Personal ambition vs Selfless Service

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 10:55:21 -0400

Dictionary.com defines ambition as, "An earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment."

Army.mil defines selfless service as, "Put the welfare of the nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally WITHOUT THOUGHT OF RECOGNITION OR GAIN.” (Emphasis added)

The military recognizes that ambition can be a positive attribute in Soldiers, but at what point does personal ambition conflict with selfless service. I have yet to meet a senior leader that didn't have personal ambition, yet we preach to our soldiers that they should serve without even THINKING about recognition.

Where do you draw the line between a reasonable amount of personal ambition and a lack of selfless service?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2014 10:57 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 10:57:55 -0400

I believe that actions taken are more important than the motives behind them. If an NCO trains, leads, and motivates his soldiers to accomplish the mission I don’t think it really matters if he is doing so because of loyalty to country or because he wants to be picked up for promotion on his first look.

That being said, an NCO has to actually care about his Soldiers. You may be able to pull the wool over your superiors eyes, but the Soldiers with you every day know whether you actually care about them or not. Personal ambition is great, but I have a problem with NCOs who take every available school slot rather than send their Soldiers to school or take credit for everything their Soldiers do.

I think the key to balancing ambition and selfless service is ensuring NCOs understand that they are only as good as the Soldiers they lead. A truly ambitions NCO will motive those around him to excel knowing that is the only way their own career can succeed.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2014 11:29 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 23:29:04 -0400

SSG Private RallyPoint Member, I agree with your response. I think that selfless service can contribute to personal ambition. When we serve in a selfless manner, the accolades will come (and that's where personal ambition comes into play).

When we serve in a selfless manner, thinking about others more than ourselves, we contribute to mission accomplishment and the unit's (/Army's) success. All that will come back around and result in individual recognition. And if it's delayed, no worries. Eventually, it will come back around, guaranteed. A dear aunt of mine always used to remind me that "it will all pay off in the end." That's what I'm talking about.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Oct 27 at 2014 1:46 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:46:31 -0400

I think that this is a great question SSG Private RallyPoint Member. We should all strive to serve selflessly. We should be placing the mission, the Soldiers, the unit, above ourselves. There is a place for ambition because all of at one point or another want that next promotion, want that leadership position, want that next assignment, etc. I think that it is important to remember that the mission and the Soldiers come first. I was raised that way in the Army and I still believe that to this day.

I had a CSM tell me something a long time ago and I will never forget it. He said when in charge be in charge. That is not just a slogan either. When in charge and the mission was a tremendous success, or the CDRs intent was surpassed, or a superior rating was achieved on an inspection, you say that THEY (your Soldiers) did it. If something was jacked up, a suspense not met, or a mission failed, you say that YOU did it. You are in charge, be in charge. I believe that is ambition, the desire to be in charge and lead, and selfless service, giving credit to your Soldiers when all goes well or falling on the saber when it does not.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 2:09 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 02:09:00 -0400

I suppose it is a delicate balance of doing the job for the right reasons, however knowing that you have to excel in order to move up in the world. You can have ambition and still selflessly serve. However, it is when that ambition overshadows doing the right thing for the right reason than it becomes a problem with your character. No denying it, there are people who only do a stellar job just for the recognition and are only motivated to move up. These people sometimes do things like throw there peers under the bus and try to highlight themselves so they appear to be the best at what they do.

I would like to say that doing the right things for the right reasons will get you ahead in life always. Unfortunately that is not always the case. When I was on active duty, I was told I would have had a better career if I would have been more aggressive at being recognized by the commander. I thought that taking care of my crew and carrying out the mission was the most important thing and that it would in the end make a difference, but for me apparently my superiors were never around to see those things. I did not put myself in for awards or try to play the politics to get ahead. And at the end of the day my AD career was no longer moving up and I was destined to be right at where I was. I was fine with that, because I did not think I should have done it any other way. The people who did play the game and got ahead were the people I would not want to peers with anymore. I mutually parted ways and went into the reserves where I am appreciated for what I do much more. Maybe if circumstances were different I could have figured out that balance, but sometimes it is just a matter of bad timing.