Leadership

The importance of US Army leadership

Introduction

                Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) provides a valuable information about the leadership principles that are helpful to the military, commanders, subordinates and all army leaders.  In the army, leadership can be defined as a process leaders motivate the followers, gives them direction and communicates the purpose of the Army organization.  Followers, in this case, are the military and civilians and all army members who are entitled to use deadly force and overcome hostile force.  It is the role of army leaders to inspire and influences the followers and help them carry out their mission and accomplish the organizational goals.  In general, US army leadership is important as it provides the Army leaders with fundamental principles that guide them in influencing and motivating followers in achieving the goals of Army organization.

 

 Army leadership was established to bring loyalty to the nation and provide leaders with core leadership competencies through education and training (ADRP 6-22).  The leadership principles were rooted from the nation's democratic foundations which state the value, doctrines, and standards of competence that should guide the Army.  The U.S constitution established the roles that the government should play such as defending the nation by forming and funding the Army.  Since the armed forces are given the role of defending the nation, the Constitution supports the government in giving the soldiers and civilian the power to defend the nation and maintain peace (ADRP 6-22).  In leadership, the leaders establish command and responsibility that the commander should execute in controlling the military forces. The commanders are also expected to set standards and policies and enforce laws to ensure superior performance. In addition, the leader establishes the duties and responsibilities of the subordinates and provides them with education and training to help them accomplish the missions. Since the role of leaders is to provide vision and purpose to the followers, they do it through various means such as by commanding and making the decision (ADRP 6-22). Thus, leadership plays a significant role in establishing the formal authority and resources that leaders should use in leading the followers. 

 

 The U.S Army organization focus on establishing effective leaders who would provide purpose and vision to the followers.  For the leaders to be in a position of providing purpose and vision, they should engage in formal leadership- individuals are provided with legitimate authority to make the decision, give advice to the informal leaders and control the subordinates (ADRP 6-22).  Leaders also engage in informal leadership where they support the legitimate authority by sharing knowledge and experience as well as assuming responsibility.  This means that leadership enables both formal and informal leaders to empower subordinates and create a solid organization.  Empowering means that leaders create orders and plan that subordinates will follow, appreciates their good work and help them realize their strength, weakness and make improvements.

The role of the U.S Army is to protect the American people from threats and aggression, protect the U.S territory and offer civil support to the civil authorities.  However, the Army cannot fulfill these roles without value-based leadership and professional competence.  Thus, leaders should have positive attributes and conceptual abilities to motivate and inspire the followers and make the sound judgment.  For example, a leader must understand the Army values such as loyalty, honor, integrity, and respect (ADRP 6-22). A leader should have empathy and ethos, should be physically fit, confident, and resilient and should have intellectual capacity in order to make the sound judgment.  These positive attributes and knowledge help to understand the importance of U.S Army leadership. Since leaders possess these critical elements, they have the ability to influence and through influence, the followers take their duties and responsibility in the agile and adaptive manner thereby fulfilling the mission (ADRP 6-22).  In other words, these skills allow the leader to provide guidance, motivate followers, and initiate action, delegate responsibilities and build morale.

 

In addition to positive attributes, leaders should have core competencies for them to lead the followers effectively and convey expectations.  Leaders gain the competencies through institutional schooling and professional experience.  Competencies can also be developed especially when leaders enter into the organizational and strategic position. the core competencies include; lead- leaders should have the ability to influence followers with limited formal authority, build trust, act as a  role model and guide on how things should be done.  Second, leaders should develop- this means that they should establish a positive environment, encourage improvement and maintain professional standards. By so doing, they will have the ability to develop others, guide, provide resources, and place followers in the best position.  Last, leaders should achieve this means that leaders should empower followers, delegate task effectively and have the adaptability in order to assist followers in achieving the goals (ADRP 6-22).  Thus, leadership in U.S Army play a significant role in helping the soldiers accomplish the mission.  In addition, leadership is important as it strengthens the leader-subordinate relationship, fosters trust and commitment,   helps the followers solve the problem, provides education and brings change, understand the followers' failure and minimizes risk.

 

U.S Army leadership is important since Army leaders show a lifelong effort not only in acting as role models but also in disciplining the followers to adhere to the values and standards and empowering them to accomplish the mission (ADRP 6-22).  Note that the followers or the Armies cannot work efficiently without having role models. In other words, Army leaders should first work hard to accomplish the mission and show a lot of dedication and commitment so that the Army can accost their mission.  Despite the fact that leaders have the authority to control the subordinates, there should be interaction and teamwork.  For example, soldiers and civilians play the role of supporting and defending the nation from foreign attack. Thus, Army leaders should provide landpower to the Army for them to accomplish the mission.  In other words, the Army leaders and the Army should work as a team, focus on common goals and follow a common value system for them to accomplish their mission (ADRP 6-22).  These roles, responsibilities, and interaction explain the importance of leadership. Through leadership, leaders are committed, provide landpower and work as a team with the Army. In other words, without leadership, the Army cannot work efficiently due to lack of influence, control, guidance, motivation, and empowerment.

 

 

 

 

 

 Conclusion

The U.S Army leadership is important as it provides the concepts of leadership that leaders should learn and apply in the Army department in order to help the Army accomplish the mission.  Leaders learn fundamental principles that guide them toward influencing, directing and communicating purpose to the Army. Since the primary role of the leaders is to lead, the U.S Army has strategic leaders who guide the men and women in the Army department and assists them in solving the challenges that they come across.  Leadership is important since leaders lead by example, delegates the task and empowers the followers to achieve their missions.  In addition, leadership fosters interaction and teamwork where the leader and subordinates share understanding and strive to achieve common goals.

 

 

 

Reference

ADRP 6-22 ARMY LEADERSHIP