Adapting to the dynamic environment and culture in organizations is essential for leaders, as stated by Jawarlal Nehru: “A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action.” This thesis will explore two significant events that have influenced my leadership style. These experiences will not only impact my military career but also shape my personal life.
The first significant experience that transformed me into a more effective leader occurred during my time as a young battery commander. I encountered a situation with one of my Lieutenants that reshaped my perspective on what it means to be an ideal leader. It taught me the importance of possessing a strong character while also demonstrating empathy and sensitivity at every level of command. The second transformative event I will discuss in this essay was my exposure to a toxic leader who exhibited a resistance to listening, comprehending, and addressing issues during crucial moments.
As a future organizational leader, I believe it is crucial for leaders to comprehend and enable the legal orders issued by their superior officers while also showing respect to the Soldiers impacted by such orders. The organizational leader plays a critical role in the military as they serve as the conduit through which senior officers transmit commands through the chain of command. Simultaneously, the organizational leader must acknowledge the needs of subordinates and relay these needs to senior leadership in order to achieve a harmonious climate within the organization.
One conversation that greatly influenced my leadership style was when I spoke with my fire control officer platoon leader. I was known for being an assertive leader, always eager to take on challenging tasks, and leading the battery and battalion in various NATO evaluations, maintenance programs, and deployments.
During the winter of 2005, in the cold training areas of the German Bavarian fields, my fire control platoon leader requested a meeting to discuss the progress of our intense training and future plans. I had already planned out the next few weeks of training and set conditions for a successful evaluation. However, my right hand man and primary trainer had a different view. He believed that after being in the field for over a month, the training was not going well and the unit was bound to fail the crucial evaluation before deploying to Operation Iraqi Freedom. He argued that exhaustion and low morale were affecting the soldiers and leaders at the platoon level, and that if we continued at this pace, the unit would eventually break down. His suggestion was to halt all training, allowing soldiers and leaders to return home, reunite with their families, reset, conduct maintenance back at garrison, and then proceed with the evaluation.
In my command tent, I made the surprising decision to go against the battalion commanders’ advice and adjust my strategy. This came as a shock because my assessment of the unit was completely different from theirs. Instead of following their guidance to focus on preparing for the critical evaluation at all costs, I chose to change my approach and prioritize setting conditions for future success.
After personally evaluating the situation, I instructed my 1SG to also assess the morale and readiness of the unit following four weeks of consecutive training. The results of both evaluations revealed that the Soldiers were fatigued and this was negatively affecting the training quality. Additionally, it was discovered that the Soldiers believed I was depriving them of time with their families just a few months before deployment, which contributed to low morale.
I promptly instructed my executive officer to obtain march credits for our return to base within 48 hours. I emphasized that no one in the unit should be informed until the request received approval from the battalion S4, and that it would be my responsibility to inform the unit of the change. Fortunately, the march credits were approved and I informed the unit that we would be returning to garrison within 48 hours for a tactical pause. To address the issue of evaluation, I devised a new training plan that included some time off for both the Soldiers and leaders within my unit.
After four weeks of intense training and with four more weeks to go before the actual execution, I made the decision to give the unit a break for two weeks. This break allowed the Soldiers to rest and recover, with one week spent with their families away from the motor pool and the unit, and the second week dedicated to equipment maintenance during regular duty hours at the motor pool. This change had a positive impact on the unit’s morale and also helped with equipment maintenance. Most importantly, the Soldiers felt that their leaders cared about them and would take care of them. Although I took a risk by pausing the training, morale was high and it showed during the tactical evaluation, where our unit outperformed and set a standard for the entire battalion. This experience taught me that the Soldiers were ready to perform and reminded me to focus on the mission while also considering the unit’s climate, stress levels of the Soldiers, and overall development of the unit. A conversation I had with a knowledgeable former Lieutenant provided valuable insight into the organization’s development, understanding morale, and applying sensitivity when needed to alleviate stress within the unit.
During my last deployment, I served as a planner for the Multinational Force-Iraq and advised both the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Interior. This experience greatly influenced my leadership style by focusing on overhauling and improving the development, planning, and execution processes of these ministries. Regular communication with the commanding general was also vital to keep them informed about the progress made by the Iraqis.
Upon realizing that I was unable to handle the dual roles of a staff officer and an advisor, I raised the issue with my superior officer. I communicated that I was overwhelmed by numerous tasks and responsibilities, emphasizing that both positions required more than one person. Specifically, I highlighted the necessity for a dedicated staff to manage both the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and Interior advising mission, as well as a staff officer to keep the CG informed about the progress of MOD and MOI. However, during this conversation, my boss labeled me as a renegade who simply complained about my job. It became evident to me that I had to comply with instructions until a new superior officer arrived or until the completion of my deployment.
I spent several hours contemplating the issue and, based on CG’s guidance, I concluded that the most important objective was to enhance Iraqi’s capability in managing their security forces effectively. Additionally, winning their trust and securing support from the local population to eradicate the remaining insurgency in Baghdad were crucial. As a result, I determined that prioritizing the advisory role was necessary. During an internal staff meeting, my superior officer expressed dissatisfaction with my performance as a staff officer. Specifically, they criticized the outdated charts presented during CG’s staff meeting and warned that if my subpar performance persisted, I would be relieved of my duties.
After considering his comments, I requested a few hours to update the CGs slides and assured him that I would feel confident briefing the CG after the update. He agreed to give me the time, and at 2100, everyone returned to their trailers. However, I stayed back a bit longer to create a new slide. It took me one hour to complete the slide, which depicted the current state of the coalition staff and the Iraqi Ministries of Defense and Interior. Additionally, I provided recommendations on how to enhance their ability to manage their forces effectively.
The next morning at 0920, I presented a briefing to the CG and his senior staff. I requested that the CG and his staff hold off on any questions until the last slide, which I had prepared the night before. Throughout the briefing, the slides displayed old charts and a significant amount of red, which prompted the CG and DCG to take thorough notes. After presenting two charts, the CG instructed me to proceed to my final chart for the question session. Once I showed my last chart, I addressed all their inquiries and provided my recommendations to resolve the issues.
The CG inquired with other staff sections if they were facing the same problem, and 90% of them confirmed that they were experiencing similar issues. On that very morning, I received a promotion to advise the senior Iraqi Staff at the ministries, and my boss was reassigned. This promoted me to the realization that I was dealing with a toxic leader who was negatively impacting the entire staff. This toxicity was leading to conflicts with the Iraqi counterparts and hampering the staff’s ability to understand and work towards the objectives set by the CG.
Overall, my experience as a battery commander and during my last deployment has had a significant impact on my leadership development. The knowledge gained from leading my battery, showing respect towards subordinates, and acknowledging their contribution to our collective achievements have all played a role in my personal growth. Moreover, dealing with a toxic leader has taught me how to effectively balance following orders from higher authorities while ensuring the welfare of the Soldiers I command.
As an organizational leader, I understand the significance of evaluating the unit’s level of organizational development. This entails assessing whether the unit operates efficiently or encounters any readiness or other challenges. Moreover, it is essential to gauge if the unit faces a burdensome workload and if its soldiers endure stress. Finally, the leader must prioritize nurturing leaders who possess skills in understanding, envisioning, expressing issues, and successfully carrying out missions to address these identified problems.
