Don T Be A Water Bucket Leader

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John C. Maxwell

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 creed of the noncommissioned officer is a baseline for all noncommissioned officers Corporal all the way up to Sergeant Major, on how to conduct oneself in the leading of soldiers. It does not outline every single situation you may come into throughout your military career but if you live this creed then you should be set for success. In this paper we are going to take an in depth look into the creed and how you can apply every aspect of it to leadership.

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.

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).

Being a leader is always a challenge, and assuming a new command is challenging. There are a lot of expectations to me as a leader. The organization has selected me to a new position, and they believe I fulfill their standards for their leaders. The organization trust and expect me to lead, develop and achieve. My superiors and subordinates have a lot of expectations. They expect me to lead them in the best way to solve our assigned missions. In my new assignment as commander of 4th Armor Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), the main critical leadership problems are the lack of cohesive teams, ethical and work standards and the level of stress. I will through analyze explain and defend my selection of critical leadership problems and apply a model for solving them, including implementing and measuring my vision as the new brigade commander.

As discussed by Military Times (2013), the constantly assess the following traits by continually knowing myself and seeking self-improvement every chance I get, along with being technically proficient in my duties while seeking responsibility and taking responsibility for my actions. I diligently work to make sound and timely decisions while setting the example for others to emulate. I closely monitor my personnel and look out for their well-being, while keeping them informed at all times. I always develop a sense a responsibility in my followers, ensuring each task is understood, supervised, and accomplished. I regularly find new and improved ways to build teams while employing them in accordance with their capabilities.

Purpose. This memorandum outlines my vision on leadership as a senior noncommissioned officer. It also defines my leadership philosophy and principles towards seniors, peers, and subordinates. My philosophy reflects the foundation of my personal and professional beliefs that makes us successful Soldiers.

I am Joseph Maruska, I am currently a Major in the United States Air Force. This essay will introduce you to my personal command philosophy. It will also summarize and analyze a brief interview recently conducted with a current squadron commander using my own leadership philosophy as a guide. Throughout this essay I will draw upon my own personal experiences and thoughts, lessons discussed throughout the Leadership and Command Course, as well the discussion with a current squadron commander. Leadership and command styles come in many different forms and there is not necessarily a correct or incorrect way to lead depending on your organization or current turn of events. This essay is simply my thoughts after being in the Air Force for the last eleven years.

Officers of my unit will have maximum time to accomplish their duties; they will not have to accomplish mine. I will earn their respect and confidence as well as that of my soldiers. I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike. I will exercise initiative by taking appropriate action in the absence of orders. I will not compromise my integrity, nor my moral courage. I will not forget, nor will I allow my comrades to forget that we are professionals, Noncommissioned Officers, leaders!

L201 sets the scene for the L200 block of instruction. Throughout L200, you will integrate your organizational-level leadership perspective from a commander’s point of view. The Army confidently declares “commanders are responsible for all their unit does or fails to do.” What does this really mean and what are the implications? You will examine three areas of command in this lesson: 1) develop an understanding of the mental shift required of a leader that is assuming command of an organization; 2) review the commander’s assessment methodology and if that methodology changes when a leader becomes a commander; and 3) examine how the philosophy of mission command supports the central role of the commander and assists them in taking command.

My time in the military has shown me that I have a need for order and discipline. I want to instill this trait into my subordinates and affectively give them the tools to succeed and complete the mission both home and abroad. I lead from the front and never leave those willing to strive for betterment. My plan involves completing my degree and obtaining the knowledge level needed to effectively take care of and train my replacements in true values, pride in ownership and family values. A stepping stone is that anyone can learn from anyone, even if it’s what not to do. I challenge myself to right all the wrong styles of leadership that I have experienced throughout my career and be that exception to the policy/good ole boy club members. The Air Force can change with assistance from those willing to make the change. I have given blood for my countries ideals and know I will give my every effort to help produce the most capable and experience airmen for the purpose set by our CINC. I

In a recent lecture, Chris Connolly said, “Years ago, psychology students brought home two fighting fish in a bowl. The objective of their experiment was to observe as the fish asserted their dominance. The fish positioned themselves head to head, and students would watch the fish charge at each other. After the first fish struck, the second would eventually rebound and charge at the first. The experiment could last 10 minutes, 10 hours, or 10 days. At some point, one of the fish would give up, and the other would continue to strike it until it died.” The moral of Chris Connolly’s story was not to give up. Every leader will put up one last fight and stay in for one more round. Regardless of how intimidating the battle ahead is, no burden is too relentless, and no peak is too high. No matter how many times life knocks them down, they stand up. Leaders’ dreams are larger than mountains, and they have the courage to scale their summits. They do so not for themselves but for others, because they are willing to work for what they are passionate about. A laborer’s appetite works for him, and his drives him on (Johnson, 2015). Leaders ask themselves and others, “What is your appetite?” As they move forward, they ask, “Is this what I am hungry for? Will this drive me forward every single day?” Leaders inspire others by asking fundamental questions about who they are, what their purpose is, and how they influence the course of history.

To facilitate mission command within my organization, I must first support and complement the commander’s authority and direction in exercising mission command. Next, I must ensure the Soldiers in my organization understand mission command and their role in enabling mission command. By supplementing the commander in their execution of and mentoring

Life springs up around water sources. It is no coincidence that some of the greatest civilizations have been build need fertile bodies of water. Known life relies on water to sustain that life. So it is no surprise when a debate arose in 2013 around comments made by Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck regarding privatization of water and the fundamental human right to survive from dehydration and illness from non-portal water consumption. Although the context of Brabeck’s comment was taken out of context, issues surrounding the access companies like Nestlé have been given to bottle their water when people do not have access to clean water and droughts are threatening crop production. Adding a price tag is not the answer. The market, both these companies and their consumers have a major role to play in the management of water; a role that requires a change in mindset of privilege many citizen of the United States, and other countries that do not see the direct effects that serious clean water issue have on people that do not have it.