Young NCO looking for guidence

Find a good mentor. Does not have to be in your chain. Schedule some time with them and lay out your goals etc.. It is always good to receive input from someone else.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes. But take responsibility and learn from them.

When you have an issue and need to address it with your supervisor, do not just go with a problem.. Think of a couple solutions (COAs). It help you with critical thinking and problem solving.

Stay ahead of the curve with SSD and NCOES. If you have not already started taking some college level courses, do so.

Listen to your troops, they are the ones doing the work and may know how to do it best, you are going to have junior officers who always think they know how to do the job better because "they are educated". Stand up for your troops when needed. Never forget where you came from, and never be afraid to step up to the plate and get your hands dirty again. I am a firm believer in, if I am going to have you do it, I would do it too.

Seek out ways to improve your communication, from your public speaking to your written communication skills. Nobody will take you seriously if you can't communicate effectively, especially when you do leave the military someday.