Indications Of Leadership

a. There are four characteristics of a command that are indications of success or failure in the exercise of leadership-morale, discipline, esprit de corps, and proficiency. This article treats these characteristics as the indications of leadership. You are obligated to continuously evaluate your unit using these indications of leadership as a gauge. This is the only sound way for you to know whether your unit is effective and able to perform its mission.

b. As you evaluate your unit you will discover problems that are having an adverse effect on one or more of the indications of leadership and are undermining the effectiveness of your unit. The following paragraphs define each of the indications and give methods for evaluating and developing them.

Interrelationship of the Four Indications

All four of the indications of leadership contribute to the degree of effectiveness of a unit, and all are to some extent interdependent. No absences without leave for a period of time, for example, may well indicate high morale and good discipline. Therefore, some of the items listed under morale will necessarily appear under discipline, proficiency, and esprit de corps. Although discipline, esprit de corps, and proficiency are dependent on the degree of morale present, all four should be considered of equal importance. The other three are dependent upon morale because it is the sum total of all the attitudes of the individual. It can be said that morale is the fertile soil in which the seeds of discipline, esprit de corps, and proficiency are sown. Thus, while you should strive for morale, initially, your efforts must always be directed toward building up all of the indications of leadership to a high degree, as the absence or lessening of one will soon destroy the others.

Morale

a. General. Morale may be defined as the individual's state of mind-how he feels about himself, his fellow soldiers, Army life in general, and all the other things that seem important to him. It is closely related to his needs. If your actions in the training, operations, administration, and fighting of your unit, satisfy the basic needs of your men, you will produce favorable attitudes in them. High morale gives the soldier a feeling of confidence and well-being that enables him to face hardship with courage, endurance, and determination.

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b. Evaluation of Morale.

(1) Morale does not remain constant but is continuously hanging. The state of morale of the members of your unit is an important index to the effectiveness with which you are using the principles and techniques of leadership. You can measure morale by close observation of your men in their daily activities, by inspections, by formal and informal interviews, and by the evaluation of administrative and operational reports. Specific things to note are-

(a) Job proficiency.

(b) Appearance.

(c) Practice of military courtesy.

(d) Personal hygiene.

(e) Care of equipment.

(f) Condition of mess and quarters.

(g) Adequacy and suitability of rations.

(h) Care of casualties.

(i) Response to orders and directives.

(j) Use of recreational facilities.

(k) Attention during training.

(l) Number of rumors.

(m) Number of quarrels.

(2) Administrative reports concerning the status of personnel, when properly evaluated, aid in measuring morale. Particularly valuable are reports which deal with-

(a) Men absent without leave and deserters.

(b) Malingerers.

(c) Arrests, military and civilian.

(d) Requests for transfer.

(e) Sick call rate.

(f) Stragglers.

(g) Self-inflicted wounds.

(h) Damage to or loss of equipment through carelessness.

Discipline

a. General. Discipline is the individual or group attitude that insures prompt obedience to orders and initiation of appropriate action in the absence of orders. The exacting discipline demanded in a military organization is of necessity much greater than the type of discipline demanded in school, church, or home. One of the major purposes of discipline is to instill in a command a helpful, potent spirit that will foster group identity and cohesion and motivate the individual to withstand the shock of battle. It results from effective training and intelligent leadership. Before a man can act resourcefully in the absence of orders, he must have an understanding of what is to be done and the role he plays. This requires training. Before he can respond willingly and intelligently to orders, he needs the same understanding and ability, plus confidence in his superiors. This requires leadership.

b. Evaluation of Discipline. Things to watch for are-

(1) Attention to details.

(2) Harmonious relations between units and individuals.

(3) Attention to duty.

(4) Promptness in reporting for duty.

(5) Respect for superiors.

(6) Proper conduct of individuals at all times.

(7) Attention to cleanliness, dress, and saluting.

(8) Attendance at sick call only when medically necessary.

(9) Promptness in responding to commands, directives, and other orders.

Esprit De Corps

a. General. Esprit de corps is the loyalty to, pride in, and enthusiasm for a unit shown by its members. It implies devotion to the unit, acceptance of responsibility by individuals, and jealous regard for the honor of the unit. Esprit de corps is a spirit above and beyond the aggregate personalities of the individuals in a unit. It amounts to the unit's personality. It expresses the unit's will to fight and win.

b. Evaluation of Esprit De Corps. Esprit de corps depends on the satisfaction the members get out of belonging to a unit, or their confidence in their leaders and on their attitude toward other members of the unit. Evidence of esprit are-

(1) Expressions from the men showing enthusiasm and pride in their unit.

(2) A good reputation among other units.

(3) A strong competitive spirit.

(4) Willing participation by the members in unit activities.

(5) Pride-in the traditions and history of the unit.

(6) Readiness on the part of the men to help one another.

(7) The belief that theirs is the best unit in the Army.

Proficiency

a. General. Proficiency is the technical, tactical, and physical ability of the individual and the unit to perform their job or mission. Unit proficiency is the sum of the skills of all the individuals in the unit welded together by the leader into a smooth-running team.

b. Evaluation of Proficiency. Proficiency results largely from training; therefore, supervision of training should occupy the major portion of your time as a commander. This is the one sure method you have of judging the proficiency of individuals and of the unit. You will get proficiency when you demand the highest possible standard. Some of the marks of proficiency you should watch for are-

(1) Personal appearance and physical condition of the men.

(2) Appearance and condition of weapons and equipment.

(3) Willing acceptance and discharge of responsibility by subordinates.

(4) Businesslike operation of the unit.

(5) Troop leading ability of junior leaders.

(6) Promptness and accuracy in passing down orders and instructions.

(7) Promptness and accuracy in reporting and disseminating information.

Development of the Indications of Leadership

a. The development of the indications is a continuous concern. The operation and training of your unit must be carried out with the view in mind of developing the leadership indications. If you understand the forces that produce desired results, you will be better able to direct your efforts along productive lines.

b. Certain known actions have proved to develop a specific indication. An action designed to improve one of the indications of leadership may also develop the others. Following are the indications and some specific steps that will develop each:

(1) Morale.

(a) Teach belief in the cause and mission.

(b) Instill confidence in self, training, equipment and leaders.

(c) Ensure job satisfaction by carefully considering job assignments.

(d) Keep your men cognizant of your concern and the Army's concern for their welfare.

(2) Discipline.

(a) Demonstrate discipline by your own conduct and example.

(b) Set high standards of performance and insist they be met.

(c) Institute an impartial system for punishment and an equitable distribution of privileges.

(d) Remember, discipline is a result of mutual confidence gained through training.

(3) Esprit de corps.

(a) Start the men off right in the reception program by an orientation of the unit's history, traditions, and present role.

(b) Develop the feeling that the unit must excel.

(c) Recognize achievements of the unit and its members and see that they are properly publicized.

(d) Make use of ceremonies, symbols, and slogans.

(e) Use competition to develop teamwork.

(f) Make use of decorations and awards.

(4) Proficiency.

(a) Train your men in their individual duties.

(b) Emphasize teamwork through the chain of command.

(c) Establish a sound physical conditioning program.

Source: FM 22-100, pg.54-61

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