Leadership encompasses several skill sets, and not all of them are easily taught or learned. Leadership is both a skill and a practice. Leadership is more difficult and advanced than management or supervision, and it relies on the ability to influence and motivate others to achieve a common goal. It is a complex process requiring a variety of skills and qualities, including communication, delegation, decision-making and problem-solving, as well as humility.
All professions and employees value leadership, which is in short supply in many areas, to include politics, business and academia. Effective leaders create a vision for the future and influence others, while making a positive impact on their employees, customers or citizens.
Army Field Manual 6-22: Developing Leaders highlights that effective leadership is characterized by strong character, a visible presence, intellectual growth, a focus on achieving objectives, commitment to development, responsibility and alignment with relevant attributes and competencies. These principles are essential for leaders in any field.
Army doctrine states that effective leaders emphasize the active process of teaching, training, coaching, mentoring, studying and learning. This is a continuous process both for leaders and those they lead. Leaders are involved in this process for their own professional development as well as that of every soldier under their command.
Common qualities shared by great leaders include vision, communication, delegation, decision-making, problem-solving, trust and motivation/inspiration. When a leader’s strengths reside in these key areas, and when they continually develop and cultivate these strengths, they will be on their way to being a remarkable leader.
Adaptable Commanders
There are many leadership styles, but the most effective leaders are those who are able to adapt their leadership style to fit their team’s needs, the mission and the environment. Some leaders may be more authoritarian, while others may be more collaborative or delegative. It is important that leaders recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, and those across their team, to create an environment that enables everyone to contribute at their optimum level.
Leaders have a clear vision of their mission, purpose and end state, and can communicate that vision to others in an effective and comprehensive manner. A leader’s vision should be ambitious, inspiring and achievable. A clear vision will help guide decision-making, inspire commitment and focus team efforts. It is the leader’s responsibility to communicate their vision clearly and passionately to the team. Additionally, leaders must be passionate about their vision and mission success, as the soldiers carrying out the mission will take notice.
One of the most important aspects of effective leadership is the ability to communicate effectively with subordinates, colleagues and superiors equally. Leaders must be able to articulate their vision, intent and goals in a clear and concise manner. They also must be able to listen actively and respond to feedback, criticism and concerns from every level. A leader must have empathy, humility and a high level of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence equates to knowing your own strengths and weaknesses, and being honest about those traits with yourself and others.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is an important aspect of emotional intelligence. Leaders who are empathetic are better able to understand the needs of their soldiers and to provide support and guidance. This creates a sense of trust and respect among soldiers, fostering a sense of loyalty and commitment to the team.
Brotherly Example
My brother, then-1st Lt. Steve Gladish II, served as a platoon leader and Apache helicopter pilot in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was involved in over 210 attack aviation missions. Gladish demonstrated leadership by continuously asking himself and his soldiers, “Why are we doing this job?” The answer was always the same: “To support our fellow soldiers on the ground.” Service-oriented leadership is pivotal, and it focuses on subordinates.
Gladish put his soldiers and the organization before himself and his Army career. A remarkable leader does the small things right as well as the big, the tactical and strategic. Gladish, now a lieutenant colonel in the Arizona Army National Guard serving as a battalion commander, genuinely cares for his soldiers and their families. He knows his subordinates’ spouses’ names or if a soldier is experiencing a divorce, death of a parent or financial hardship. This knowing and caring builds trust at the grassroots level.
Gladish also does the big things right, as evidenced by his earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his brave actions when the Taliban shot down a Chinook helicopter north of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, the night of May 30, 2007. Over the ensuing 24 hours, Gladish provided close-combat attack support to a Ranger quick-reaction force. This air cover enabled the Rangers to secure the crash site and recover the five American soldiers killed in action. The air and ground forces killed approximately 140 Taliban fighters during this operation.
Gladish risked his life and aircraft countless times during this 24-hour period, without regard for his own safety and security. Unknown to Gladish, he also was inspiring and motivating his platoon and cultivating trust. These elements proved invaluable during the next eight months of their deployment.
Motivation, Morale
Great leaders can motivate soldiers to achieve the mission and inspire soldiers to go above and beyond when necessary and in difficult situations. Motivation and morale are critical to mission success, especially during stressful times. Motivation comes from creating a sense of purpose, providing positive feedback and setting achievable goals. Passion is contagious, and when a leader is passionate about the mission, it inspires their team to work harder toward achieving the common goal.
Additionally, valuable leaders can build trust with their solders. Leaders who inspire trust are respected and admired by their team. They are honest and transparent, and their actions are consistent with their words. Trust is hard to gain and easy to lose.
In addition to these qualities, great leaders also must be able to make tough decisions and take decisive action. They must have the courage to take risks and stand up for what they believe, even in the face of opposition or criticism. Leaders must be able to learn from their mistakes or shortfalls, allowing them to better adapt to changing situations such as war.
They also must be decisive when information is incomplete, thus taking calculated risks and executing the best course of action possible. They can identify the root cause of the problem, and they know how to develop solutions that are effective and feasible.
Moreover, leaders also know when they must reconsider their initial decision and make a change. Effective leaders cannot be risk-averse, as that would limit their unit’s mission-effectiveness and limit the trust between soldiers. As then-Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George said during a 2020 Pre-Command Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas: “Courageous leadership inspires trust, and trust is the foundation of our Army.”
Fostering Success
Effective leaders can foster others’ success. Great leaders create a culture of accountability, in which team members feel empowered to take ownership of their work and the overall mission. They also take the time to mentor and guide junior officers and soldiers, as they know these junior officers are the next generation of leaders.
Effective leaders empower their team members by delegating responsibility and authority. Knowing how to delegate tasks to subordinates allows team members full participation in the mission, while allowing the commander time to strategize and plan ahead. The commander does not need to know every detail; instead, they must provide their vision and intent and trust their subordinates.
When I was commander of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 7th Intermediate Level Education Detachment, 7th Mission Support Command, in Europe, I did not take the time to know every detail of what was going on in the classroom, but I did take the time to know my instructors, the students and our mission. I also reiterated my vision and intent at every group and one-on-one session with soldiers. I was able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each instructor because I knew each of them individually. This allowed me to assign tasks that matched their specific strengths.
Leadership is essential for success in all fields of work. It requires strong communication skills, a high level of emotional intelligence, decisiveness and a commitment to fostering the success of the team and each individual member. Great leaders are able to inspire and motivate others toward achieving a common goal, and they are willing to put the needs of their team and the mission before their own self-interests.
By embracing these leadership principles and continually striving to improve, you can become a successful leader.
Lt. Col. David Gladish, U.S. Army Reserve, is chief of training and exercises, U.S. Army Reserve Element, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Previously, he was commander of the Army Reserve’s 7th Intermediate Level Education Detachment, 7th Mission Support Command, Grafenwoehr, Germany. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.