The more we wait for inspired leadership the less inspired we become. How do YOU inspire people beyond the norm?

Ghandi said "be the change you wish to see in the world." This is a powerful sentence and one that definitely applies to our military. Don't sit back and wait for inspired leadership, BE that inspiring leader.

I do my best to maintain a positive attitude regardless of the situation I am in. A positive attitude goes a long way; especially in a unit where morale may not be where it needs to be, or if there are other underlying issues. Maintain consistency and predictability in your actions. Soldiers need to know what they are going to get from you. Show them that you deliver. Words are important, but actions trump all. If you do the right thing all the time, you will never have to look over your shoulder. By doing the right thing consistently, staying positive, and letting your actions speak for yourself, you are doing those things that should inspire others. Be the change.

SGM (Join to see) Interesting thought. I would think many of us have been in units where the leadership has benn "wanting" at some point in our careers. Hopefully those time were not often. It didn't take long as a Junior leader to learn that when inspiring leadership is not provided from above, you learn how to develop it yourself....if you care!

I learned by watching what leaders (not just from my unit) of experiece annd higher rank were doing. By doing so, I also learned from those uninspiring persons in leadership positions, what not to do and how not to act toward my Soldiers. Therefore over the years I learned a lot about what to do, how to do, and how NOT to do or be.

I made it a point to often tell my Soldiers, Squad Leaders, Section and Platoon Sergeants that good leaders and leadership can rub off on you and you not realize it right away, however, pay attention when you're around poor leadership, bad leadership, and no leadership at all. Put that in your memory bank and say, "When I get to be in his position, I damn sure will never do that or be that way!" I've been retired over 18 yrs now, and it brings a big smile to me when I hear one of my former Soldiers who made the Army a career and went on to PSGs, 1SGs, SGM and CSMs and some that went on to become officers and in fact curreontly serving today.

Leadership qualities come both natural and also learned! Natural Leaders do not know it all, as we all face situations that are new, unknown and difficult. Often it's those learned leadership skills and bad leadership skills that was noted and avoided that make you the leader you are today. Those skills you do not find in a book. It has to experienced, both good and bad! Good topic SGM!

Very well stated, 1SG (Join to see) and 1SG Steven Stankovich You sound like the kind of leaders that I tried to learn from and emulate.