Serving in this Military for thirty years I do the following.
Stand on regulation
Do not entertain nonsense.
Memorandum for Record for all incidents where they did not take
guidance.
Extreme circumstance requests
open-door
policy and
pull in your
CSM.
Drop EO complaint, IG, regulate your Officers if they are dirt bags do everything in your power where they do not make MAJ, LTC.
I agree that tactfully trying to handle the situation at the lowest possible level is the optimum solution, but if all other means are exhausted (as I interpreted the CPT Davis to say,) then shouldn't you take appropriate measures to ensure that you do not enable an abuse of position or power by allowing it to perpetuate?
Shouldn't you take it up a level until either 1) the situation is remedied, or 2) further investigation reveals no wrongdoing... ?
It is funny that you bring up the getting lost and how officers are helpless without NCOs. We had a competition between NCO and Officers in my unit. 15 hours through the dense woods in the back 40 at JBLM. The NCOs ended up so far off course they sent an LMTV to drive them back onto the course and we completely trashed them on the course.
I showed up to Iraq within 20 days of graduating OBC and it was a crushing weight. Having to understand my job and the extras like convoying across the country was a lot for a new LT to take in. Luckily I sat down with my PSG, an amazing NCO, and worked through courses of action. Then we provided an united front in front of the troops. Without him I would have probably failed.
Types of leaders.
A. Free-Rein Leadership:
Indirect supervision of subordinates, form of management supervision that allows others to function on their own without extensive direct supervision. People are allowed to prove themselves based upon accomplishments rather than meeting specific supervisory criteria.
B. authoritarian leadership:
A ledearship style which the leader dictates policies and procedures, decides what goals are to be achieved, and directs and controls all activities without any meaningful participation by the subordinates.
C. Delegative Leadership Style:
Delegative leadership is a somewhat hands off approach in which the leader places great responsibility on lower level managers and employees.
SSG Barin, the above definitions I had to find on the web, but in leadership school each was part of the study, from the sounds of your those leaders they sound to be more authoritarian. But then again what makes an authoritarian leader maybe something that they perhaps are being pushed into getting done with out delays, or something is causing them to be as such.
One thing I can say is that at some point in our lives as leader or better yet its been me who has found that at some point I have been all 3. But not all the time, I tend to be more delegative if I find my troops know what needs to be done.
I personally can not evaluate your condition with the given information, so I had not choice but to provide you with the definitions of the types of leaders.
I had in my past experienced your situation, but I only looked at it as following orders and it was not an order that I felt I didn't need for me to think twice.
If you feel your being invalidated, a unit transfer will handle that were nothing can be resolved. But talk to your 1st SGT first. "TOP" should be able to help you.
If your getting a unit transfer or platoon transfer, be certain that you know who your going to get involved with before making the final decision.
I know I'm coming late to the discussion and I hope the issues you were experience have been worked out. I'll still give my opinion though, since we all run into leaders like this throughout our careers.
First, always be prepared to professionally and tactfully state your case to the Leaders you are having the difference with. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You just have to wait out some folks. There isn't always a golden bullet.
Second, if your professional and tactful Soldier to Soldier interaction doesn't work, and you really have a valid concern, take it up the chain. I'll caveat this heavily though. Make sure that the issue is actually something of consequence and not just a personal disagreement of styles of leadership. I've seen personal differences turn into personal vendettas between leaders and subordinates leading to no changes in leadership, but significant hits to morale, cohesion, and reputations of all involved. My rule of thumb is "if it isn't illegal, immoral, or unethical, and that leader has the authority to make the decisions they make", I generally don't take it beyond a one on one conversation.
As much as we don't like it, toxic leaders are sometimes trials we must endure to build our own character and enhance our own leadership qualities. You can be most effective by modeling what a good leader looks like all the time. Soldiers will generally see the difference between someone who is actually being a leader and those who are just abusing power and authority. That contrast will stay with many of them their entire careers.
Just my thoughts... good luck.
I think this is a good thread for those we are trying to get to join can see the substance of some things we discuss between us as current and former military, soft spoken as well as informational and mentoring types of postings.
We also have fun at times while remaining professional.
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