Posted on May 13, 2015
How Important is the Relationship between the Commander and CSM?
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Old Post back in May 2015, but still prevalent today in 2018 and I have more connections that I would like to hear from.
How many Commanders and CSM teams knew when to lead from the front and knew when to lead from behind?
What is your definition of the phrase "Know when to lead from the front and know when to lead from behind?
Are we teaching our junior officers and non-commissioned officers "when to" and "when not to"?
I would just like to hear the feedback and some of the great "war stories" of great command teams out there. I was blessed to have great CSMs at the Brigade and Battalion levels. Our relationship and how we worked together made all the difference in our command tours; difference our our junior leaders; and the overall culture and climate of the units.
How many Commanders and CSM teams knew when to lead from the front and knew when to lead from behind?
What is your definition of the phrase "Know when to lead from the front and know when to lead from behind?
Are we teaching our junior officers and non-commissioned officers "when to" and "when not to"?
I would just like to hear the feedback and some of the great "war stories" of great command teams out there. I was blessed to have great CSMs at the Brigade and Battalion levels. Our relationship and how we worked together made all the difference in our command tours; difference our our junior leaders; and the overall culture and climate of the units.
Command
Leadership Development
Leadership
CSM
What Would You Do
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 41
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A close relationship between a Commander, and a CSM or 1SG for that matter is a key to success. Is it necessary? Probably, not, but is makes things much better for all concern.
I had a 1SG relieved as a Company Commander and a CSM as Brigade Commander. Never forgot that the Commander, alone is responsible.
But, that relationship matters. Having someone to vent on/with, discuss issues with, hang with, and to tell you when you are off base (ate up/not wearing any clothes) is essential. But, even if you are not close, any good 1SG/CSM (and they all are) will always do the right thing and watch your six. COL Mikel J. Burroughs
I had a 1SG relieved as a Company Commander and a CSM as Brigade Commander. Never forgot that the Commander, alone is responsible.
But, that relationship matters. Having someone to vent on/with, discuss issues with, hang with, and to tell you when you are off base (ate up/not wearing any clothes) is essential. But, even if you are not close, any good 1SG/CSM (and they all are) will always do the right thing and watch your six. COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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The importance of the relationship between a CO and 1SG is as close as Military rank structure can get to equaling the importance of the relationship between spouses. Absolutely crucial.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
Good Copy! It's a bond of enormous strength and importance! Thanks SGT Hanner!
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SGT Richard H.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs Great topic, Sir. As I think back, I can remember working under CO/1SG teams that were on both sides of that relationship coin. The ones that didn't find common ground were actually pretty toxic.
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The CSM has to feel his opinion is being heard by the CDR, otherwise there is no point to have the team. Do they have to be "friends?," no.
I've heard it mentioned many times in my career that the CSM is the CDRs Battle Buddy. They take care of each other.
I have seen Commanders who don't and for other reasons he failed. It wasn't for lack of support from his CSM (or the CSMs that followed him because he left).
It could go the other way, but I don't have a perspective on that.
I've heard it mentioned many times in my career that the CSM is the CDRs Battle Buddy. They take care of each other.
I have seen Commanders who don't and for other reasons he failed. It wasn't for lack of support from his CSM (or the CSMs that followed him because he left).
It could go the other way, but I don't have a perspective on that.
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CW3 Jim Norris
Dave:
Just like a commander that has a senior warrant in her/his command and doesn't seek out their advice on matters of that warrants specialty, a commander that doesn't listen closely to his CSM is losing visibility of the men and women who perform the mission daily. His company commanders are not going to be totally transparent in thier responses to him, heck thier career could end quickly if they did...and they're bright young officers. The CSM watches, listens and often is a interperture for the commander. Morale impact, true soldier readiness to fight and leadership skills of company commanders, first sargents, and often platoon leaders are all items that the CSM has great knowledge of. Without a deep professional respect from both for each other, the command will never reach the level of competency that it could.
Just like a commander that has a senior warrant in her/his command and doesn't seek out their advice on matters of that warrants specialty, a commander that doesn't listen closely to his CSM is losing visibility of the men and women who perform the mission daily. His company commanders are not going to be totally transparent in thier responses to him, heck thier career could end quickly if they did...and they're bright young officers. The CSM watches, listens and often is a interperture for the commander. Morale impact, true soldier readiness to fight and leadership skills of company commanders, first sargents, and often platoon leaders are all items that the CSM has great knowledge of. Without a deep professional respect from both for each other, the command will never reach the level of competency that it could.
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SPC Dave Loeffler
Being a draftee and a very juniorNCO in my brief time this is the units leadership team. I underscore the word team. They control the units overall performance, attitude, and most of all the end result. Having a very strong leadership team in Vietnam resulted in a relative low causality rate and a willingness to do anything for the captain or Top! Our battalion HQ had the same level of leadership !! One soldiers opinion mind you but I feel this should be part of our officer and NCO training programs.
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MAJ Hugh Blanchard
Every officer should pay close attention to the advice his senior NCO and his senior Warrant Officer provides. They have almost always seen it all before and have good ideas on how to handle challenging situations. And they will never ever deliberately steer you wrong.
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