Army leaders selected for command positions can set themselves up for success both prior to and while commanding, regardless of the type of unit they’re tapped to lead, according to a new paper published by the Association of the U.S. Army.

“All officers have an unspoken level of nervousness and apprehension going into their command positions—and fears and uncertainty are likely heightened when officers are going into nontraditional command roles,” write authors Capts. Andrew Lightsey and Tanner Cook, Col. Xavier Colón and Lt. Col. Chaveso Cook. “There is a lot of written guidance on basic branch and operational commands, but there is not much to be found on ‘alternative’ leadership positions.”

In “The Leadership Route Less Taken: Taking Charge in the Army’s ‘Other’ Commands,” the authors offer advice for commanders as they prepare to take command and during their tenure.

Lightsey is a public affairs officer with the 101st Airborne Division, while Cook commands the Boise Army Recruiting Company. Colón is a division chief on the Joint Staff’s deputy directorate for special operations and counterterrorism, and Cook is a division chief on the Joint Staff’s deputy directorate for global operations.

Their paper is part of AUSA’s new Harding Papers series, which was launched in conjunction with the Army’s Harding Project, which aims to revitalize scholarship and writing across the force.

Prior to command, incoming leaders should create a vision and purpose statements that can “reach and resonate with the most junior soldiers and civilians in the organization,” the authors write.

“When the Army talks about purpose and legacy, it talks about us ‘being a part of something bigger’; although your purpose and vision should be tailored to the organization, do not discount the need to fit into the bigger Army picture—even when your command is nontraditional,” the authors write. 

Commanders “must be prepared to ‘loosen the reigns’ as quickly as [they] tighten them” and “be comfortable with delegating tasks, and trust that they will be completed to standard,” according to the authors.

Regardless of the type of unit, “leading America’s sons and daughters in our armed forces is an unparalleled privilege,” the authors write.

“While the role of the commander in nontraditional units certainly comes with distinct challenges and issues, as does any command, each leader must remember that, no matter the circumstances, a command is a command,” the authors write. “It is not a privilege or a responsibility to be taken lightly—and it is certainly neither a guarantee nor a right for any commander.”

Read the paper here.