12th SMA of the Army gives advice relevant to TXSG members.

From the desk of CSM Thompson

Good afternoon, it is time for another of my “Leadership Rants.” It is interesting how inspiration hits me. A couple of weekends ago, I was at the TXSG NCOA (Noncommissioned Officer Academy), where I was acting as the Commandant. The classes going on at the time were the Basic Leader Course (BLC), Advanced Leader Course (ALC) and Senior Leader Course (SLC). The ranks of the attendees were from E-4 to E-6, so they were in varying stages of their leadership development within the Texas State Guard.

In the opening remarks, I spoke about a few things. The first was the question, “Why?”. Not why are they at the academy. The answer for that is easy. The course is a requirement for promotion. I asked them why they were in the Texas State Guard. What was their motivation? I told them the answer should be "to help others". We are here to help the people of the great state of Texas, and as leaders we are here to help those lower in the chain of command than us. I told them that they work for their direct reports, not the other way around and that if we take care of people, they take care of us.

My final thought went back to etymology. Specifically, the basis for the word “sergeant.” The word comes from the French word for “servant” and effective leaders are servant leaders.

Servant leadership is the basis for the NCO corps, and we need to ensure we are doing everything we can to develop those coming up behind us. It’s about them and not us.

So, this week, I was scrolling through LinkedIn and came across a post from SMA Jack Tilley, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army. This was a post he had done after speaking with some junior NCOs and it contained advice to those NCOs about how they deal with others, and themselves. It was fortuitous that I read this so closely after my remarks because they are spot on with my message to the up and coming NCOs at the academy. As always, I will add my “spin’ to each of the quotes from SMA Tilley.

1. “When we blame others for our own shortcomings, we are not only being unfair to them, but we are also denying ourselves the opportunity to learn and grow from our mistakes.”

Blaming others seems to be the new normal. When someone makes a mistake or falls short, instead of owning up to it, people want to start finger pointing. I have always said that experience comes from making mistakes and learning from them. When we don’t own up to our own mistakes, we can’t learn. I recently made a mistake and had to tell the CG about it. I was not easy, but it did teach me a lesson that I will not forget. That’s learning.

2. “It says a lot when you place yourself in a position to complete the same task you are asking your subordinates to accomplish, knowing that mistakes will and can be made.”

This is part of the human factor of leadership. Put yourself in the same position as your subordinates. This will ensure the next time one of your subordinates falls short, you will remember what it is like. It may be a humbling experience, especially if you fail.

3. “Reminding me of a line in the Drill Sergeant Creed, ‘Lead by example, never requiring a Soldier to attempt task I will not do myself’”.

My father, a Drill Sergeant, told me from an early age that as a leader, I will NEVER do something that I am unwilling or unable to do myself. This wasn't a recommendation or a suggestion. He said I will never. Although not a direct quote, I later learned that was a portion of the Drill Sergeant Creed. I have lived this advice from the day my father told me. It makes your troops appreciate you because you are out there doing stuff and not just telling them to do it.

4. “It is important to take responsibility for our actions and decisions, even if they result in negative consequences. By acknowledging our mistakes and taking steps to rectify them, we can learn from our experiences and become better individuals.”

Taking responsibility for everything you do is the basis of good leadership and being a good person. When you make a mistake, own it. As we have already discussed, this is how you grow and learn.

5. “Blaming others, on the other hand, only leads to a cycle of negativity and resentment.”

This is the exact opposite of the previous statement. Blaming others is never a good thing. It only shows your weakness as a leader.

6. “If you think about how the seeds of hypocrisy are sown, it starts with holding others to a higher standard than you hold yourself to.” As a leader, you should always hold yourself to the highest standards possible. Whether it is in dress and appearance, adherence to regulations, and bearing. You as the leader, are THE role model. Troops will emulate what you project.... good or bad.

7. “I’ll simplify it even further; you are accountable for what you are responsible for... OWN IT "

Nothing more needs to be added to this comment.

As leaders, whether in our military roles, civilian jobs, social organizations or with families, taking ownership of EVERYTHING we do, whether positive or negative is important. We are all leaders in some way, and someone is always watching us. It is up to us to be the best role model we can be. SMA Tilley’s comments are yet another reminder for leaders that personal responsibility is one of the main traits every good leader MUST have and exhibit.

One more thing. As many of you have heard me say so many times, this leadership journey we are all on is not about us. It’s about those people we are responsible for mentoring and developing, and it is to the organization. In the case of the Texas State Guard, it’s about the people of Texas. When we are called, we need to be ready to do that through selfless service. KEEP YOUR EGO OUT OF IT!!!!!

I will end this rant the same way I end all of them, with that advice from my father: MISSION, MEMBERS, ME.