How often do you seek mentorship from your subordinates?

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:12:25 -0500

Your subordinates usually come to you for guidance, but do you ever seek guidance from them?

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made Mar 10 at 2016 6:14 PM

SPC Andrew Griffin — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:14:18 -0500

I Seek Mentorship from any Angel God's sends my way! It doesn't matter the Rank!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 6:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:16:39 -0500

As a NCO, I regularly talked with my Soldiers one on one to ask them about how they're dealing with personal situations, work, and CoC. You can't see everything. Top down and down up.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 10 at 2016 6:22 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:22:18 -0500

I did all the time because I changed jobs so often the enlisted were the subject matter experts.

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made Mar 10 at 2016 6:25 PM

MAJ Rene De La Rosa — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:25:49 -0500

I often round on my subordinates to find out what is going on in their particular lives i.e how school is going, where they see their career going, future assignments, becoming an officer, etc. I also ask for feedback from them, because that way I know what I need to focus on more. Some really candid discussions have revealed areas of concern from both perspectives. The one take away is that I have a group that I trust and they trust me, because they see me out and about with them.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 6:26 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 18:26:19 -0500

That is one good thing about being a small unit, even when I have issues, I can go to my troops for advice.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 7:15 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:15:35 -0500

Yes, I am doing it right now as I take on a new job. I won't call it mentorship though. Big difference between explaining what your job is and how you do it and mentorship.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 7:31 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:31:18 -0500

Frequently.
Leaders that think they have a monopoly on good ideas fail miserably.
Often, the user-end guys have had time to think of ways to do something better, and you are a damned fool if you don't listen.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 7:57 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:57:18 -0500

All the time. I usually just watch them though and get visual advise, without trying to look to creepy.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 8:02 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:02:37 -0500

After every exercise, I asked my immediate subordinates to provide me anonymous comments to help me improve my performance. My Deputy gathered them all and submitted them to me. After I read them, I went and talked with him and got clarifications or further thoughts. Between that feedback and the daily discussions with my Sergeants Major, I improved tremendously. Subordinates will see gaps in your performance that others will not. Having the trust and confidence to ask for their honest feedback provides you a tremendous opportunity to improve.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 8:27 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:27:26 -0500

I often seek input and suggestions from the NCOs in my unit. Their input is invaluable and critical to mission success.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 8:56 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:56:16 -0500

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person.
There is a difference between mentorship and advice. As a company commander, I would often seek the advice of my 1SG, although I wouldn't exactly consider him a subordinate, and my platoon sergeants. When you are talking about an PL and a PSG, you might be able to use the term mentorship but it's more of a symbiotic relationship.
As far as seeking mentorship from a subordinate, never. If you, as a leader, are seeking mentorship from a subordinate, you probably shouldn't be in that position.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2016 8:59 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:59:06 -0500

SPC Bernardy,

BLUF: Never

I think there are some conflicting terms in your question. However, I do believe there is a lesson to be learned here. I think that when we look at mentorship, guidance/advice there is a big difference. One of your jobs as a leader is to mentor your subordinates. That being said, I have a hard time believing that a Leader is seeking mentorship form a subordinate, to me that indicates a problem with the chain of command OR the soldier seeking mentorship. I firmly believe that you can learn from your soldiers and that they can be the source of great ideas. However, this should not be confused with mentorship in my opinion. At best, I would call it collaboration in order to complete the mission. I think that we start to lose where the lines are drawn into the sand when the subordinate becomes the mentor. If this is the case than we have completely failed in our respective responsibilities as leaders and as peers.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 10 at 2016 9:02 PM

Maj John Bell — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:02:48 -0500

There is no more important advisor to an officer than the SNCO paired off at his level Plt Ldr- Plt Sgt, CO - 1st Sgt etc. and if there is time when you are issuing your orders, it is good to find out if any subordinate leaders suspect "land mines" you've overlooked.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Mar 10 at 2016 9:55 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 21:55:35 -0500

I never had one mentor me but I would get them to teach me new stuff. Whenever I was not up to speed on what we were about to do, I would ask my Joes to throw me a bone and school me. There are a lot of NCO who would never do that but IMO they are just hurting themselves. Don't limit yourself in who you can learn from. You can learn things from subordinates, peers, and superiors.

Response by Cpl Jon Westbrook made Mar 10 at 2016 11:04 PM

Cpl Jon Westbrook — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 23:04:16 -0500

When I first got to 2/1 I was lost in the sauce and completely out of my element. My chain of command didn't help me and expected me to know everything because I was a corporal, even though I was security forces.

But I turned to my Team Leaders and seeked guidance, and no matter what happened after that, I had their respect. Because I may have not been the best squad leader, but I was the only one who admitted he didn't know what was going on and asked for help. And the men respected that, even if my chain of command didn't.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 10 at 2016 11:38 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 23:38:03 -0500

Yes, I often did SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member. Not so much mentorship, as a sensing of how I was doing. I always was told, and I believe, if you want to know how you are doing as a leader, ask those who you lead...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2016 1:43 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 13:43:09 -0500

I had to reclass to a new MOS as a SSG. Walking into a MOS that I have no prior history with was a humbling experience. I had to rely on my high speed Specialists to assist me with catching up on what I needed to know in my new field. They were just shocked that I wanted to get in on the hands on training to learn the ins and outs of the job. They told me they expected that I would just stay inside and have them do everything...lol So I was able to get some good team building with them and earn their respect and trust.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2019 12:14 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 12:14:49 -0500

Mentorship, No. I get along with my SMSgt and respect her opinion but no. I would ask her advice when dealing with a work situation, but she can't really help me on career progression and changing careers as an officer. Mentorship is when I want someone to guide me on a career path and help me achieve something similar to what they have done. I want to talk to a higher ranking officer who has changed careers ideally mid career like I am doing, going to school full time after military and transitioning branches. She can't help with that.

Advice, Yes but only to my SMSgt. She is pretty much other than the first sergeant and chief who has all the information and since she's my SMSgt, and I'm her Captain we generally kept things between us. Its really not the airman's place to see if I struggle with a decision or course of action.

( forgive the lingo differences I am in the process of transitioning from Air Force line officer to Army JAG)