The 14 leadership traits are qualities of thought and action which, if demonstrated in daily activities, help Marines earn the respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation of other Marines. It is extremely important that you understand the meaning of each leadership trait and how to develop it, so you know what goals to set as you work to become a good leader and a good follower.…
Like all military officers, I was trained and groomed to be a leader from the time I raised my right hand and took the oath of office. The most important contribution to my success was the emphasis I placed on putting junior member’s needs before mine. I have a code that I live by and it has been very effective as a leader, “Take care of your people, and they will take care of…
There are many different characteristics that make a person a true leader. Odysseus is a fictional character from a fantasy epic poem known as “The Odyssey.” He traveled on a twenty year journey with many men along with him but in the end all of his men perished; Odysseus can be classified as a leader and a hero along with a man named Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton is a real life man who went on an expedition to reach Antarctica in the years 1914 to 1916. He also had a whole crew with him for the journey and he saved all of them. When comparing leadership of these two men the three most important traits to take into consideration are confidence, balance between tasks and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to stay on track.…
The author’s purpose in writing this book was to explain the role of the ‘leader’ in the Marine Corps. To accomplish this the author used examples of corps values, ethos, individual courage and unit spirit.…
Army Doctrine Publication (ADP) 6-22, Army Leadership, states the attributes a leader must possess are character, presence, and intellect. Additionally, ADP 6-22 states there are three categories of competencies, leading, developing, and achieving. A leader serves…
All Officers, regardless of what branch they commission as, have a few key characterizes. To be in effective leader, they must take moral high ground, follow the law of war, rule of engagement, and be able to prevent, predict, and solve any future and current problems. Above all else, Officers uses their expertise for the betterment of America, her people, and the Constitution.…
Great leaders keep lines of communication open with their subordinate leaders and soldiers so situations can be understood and missions can be properly carried out. If changes to the plan or unanticipated conditions occur, great leaders will have contingency plans ready to go. They also take notes on what happens before, during, and after training/missions so they know what to improve in the future. In whatever actions are taken, there is always room for improvement, so great leaders are always ready to take constructive criticism and prepare for the next time they need to be in charge. They are always respectful of their soldiers and have the trust that their soldiers can properly and successfully carry out tasks at hand. Great leaders have ambition to achieve whatever goals are set for their group, and know realistically what groups can accomplish. They know the importance of timeliness and order, as well as self-discipline. Great leaders are appreciated in the Army because without them, tasks would not be done to the standard that we have set. In order to accomplish anything, there needs to be a drive and a will to achieve – great leaders are able to motivate their soldiers and keep them organized while tasks are completed. If a group is motivated about their task, they will perform better and get done quicker – motivated groups are more efficient. By following the Orders Process, great…
The Marines Corps teaches their recruits in basic training the fundamental traits of a leader within the ranks of the branch of service with the acronym JJDIDTIEBUCKLE. Each letter of the this acronym represents a trait that leaders should acquire and maintain within their professional and personal lives. There are fourteen traits, however the highly visible traits are judgement, loyalty, initiative, tack, courage, integrity, endurance, justice, and decisiveness. The culture of the Marines is the purpose to lead other Marines and take charge. This competitive nature creates a platform that offers Marines the opportunity that they would otherwise receive in any careers or branch of service. The demonstration of all traits determines a Marine’s ethics, and the observation by his peers will follow him because of his character. Integrity and loyalty creates a bond that translates into trust, which allows cohesiveness among Marines therefore, creating teamwork that results in successful mission accomplishments. The Marines’ leadership has stood the tests of wars and conflicts around the world, thus etching the significance of the Marine Corps into history and in modern times to be the best, relentless, and…
In order to achieve the nation’s military objectives and victory during conflict, military commanders have to be effective leaders. Their primary mission and concern should be to achieve the military’s goal of defeating the enemy in combat while upholding US policies. Military leaders are very different breed when compared to other types of organizations.…
Power, control, speed, accuracy; infantry and aviation, each one is an example of powerful productive tools that the Marine Corps utilizes on a daily bases. Each one by themselves are effective elements. However, with proper instruction and balance they become twice as effective when used together. An equal statement can be said about Authoritative and Delegative styles of leadership. They both provide us with ways in which to lead our Marines.…
Leadership is a term that is heavily used in today’s society and is often times overlooked for its true meaning. In our text it is defined as “the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals” (Robbins, 01/2012, p. 368). After serving in the Marine Corps for five years I have seen many different leadership styles; some which were effective, and others that were not. The leader that had the most influence on me while serving was a Marine by the name of Major Marcus Mainz. He served as the Operations Officer for my Battalion while deployed to Iraq.…
Decisiveness is a quality because a leader needs to show good judgement by making fair and clear decisions when facing tough situations. They also need to do this quickly. Adaptability is also a quality because they must be able to adjust to long-term plans when new information is available. They must also be able to adjust to a changing environment. Another quality is courage, a team leader needs courage because if they are in the frontline in the army they need it to get the task done and to motivate the team and to show an example. They need it to manage dangerous situations. A team leader needs compassion because they need to be aware of…
Leading Marines is the greatest resource that I have come across so far for guidance and motivation in becoming a leader of Marines. In one neat sentence located in the forward, we are given everything that sums up what is expected of future leaders of Marines: "Our actions as Marines every day must embody the legacy of those who went before us." Marines have a great expectation to live up to, and as commissioned officers we must absolutely carry on the tradition of excellent leadership that has come before us. This leadership comes in many forms under many different conditions. As there are no two people who are exactly alike, there is no single way to lead. Leadership is learned not born; one must utilize personal traits and experiences to find his way of leading. I draw some of my leadership style and experience from leading a football team, O.C.S., and principles I have learned from my parents, while others may draw on school, physical challenges, or any other of their personal experiences. This doctrine is meant to help the leader understand the excellence that they are inheriting, and to give guidance on developing one's own leadership style.…
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.…
Irregular Warfare is not a new concept and has always been a threat to the American people way before the current conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan. The major difference is the rapid advancements of technology and the impact they now have on the American society. Marines are trained in such a manner to combat these types of threats and just as the enemies technology advances so does the Marine’s as well as their training. Leadership traits are one of the foundations of Marines being trained to adapt and overcome such threats.…