Essay On Military Leadership

Military leadership isn’t simply about leading a group of individuals to accomplish the mission. On the surface it may seem this way; a barrage of loud, authoritative orders being barked out to brainwashed enlistees. This is how the preponderance of the masses that aren’t associated with the military may see us. However, it’s much, much more than that. Military leadership is about leading individuals to become something more than they ever thought they could be. To develop an individual into one of integrity and excellence. To help them reach goals they never thought possible and to consider a world beyond their own. Truly, there is no other form of leadership quite like it.
It is my opinion that military leadership, unlike a lot of “leadership” positions in the civilian sector, actually develops one into a leader rather than a manager. Managers are often situated in the back of the action, while military leaders are encouraged to lead from the front. Mangers focus on things while leaders are focused on people. Managers are trained to organize individuals to do things right. Leaders are trained to inspire individuals to do the right thing; to motivate and influence.
One where the subordinate chooses to follow rather than being forced. Some might say that fear is the greatest motivator however there is a number of military leaders who would argue that assumption with vigor. Fear rarely compels the individual to excel and any faux virtue that may seem to have been instilled in the process is instantly dropped once out of the mangers