Military Leadership and Command PDF

MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND  MILITARY LEADERSHIP Is the art of influencing, and directing men to an assigned goal in such way as to obtain their obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in order to accomplish the mission. LEADERSHIP Is the art of inducing to cooperat...

MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND  MILITARY LEADERSHIP Is the art of influencing, and directing men to an assigned goal in such way as to obtain their obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in order to accomplish the mission. LEADERSHIP Is the art of inducing to cooperate towards achieving a common goal.  Leader – A person who influence and directs others Commander- the person formally designated to direct the activities of a unit of any size. Command- is the authority of an individual to impose his will lawfully upon subordinates by virtue of his rank assignment. Thus a squad leader has command or authority over the men under him in view of superior orders assigning him as their leader.  Command carries with it Responsibility This means that the leader is held answerable for all activities under his command. Since success depends on the right actions of a leader in the execution of missions assigned to him and his unit, it is therefore said that leadership is the proper exercise of command. Responsibility- Refers to the obligation to perform duties and functions and bear the consequences of activities under one’s command.  TWO TYPES OF LEADER 1. Authoritarian- Leads by his rank and position. It recognized normally by the dogmatic use of authority or power. 2. Persuasive – leads by consulting his men and setting the example. Takes into consideration the human element with all its differentiation of the physical, mental and moral capabilities and limitations of the individual. Basic elements of Leadership 1. Character- a leader must be of good moral character. He must be honest, industrious, brave and has self-control. 2. Intelligence – Is the ability top grasp knowledge easily. It Includes native ability, good common sense and judgment. 3. Alertness- ability of a person to be watchful and observant about his surroundings and the ability to think and plan for his future activities to avoid difficulties in the in the conduct of his assigned task.  Leadership Traits These are human characteristics which enable an individual to lead men and these are personal qualities that are of great value to the commander of his men. These can be developed by self- analysis and practice.  Bearing – is the general appearance, carriage, department and conduct of a leader.  Courage - Is a mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables him to face it with calmness and firmness.  Decisiveness- A positive approach, little waste of time, objectively, timely analysis and sound evaluation of opinions made by others all contribute to the development of decisiveness.  Dependability- The certainty proper performance of duty, is a quality the leader must develop. A dependable leader can be relied upon to carry out any activity with willing effort.  Endurance- The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain fatigue, stress and hardship to continue or complete a task.  Enthusiasm- Is the display of sincere interest and zeal in the performance of duties. This requires the leader to be optimistic and cheerful.  Initiative- Initiative or taking action in the absence of orders, is often required of leaders.  Integrity - The uprightness and soundness of moral principle, the quality of truthfulness and honesty describe integrity.  Judgment – Is the ability to logically weigh facts and possible solution on which to be sound decisions.  Justice - Giving everyone his due, being equitable, impartial and consistent in the bestowing awards and punishment.  Knowledge - Acquired the information including knowledge of the job and the knowledge of the men. Knowledge is power, nothing will attract confidence and respect more quickly and more demonstrated. Knowledge is the ability to create self confidence within the leader himself.  Loyalty - Is the quality of faithfulness to country, the  Tack- is the ability to deal with others in a respectful manner. The leader who displays tact in dealing with superior and subordinates encourages courteous treatment in return.  Unselfishness- The unselfish leader is one who  LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES Know your Job A Leader must be professionally and culturally prepared to know or handle his duties and responsibilities. Know yourself and Seek Self-Improvement- Honesty self evaluation to determine his own strengths and weaknesses is of paramount importance to a leader. Through this process he can determine his capabilities and limitations.  Make Sound and Timely Decisions- The leader must be able to make rapid estimate of the situation and arrive at a sound decision. He must be able to reason under the most trying conditions and decide quickly what action is necessary to take advantage of opportunity as it occur.  Keep your Men Informed- This will encourage initiative, improve teamwork enhance morale. In the past, soldiers did not expect to be told why they were required to perform task. They expected the fact that their leader and they performed as required. By keeping them informed, you will reduce fears and rumors.  Train your men as a team– Issuing clear, concise orders and checking on their execution is only part of being a successful leader. Your men must be well trained if they are to accomplish any mission. It is the leader’s duty to train the members of his unit so they will be tactically and technically proficient and so that they work as a team. Teamwork is a key to mission accomplishment. It starts in the smallest unit and carries through to the largest organization. The Leadership Indicators Morale Esprit de Corps Discipline Efficiency  Morale  Is the state of mind of an individual. It depends on his attitude toward everything that effects him his fellow soldier, his leaders and army life in general morale is closely related to satisfying man’s needs.  Esprit de Corps  Is the loyalty to pride in, and enthusiasm for the unit as shown by its members. Esprit the Corps is the unit spirit. It is the common spirit reflected by all members of a unit and provides group solidarity.  Discipline  Is the attitude that insures prompt obedience to order and the initiatives of appropriate action and the absence of order.  Efficiency  The ability to accomplish successfully an assigned task in the shortest possible time, with the minimum expenditures of efforts and means. Roles of a Leader  Roles of a Leader As a model soldier As an Instructor As a Personnel Manager As a Commander and Supervisor As the Custodian of his  As a model soldier  At the military service the subordinates look upon their leader as a model for them to emulate.  As an Instructor  Since in all military activities, particularly combat is the main objective or goals of military training of his men.  As a Personnel Manager  As a leader of his unit, the commander is in charged of planning, organizing, directing and supervising all personnel in his unit, in a manner as to ensure the maximum efficient utilization of manpower.  As a Commander and  Supervisor In this role, the leader must be proficient troop leader. As a commander his primary functions is to receive orders and then make an estimate of the situation, formulate plans, issue orders and supervise the compliance/ execution of his orders. 1% direction and 99% supervision.  As the Custodian of his men’s Welfare  The leader must concerned with is men’s needs that are essential to their comfort and well being such as adequate supplies, good quarters, recreation facilities, sanitation, etc.  As a Counselor Aleader must know how to deal with his men and at times gives personal advice and encouragement to his men.