https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I don’t think any other profession focuses as much on leadership and hierarchy as the military. Every rank in the chain of command down to team leader is a position of leadership. Even when there are only two people, one is in charge of the other - either designated or by date of rank. But what is leadership and what do leaders do? <br /><br />Leadership is a long-term process of getting people to accomplish goals by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. Kouzes and Posner, in their book The Challenge of Leadership, describe leadership as a relationship. It is a relationship between followers and their leader. Effective leadership development requires mutual recognition and acceptance of leader and follower roles. Every leader in the military is also a follower. To be a good leader, one must be a good follower. Leadership is a reciprocal relationship between leaders and followers. There cannot be one without the other.<br /><br />Purpose is the reason to achieve a desired goal. Followers expect and deserve leaders to provide clear purpose. To do this, leaders must understand the mission and the objectives and should frequently communicate them to their followers so they can start the process with the end in mind. So often followers don’t understand the mission but do what they are asked without question. In such cases, initiative is stifled. <br /><br />Kouzes and Posner conducted a survey with over 75,000 people to determine what traits they look for in their leaders. 71% selected “forward looking”. In other words, providing purpose. Leaders determine the course of action necessary to achieve the mission and communicate instructions, orders, and directives to their followers. They must ensure that followers understand and accept direction.<br /><br />Providing clear direction involves communicating what to do to accomplish the mission: prioritizing tasks, assigning responsibility for completion, and ensuring followers understand the standard. Although followers want and need direction, they expect challenging tasks, quality training, and adequate resources. They should have appropriate freedom of action to achieve the mission. Providing clear direction allows followers to adapt to changing circumstances through modifying plans and orders, but that does not mean micro-management. Followers don’t always need guidance down to the details. Leaders need to learn when to provide detailed guidance and when to focus only on direction. It is a difficult balance best learned through experience.<br />Leaders match their teams to the work required. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) define most routine tasks. As new missions arise and priorities change, assignments will differ. Higher-level positions, like battalion commanders, have a staff to help perform these assignments and prioritization functions. Lower level leaders don’t have this luxury.<br /> <br />Leaders should provide direction from both near-term and long-term perspectives. Critical actions that must be accomplished immediately require a near-term focus; however, many missions and objectives tend to be long-term. Near-term tasks and crisis can consume inexperienced leaders and cause them to fail to achieve the long-term missions. Some tasks can become so routine and repetitive to the point of numbing the brain and killing a leader’s innovation and initiative. <br /><br />When tasks are difficult, adaptive leaders identify and account for the capabilities of the team. Some tasks will be routine and require little clarification, while others will present new challenges for the team. Often there is a tendency to assign the same task to a follower that is knowledgeable on the task. When leaders do that, it removes any challenge and hinders development and learning. Leaders should challenge their associates with new and exciting tasks from time to time.<br /><br />Good direction depends on understanding how tasks are progressing so the leader knows if and when to provide clarification. Most followers have a desire to demonstrate competence in their work, so leaders need to be careful that they do not reduce this drive.<br /><br />The military does a great job of teaching leadership, but we are kidding ourselves if we think we know all there is to know about leadership after attending a couple of military courses. Part of being a good leader is making a study of leadership. The above paragraphs are just a short summary of one aspect of leadership; the definition and roles of leaders. Authors have written volumes on leadership and still haven’t covered all aspects. Leaders must make studying the art of leadership one of their personal priorities. Coupling the knowledge gained by studying with actual experience is what makes a good leader. Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:03:10 -0500 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I don’t think any other profession focuses as much on leadership and hierarchy as the military. Every rank in the chain of command down to team leader is a position of leadership. Even when there are only two people, one is in charge of the other - either designated or by date of rank. But what is leadership and what do leaders do? <br /><br />Leadership is a long-term process of getting people to accomplish goals by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. Kouzes and Posner, in their book The Challenge of Leadership, describe leadership as a relationship. It is a relationship between followers and their leader. Effective leadership development requires mutual recognition and acceptance of leader and follower roles. Every leader in the military is also a follower. To be a good leader, one must be a good follower. Leadership is a reciprocal relationship between leaders and followers. There cannot be one without the other.<br /><br />Purpose is the reason to achieve a desired goal. Followers expect and deserve leaders to provide clear purpose. To do this, leaders must understand the mission and the objectives and should frequently communicate them to their followers so they can start the process with the end in mind. So often followers don’t understand the mission but do what they are asked without question. In such cases, initiative is stifled. <br /><br />Kouzes and Posner conducted a survey with over 75,000 people to determine what traits they look for in their leaders. 71% selected “forward looking”. In other words, providing purpose. Leaders determine the course of action necessary to achieve the mission and communicate instructions, orders, and directives to their followers. They must ensure that followers understand and accept direction.<br /><br />Providing clear direction involves communicating what to do to accomplish the mission: prioritizing tasks, assigning responsibility for completion, and ensuring followers understand the standard. Although followers want and need direction, they expect challenging tasks, quality training, and adequate resources. They should have appropriate freedom of action to achieve the mission. Providing clear direction allows followers to adapt to changing circumstances through modifying plans and orders, but that does not mean micro-management. Followers don’t always need guidance down to the details. Leaders need to learn when to provide detailed guidance and when to focus only on direction. It is a difficult balance best learned through experience.<br />Leaders match their teams to the work required. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) define most routine tasks. As new missions arise and priorities change, assignments will differ. Higher-level positions, like battalion commanders, have a staff to help perform these assignments and prioritization functions. Lower level leaders don’t have this luxury.<br /> <br />Leaders should provide direction from both near-term and long-term perspectives. Critical actions that must be accomplished immediately require a near-term focus; however, many missions and objectives tend to be long-term. Near-term tasks and crisis can consume inexperienced leaders and cause them to fail to achieve the long-term missions. Some tasks can become so routine and repetitive to the point of numbing the brain and killing a leader’s innovation and initiative. <br /><br />When tasks are difficult, adaptive leaders identify and account for the capabilities of the team. Some tasks will be routine and require little clarification, while others will present new challenges for the team. Often there is a tendency to assign the same task to a follower that is knowledgeable on the task. When leaders do that, it removes any challenge and hinders development and learning. Leaders should challenge their associates with new and exciting tasks from time to time.<br /><br />Good direction depends on understanding how tasks are progressing so the leader knows if and when to provide clarification. Most followers have a desire to demonstrate competence in their work, so leaders need to be careful that they do not reduce this drive.<br /><br />The military does a great job of teaching leadership, but we are kidding ourselves if we think we know all there is to know about leadership after attending a couple of military courses. Part of being a good leader is making a study of leadership. The above paragraphs are just a short summary of one aspect of leadership; the definition and roles of leaders. Authors have written volumes on leadership and still haven’t covered all aspects. Leaders must make studying the art of leadership one of their personal priorities. Coupling the knowledge gained by studying with actual experience is what makes a good leader. LTC Monte Anderson Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:03:10 -0500 2016-03-07T14:03:10-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1361224&urlhash=1361224 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Loved the post. Life-long learning is intertwined with leadership and yet the Army is just now starting to institute this process with is leaders. There are changes coming to our leadership development programs that have already begun to be instituted that are, hopefully, going to have a huge impact on how soldiers and leaders develop throughout their careers. SFC Josh Billingsley Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:06:33 -0500 2016-03-07T14:06:33-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1361259&urlhash=1361259 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>This is great insight. I am very familiar with Kouzes and Posner book The Challenge of Leadership...I am actually reading the 5th Edition right now as an assignment for school. (I attend Arizona Christian University [ACU]) This book is a great resource for leadership studies; hardly ever do you find 5th Editions...that in itself speaks volumes on the validity of what these two have to say about leadership. :) Sgt Tammy Wallace Mon, 07 Mar 2016 14:23:11 -0500 2016-03-07T14:23:11-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1361353&urlhash=1361353 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>A good leader knows how to motivate their Soldiers, how to look out for their well being, how to discipline them if necessary. It is much like raising a child. You teach a child the way they should go, and they won't depart from you. Spend time and teach your Soldiers what they should know, be patient and down to earth. Not to be demeaning or demanding, but assertive in your duties. Do these things, and your Soldiers will thank you for it down the road. SSG Private RallyPoint Member Mon, 07 Mar 2016 15:01:41 -0500 2016-03-07T15:01:41-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1361372&urlhash=1361372 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="29490" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/29490-ltc-monte-anderson">LTC Monte Anderson</a> Leaders understand responsibility, credit, and the psychology of people. This article is a great one. As an NCO leader I used to take 10 minutes a day for professional reading pertaining to leadership. Each leader develops their own style based on training, education, and experience. Great leaders are gifted motivators who accept responsibility and provide credit. I was lucky in my career to be influenced by great leaders, but I was also taught how not to lead by poor ones. Thank you <a class="dark-link bold-link" role="profile-hover" data-qtip-container="body" data-id="29490" data-source-page-controller="question_response_contents" href="/profiles/29490-ltc-monte-anderson">LTC Monte Anderson</a> for this post and for reminding me what I enjoyed most about my military career, the responsibility of leadership. SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS Mon, 07 Mar 2016 15:11:25 -0500 2016-03-07T15:11:25-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1361450&urlhash=1361450 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I asked myself if I was in Vietnam and my boss said take that hill, with the implied understanding we would egress the hill, what would I do? I would try to see if there is an alternative, but if we had to take the hill, then I will be up front with my soldiers. MAJ Ken Landgren Mon, 07 Mar 2016 15:57:11 -0500 2016-03-07T15:57:11-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=1363843&urlhash=1363843 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I know I've had problems since discharging with douche bag supervisors who mistook management for leadership. If you're looking for a true leader in the civilian world you will be sorely disappointed, they don't exist. SSG Earl Corp Tue, 08 Mar 2016 12:46:10 -0500 2016-03-08T12:46:10-05:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=2860618&urlhash=2860618 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>what is LEADERSHIP? a protector, guider, safe keeper and some to take over until the end they are done and can not go NO longer and next person takes over. SFC William Stephens Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:44:07 -0400 2017-08-23T13:44:07-04:00 https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/the-meaning-of-leadership?n=2862619&urlhash=2862619 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Bingo Monte! LTC Terrence Farrier, PhD Thu, 24 Aug 2017 10:04:21 -0400 2017-08-24T10:04:21-04:00 2016-03-07T14:03:10-05:00