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A leader must develop a leadership philosophy. Such a philosophy applies to both noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and officers. In theory, this philosophy should apply to all our actions as leaders whether or not we are in a command position. A leader is privileged to lead and command and his philosophy guides his actions and conduct and provides a philosophy and guidance for the entire organization and its soldiers.
Individual leader philosophies tend to evolve over time as leaders move through their military careers and serve at different command levels. A leader should also realize that over time the Army evolves as society evolves. However, the core of our philosophy should remain the same and be "refined" as time passes.
As a young second lieutenant leading a tank platoon, my philosophy was simple. It consisted of three points: lead by example; accomplish the mission; and take care of soldiers. Today my philosophy of leadership and command has evolved to five points: lead by example; accomplish the mission by training and maintaining to standards; take care of soldiers and their families; conserve resources; and have fun.
A quarter-century ago, having fun was not a specific consideration. A tank platoon leader's assignment, by its very nature, was a fun job, while at the same time frustrating and challenging. Twenty-five years ago, the focus on families was not as serious as it is today. If any attention was paid to families, it was lip service. As a second lieutenant, resources were not a great concern. We operated under the naive assumption that "the Army will not let us run out of money." Today, we know this is not the case and training opportunities are often driven or limited by resource availability.
Each leadership philosophy applies to all leaders, regardless if they are Active Duty, Army Reserve, or National Guard. In today's Army, many of us will serve in two or more of these components during the course of our military careers.
Lead by Example
Leading by example appears to be a simple concept, but is more complex than realized. Leading by example involves every aspect of a leader's actions, whether officer or NCO, and begins with a leader's physical appearance such as a standard haircut, proper uniform wear, and...