. These levels are Direct Leadership, Organizational Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In this paper, the focus will be only about the first two levels. According with you rank, you will work more in one of these levels. Because of that, most part of time there is not much interaction between higher-level leaders and lower level leaders. Despite the limited interaction between higher level leaders like Brigade commanders with the lower level leader like company commander it’s not affect a satisfactory mission accomplishment.

The United States Army has implemented models called the Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs) and the Operations Process in order to facilitate a commander 's capacity to effectively and efficiently organize a task. When these models are executed together, they create a framework for leaders at various levels to excel in any situations they might encounter. Understanding the significance of the relationship between these models requires an in-depth understanding of each of them specifically. Each step of the Troop Leading Procedures contains numerous factors which reflect upon the other steps as well as the entire Operations Process. Likewise, each aspect of the Operations Process profoundly influences the decisions made throughout the TLPs. When applied together correctly, the Operations Process and Troop Leading Procedures provide a structure for strong and adaptable operational leadership.

The Army's definition of leadership is “the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.” An army leader is anyone who inspires and influences people to accomplish their goals. Leaders motivate people both inside and outside the army to help them pursue their goals, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the better of the army. Leadership can be acquired by anyone as long as they have the self-determination to do so. The main principles of leadership in the army are broken down in to the acronym LDRSHIP (loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, personal courage), characteristics the army aims to instilled in each

One important expression for army leadership is BE-KNOW-DO. Army leadership begins with what the leader must BE, the values and attributes that shape character. A leader can think of these as internal and defining qualities possessed all the time. As defining qualities, they make up the identity of the leader. Values and attributes are the same for all leaders, regardless of position, although refined through experience and assumption of positions of greater responsibility. For example, a sergeant major with combat experience may have a deeper understanding of selfless service and personal courage than a new soldier.

Leadership development in the military is critical to its mission and objectives. Understanding and embracing leadership will foster an agile culture and facilitate attainment of strategic goals. People desire quality leadership to assist with achieving their goals, albeit personal or professional development. Having a clear vision and the motivation to perform at high-levels influences others to work synergistically together to achieve organizational goals. Insomuch, employees value being treated respectfully, fairly, and ethically. Leaders serve people best when they help them develop their own initiative and good judgment, enable them to grow, and help them become better contributors.

The United States Army is a complex organization made up of several commands and managed by different command levels. The U.S. Army is an organization different from that of a business in many unique ways. Specific examples of these differences include: financial reporting, disciplinary review procedures, and tactical operations. Although different in many ways, the Army shares many similar characteristics of a normal profit business. Army personnel are managed by supervisors arranged in a command structure similar to that of a business hierarchy. The Army will also encounter internal and external factors that could impede or enhance operations. As such, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling must be used by managers appropriately

My leadership philosophy revolves entirely around the Army Values. In every action I take as a leader, I assess whether or not it lines up with the Army Values and the potential impacts. I have had a variety of leadership assignments during my career, all requiring a different leadership approach, spanning from team leader through platoon sergeant. My conflict resolution skills have greatly evolved through my twelve years in the Army, from rudimentary conversations to in depth problem solving. My professional development has had a profound effect on my leadership abilities, from NCOPD’s to mentorship from senior non-commissioned officers (NCO’s).

In 2012, General Dempsey states “Mission Command is fundamentally a learned behavior to be imprinted into the DNA of a profession of arms.” The way Mission Command has evolved through the past years is indicative to the US Military adjusting to a new threat. The concept of Mission Command is not new, what is important is how General Dempsey states “Education in the fundamental principles of mission command must begin at the start of service and be progressively more challenging..” The General emphasizes the need for education at the start of the individual’s service. Additionally, this highlights the United States Army’s doctrinal adjustment to the new threat. During the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US faced an enemy whose creativity and adaptability are two of its greatest assets. The fast-paced situation changes in both of those AOs required tactical level leadership maintain the autonomy to “exercise disciplined initiative.” This type of initiative historically leads to mission success, specifically in fast-paced situations where a key to success is forcing the enemy to react.

The charge of mission accomplishment and the wellbeing of Soldiers are the ever present goals of the outstanding Army leader. Good leaders know that well trained, physically fit, highly motivated, disciplined Soldiers are better able to complete the mission; the outstanding Army leader is unrelenting in working to ensure that Soldiers are well prepared in every possible way to meet known challenges and are agile, flexible and adaptive to meet challenges yet

Leadership goals should always contain methods of a continuous process of learning through education, training, and individual experiences that help ensure that the message will be communicated in a confident and competent manner when leading troops. Soldiers tend to follow leaders that demonstrate and live the Army values, while displaying their confidence in every decision that affects change. Leaders are not born as organizational or tactical leaders; but grown by their genetic determinism, which is inside and the characteristics they work toward; that mold is which type leader they will become. Not just anyone can lead; you must have the desire to lead, be willing to make the commitment to being a leader, and prepare yourself properly, then you have the desire to become a leader. (Fulton, 1995).

The Army Profession encompasses teams of individual Soldiers, with different technical abilities and education, who work together within a unit, a command, the Army as a whole for a common goal of achieving the mission. The Army Profession depends not only on good leadership but also good followers. Each individual Soldier needs to be able to lead and follow in order to collectively work together towards the collective result.

As stewards of our profession, commanders ensure that military expertise continues to develop and be passed on to aspiring professionals through operational development. It is during this developmental phase that Professional Soldiers put their knowledge and skills to the test. Operational Army units certify and recertify their Professional Soldiers through repetitive and realistic training events including the Combat Life Saver Course, platoon live fires, and exercises at the National Training Center. In the course of these challenging and realistic experiences, the Army’s operational units develop Soldiers and leaders prepared to maintain high standards, discipline, and operational readiness. Operational development and adaptability will continue to drive changes in Army doctrine, organization, leadership, and education as we enter the post-war era. Without this kind of development, the Army could not maintain a well-disciplined professional fighting force.

Given the proliferation of missions that often have multiple objectives aligned to counterterrorism, humanitarian aid, and national defense, the alacrity at which the armed forces are expected to integrate and quickly deliver results in a foreign nation is increasing. The cross-cultural competency (3C) model is designed as a foundation for streamlining the cultural assimilation process, providing leaders and subordinates with a more efficient approach to quickly understanding and become effective in a culture different than one's own (Abbe, Gulick, Herman, 2007). As the alacrity and intensity of cultural assimilation is increasing across all branches of the military, combined with greater levels of mission complexity and required collaboration of foreign governments and agencies, developing a effective 3C model is essential for mission success. The intent of this analysis is to provide insights into how leaders can manage diversity more effectively in the military, especially those called upon to serve in cultures significantly different than one's own. Training in cross-cultural competency often includes references to the Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions and the specific attributes of collectivism versus individuality, two potentially polarizing aspects of military leadership in foreign regions (Goodman, 2012). The Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions is complimentary ot the 3C Model in that is

Imagine being a military leader deployed to the same location twice with the last stint being for two years. The advantages of knowing the environment, culture, and people allow one to be equipped with invaluable tools. Pair experience with established relationships and the recipe for success dramatically increases.