Advice and helpful hints for a new NCO (E-5)?

<div>The NCO Creed spells it out perfectly. Here is some additional guidance, some elaborating on principles of the Creed:</div><div><br></div>1. Separate any friendships you have with your subordinates.<div><br></div><div>2. Be absolutely technically and tactically proficient at your level and one above it.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>3. Always think two levels up. If you are trying to get something accomplished, think about what your superior will say. If you do not have a convincing argument, let it be.&nbsp;</div><div>Soldiers may not think you are taking care of them but you just increased your efficiency and can move on to something else.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Be Efficient. Wasting a persons time is the worst thing you can do. Lay out your goals daily and keep your Soldiers on task.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Never let a Soldier wait on you, You should be waiting on them.</div><div><br></div><div>6. Always let Soldiers know how valuable they are, even the mediocre ones. A true leader respects those who are of no value to them.</div><div><br></div><div>7. Counsel! Counsel often. Have someone read over them to ensure they are grammatically correct. I'm no english major, but catching a misspelling can save you embarrassment.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>9. Sound like a professional and act like one. Read books about how to be an effective leader. A good one is the 22 Laws of Irrefutable Leadership.</div><div><br></div><div>10. Always seek self-improvement. Never stop learning. Read Regs, FMs, and enroll into college and engage the life long learning process.</div><div><br></div><div>Good Luck</div><div><br></div>

SGT Walker,<div><br></div><div>The fact that you're asking for advice and showing genuine enthusiasm for being the best leader you can be makes me think you will succeed in being that empowering NCO you want to be.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>I won't pretend to know what being an NCO is like, as I've never been one, but you have some great advice here. I'd like to add three things.</div><div><br></div><div>1. You're a leader now, even when you aren't actively in front of your Soldiers leading. They will constantly be looking at you, and mirror your example. This is particularly relevant for Soldiers straight out of AIT and BCT. You may be the first NCO they meet who's not yelling at them, and they're going to do what you do. Make sure you're doing the right thing.</div><div><br></div><div>2. The best E-5s I have in my ranks have mastered working professionally with their peers. I don't know if it's a National Guard trend, but I see a lot of E-5s bickering among themselves, in front of their Soldiers, and it is all sorts of bad for the troops. If you find yourself disagreeing with your fellow NCOs, take it behind closed doors and resolve the issue.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>3. You mentioned you have not had many good examples to follow, but bad examples are sometimes the best. Take note of what you haven't liked about some of your leadership and check yourself from time to time to ensure you aren't following in their footsteps.&nbsp;</div>

<p>I think your statement "I haven't had many good examples to follow from." is to true.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have learned just as much from leaders&nbsp;what to do as what not to do.&nbsp;You received a lot of great advice here so here is my simple two cents. &nbsp;Make sure you counsel your Soldiers and tell them what they are doing well and what needs improvement. Sounds simple but I have only found about 20% of the NCOs actually do monthly counseling.&nbsp;_ - true counseling not fluff!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Help them be successful and they will make you successful. I can truly say I am where I am not because of what I did but because of what those around me did.&nbsp; When asked how did I succeeded it was pretty simple - I take care of my Soldiers and they take care of me. That means doing the hard right at times.&nbsp;Soldiers understand why you did&nbsp;if you are a leader of integrity and walk the walk / talk the talk.&nbsp; Spell out your expectations and never over react, by being yourself you will be a leader&nbsp;that the Soldiers will respect and understand your expectations.&nbsp; There are a lot of leaders that get attention because of their boisterous behavior and cockiness but I found a lot lacked true leadership when you pulled back the layers and got beyond the show.&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Leaders are made not born and anyone who says different are fooling themselves. Trust but verify even if it is coming from a superior. Granted there are times to execute without question but you would not be an NCO if you did not know the difference.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Be there when they wake up and when they go to sleep - always Out-Front! </p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Congrats on your promotion and finally take care of yourself and do those things that are required to make it to SSG. If not you will be back to your first statement "I haven't had many good examples to follow from." Be that leader who will erase this statement!!!!</p>