FROM ONE LEADER TO ANOTHER - United States Army

401 Pages·2013·2.05 MB·English

FROM ONE LEADER
TO
ANOTHER
Command Sergeant Major Joe B. Parson
General Editor
Combat Studies Institute Press
US Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more, you
are a leader.
-John Quincy Adams
From One Leader
to Another
Command Sergeant Major Joe B. Parson
General Editor
Carl W. Fischer
Combat Studies Institute Editor
Combat Studies Institute Press
US Army Combined Arms Center
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data
From One Leader to Another / Command Ser-
geant Major, Joe B. Parson, general editor; Carl W.
Fischer (Carl Wallace); III. Combat Studies Institute
editor.
ISBN 9780989137201
1. United States. Army--Non-commissioned
officers--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Leader-
ship--United States--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3.
Command of troops--United States--Handbooks,
manuals, etc. I. Parson, Joe B. II. Fischer, Carl W.
Combat Studies Institute (US)
UB408.5.F76 2013
355.3’30410973--dc23
2013 011304
Combat Studies Institute Press
publications cover a wide variety
of military history topics. The
views expressed in this CSI Press
publication are those of the
author(s) and not necessarily
those of the Department of the
Army or the Department of
Defense. A full list of CSI Press publications
available for downloading can be found at
http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/CSI/index.asp.
The seal of the Combat Studies Institute
authenticates this document as an official
publication of the CSI. It is prohibited to use
CSI’s official seal on any republication without the
express written permission of the Director of CSI.
ii
Foreword
The Combat Studies Institute along with
Command Sergeant Major Joe B. Parson of the
Combined Arms Center (Leader Development &
Education) at Fort Leavenworth is pleased to present
“From One Leader to Another.”
This work is a collection of observations,
insights, and advice from over 50 serving and
retired Senior Non-Commissioned Officers. These
experienced Army leaders have provided for the
reader, outstanding mentorship on leadership skills,
tasks, and responsibilities relevant to our Army
today. There is much wisdom and advice “from one
leader to another” in the following pages.
CSI - The Past is Prologue!
Roderick M. Cox
Colonel, US Army
Director, Combat Studies Institute
iii

Table of Contents
Foreword ............................................................................iii
Contributors .........................................................................v
Introduction .......................................................................vii
Section 1: Skills ...................................................................1
Section 2: Tasks ...............................................................197
Section 3: Responsibilities ...............................................343
Closing Thoughts .............................................................383
Contributors
SGM Dave Abbott
CSM Erik Arne
CSM Robert Austin
SGM Stanley J. Balcer
CSM Kevin Bryan
CSM Carlos Medina Castellano
CSM Sheldon Chandler
CSM Brunk W. Conley
CSM Joanne Cox
CSM John Crenshaw
CSM Roger Daigle
CSM(R) Robert Dare
CSM David Davenport
CSM Dennis Eger
CSM Allen Fritzsching
CSM Christopher K. Greca
MSG (P) Garrick Griffin
CSM Naamon Grimmett
CSM Blaine Harvey
CSM Frederick Heard
MSG Kevin Henderson
CSM Jeremiah Inman
CSM Joseph Jacobs
CSM Clifton Johnson
CSM(R) David J. Litteral
v
SGM Craig T. Lott
CSM Marc L. Maynard
CSM Norman McAfee
CSM Christopher J. Menton
CSM Chip E. Mezzaline
CSM Dwight Morrisey
CSM John L. Murray
CSM James Norman
SGM Sam S. Oak
CSM Mark H. Oldroyd
CSM Ronald Orosz
CSM Joe B. Parson
SGM(R) Dennis W. Paxton
CSM Ronald Riling
SGM Tony A. G. Romero
SGM Don Rose
SGM(R) Toni Gagnon Ross
CSM Charles V. Sasser Jr.
CSM Fritz U. Smith
SGM Dave Stewart
CSM Richard D. Stidley
CSM Kevin B. Stuart
CSM John Wayne Troxell
CSM James VanSciver
CSM Michael Williamson
CSM Shelton R. Williamson
CSM Sam Young
SGM Alma L. Zeladaparedes
vi
From One Leader to Another
SMA Raymond F. Chandler III
Our Army is in the midst of considerable change,
and over the next few years we must be prepared
for a smaller force and a smaller budget. As Non-
Commissioned officers, that means our roles will
become more important, and that the Soldiers we
lead will have to be more disciplined and take on
more responsibility. Some may see these reductions
as bleak, but I prefer to see it as an exciting and
challenging time to be an Army NCO and leader.
As you know, these changes mean our units will
have to become more self-sufficient, relying on the
eight-step training model and leaders must know how
to plan, resource and evaluate. This will also require
us to be wise stewards of everything provided by the
American public, including our budgets, equipment,
facilities, and most importantly, their sons and
daughters.
The Chief of Staff of the Army’s “Marching
Orders-Waypoint #1” lists leader expectations that
include being a moral and ethical compass and the
ability to adapt and develop high-performing teams
— all expectations that are embodied by the NCO
Creed.
Each of us must take those words and internalize
them. This is who we are, and this is what we must
aspire to be -- the example, the role model, the
mentor, the leader that our creed describes and that
the American public expects. Even if you don’t seek
it, those stripes on your shoulder mean others will
look to you for advice, guidance, mentorship and
support.
vii
The NCO Creed says no one is more professional
than a noncommissioned officer. As the Army moves
toward 2020, that means NCOs will have to remain
broadly skilled and be prepared to take on more
responsibility. The Army is going to ask us to be
that critical and creative thinker, that adaptive and
agile leader. Most importantly we will need to be
grounded in the traditional role of the NCO, and
that’s about accomplishing missions and taking care
of Soldiers.
I often talk about “engaged leadership” which
allows us to learn more about those Soldiers we lead.
This interaction allows us to find out what events are
happening in their lives. A long time ago a retired
Command Sergeant Major told me something that
has always stuck with me: “Every Soldier should
have an NCO checking on him or her every day.”
That’s engaged leadership, and that’s the leadership
we’ll need to fix these problems.
Are you engaged with the Soldiers who look to
you for guidance? Do you have a leader book? Do
you provide good sponsorship when they arrive and
timely counseling when needed and required? Do
you create opportunities for your Soldiers to come
together and develop esprit de corps? Do you
encourage your Soldiers to seek help when you see
their resilience is challenged? Do you leave your
office and meetings to interact with your Soldiers
regularly? These are some of the hallmarks of an
engaged leader.
But, we cannot only look to the past for “best
practices”. We must also use today’s tools and
information to make our leadership efforts more
effective and efficient. For instance, do you use a
printed leader book like I had when I was a squad
viii