Army Operating Concept: Win in a Complex World and the new Army Vision describe this globally interconnected environment. In addition to developing foundational leadership traits and practicing the right daily habits, today's Army leaders confront an incredibly complex and rapidly changing environment. Good leadership is often built by practicing each of these actions until they turn into habits your Soldiers and civilians will come to expect. Having fun by embracing your responsibilities with enthusiasm and optimism.Maintaining balance by devoting time to your family and community.Reading and reflecting on the Army profession, your branch, your organization, and your mission.Mentoring, evaluating, and recognizing your team members honestly and fairly.Communicating horizontally and vertically, openly, transparently, and continually.Setting the highest standards and holding yourself and everyone in your organization accountable for maintaining them.Earning and building the trust of your Soldiers, civilians, peers, families, leaders, and the public.

Always treating people with dignity and respect.

So, what are the right things that good leaders turn into daily habits? They include the following timeless practices: In this way, good leadership becomes a habit that is hard to break. As a result, good leadership is not only about learning overarching leadership principles it is about doing the right things, large and small, dozens of times each day for your Soldiers, Army civilians, and command. Leadership is taught from the day Soldiers arrive at basic training and continues at the basic officer leader courses, at training rotations at the combat training centers, and at the Army War College and other advanced schools.Īs important as formal training is to developing good leaders, effective leadership is something that has to be practiced in our day-to-day actions. In fact, the development of competence, character, and other leadership traits is one of the most important missions we have as an Army. It is vital that Army leaders have both character and competence. Competence is developed over time through rigorous practice, professional learning, and a commitment to excelling in every aspect of our duties. Milley, aptly stated that the traits we seek in today's Army leaders include agility, adaptability, flexibility, mental and physical resilience, competence, and most importantly character.Ĭharacter is often demonstrated in how closely our actions, decisions, and relationships adhere to Army ethics and values. The 39th chief of staff of the Army, Gen. We should take every opportunity to remind ourselves of these traits because they emerge from our commitment to a common set of Army values. Nonetheless, certain foundational leadership traits have proven themselves over time, particularly for those who have accepted the unique responsibility to lead Soldiers and Army civilians. Despite the extraordinary attention the Army-and many other institutions in our society-pays to the subject of leadership, the answer to the question, 'What makes a good leader?' is neither simple nor universal. In our Army, the elements of effective leadership are infused in much of our training, doctrine, tactics, techniques, procedures, and even daily conversations.

There are few topics that are simultaneously as ancient and as modern as the topic of leadership. The 3rd Squad, 2nd Platoon, 523rd Horizontal Engineer Company, 84th Engineer Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, stands during a ceremony after winning the 84th Engineer Brigade Best Squad Competition at Schofield Barr.

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