What should I consider and plan for as a Team Leader?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 01:01:47 -0400

I have received my promotion to Specialist (E4) and it has been hinted at that I may receive some Soldiers of my own.

I know every troop is different and I will have to consider different ways of tackling different issues. What have you found that helps you guide them?

I know I will have to give counselings, but I've never been big on peppering someone's career with paperwork when they screw up. I want to help them push past their mistakes and get to where I am or beyond.

What do I need to prepare for with working with my Squad Leader and Platoon Sergeant if I am placed in this role?

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2021 11:12 AM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:12:25 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Congratulations on your promotion. Many of your previous responses show a mature management capability. Build on leadership now by observation (good and not so types) and as much training and reading as you can get. Find a mentor who in your mind is a positive leader and shadow. Good luck!

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jun 3 at 2021 12:18 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 12:18:35 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Congratulations on the promotion. "I know I will have to give counselings, but I've never been big on peppering someone's career with paperwork when they screw up.". I thought the same when I was a young TL. The Soldier deserved UCMJ but I didn't have a paper trail to go forward. Doing councelings, BOTH negative and positive, are needed to be done. Doing negative councelings can turn a Soldier around really quickly when they figure out that what they did can really screw them. When I started doing positive counselings, it really showed my Soldiers that I appreciated/recognized their duty performance and they don't just get 4856s for doing bad. They can also help getting Soldiers school slots or promotions when you bring paper that shows your Soldier deserves the school or promotion more than someone else's.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2021 1:26 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 13:26:48 -0400

Counseling isn't a negative thing. When they say you have to give counselings it means that part of your duty is to provide regular feedback to your Soldiers on their performance, as well as mentor them in areas of promotion, technical (MOS) expertise, Soldier skills and other Army-isms.

Building Soldiers and teams is kind of like building a sculpture from clay. You have to add to more than you take away, so spend most of your time mentoring than you do correcting

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 4 at 2021 7:13 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 07:13:44 -0400

The best advice I can give you is to look for leaders you appreciate and try to take qualities from them. For instance, if your PSG is the best E6/E7 you've seen in your short career, try to emulate the little things they did that made you say "wow, he's good at his job." If you don't understand the things they did, ask them to be a mentor. I'd be willing to bet that any decent NCO would sit down and talk with you if you requested their mentorship.