Reflective Essay: My Definition Of Leadership

My 22 of years as a Non-Commissioned Officer and 27 total years of service in the Army has shaped how I define leadership. Simply put, I believe leadership is the balancing of two competing priorities, the accomplishment of the mission and the welfare of the people that are in your charge. I see those two priorities being symbiotic because without the people I can’t accomplish the mission and if I do not have a mission then I don’t need the people. Others can probably think of a million other subcategories that help define leadership, but I believe those are the two overarching things leadership encompasses.
My future leadership goals within Troy will be limited because all of my classes will be online, but I can still be a leader by setting the example as a good role model, maintaining a high GPA, and using my experience to make the classes better during the discussions portions. As for my leadership goals for the future, I have earned the highest enlisted rank possible so there are no more grade promotions for
If I can demonstrate that I am competent in my job, a task, or on a subject to my team it builds their confidence in me as a leader and I find that I can get buy in a lot faster which in turn makes the group more productive. I strive to maintain my competence by doing things like taking college courses, attending advanced military schooling, and attending conferences that help me grow as a leader.
Loyalty, is a two way road and has to be earned by the leader and followers. As a leader I have to earn the loyalty of the team members. They need to know that I will have their backs if a situation arises where they need my support and that I am just as invested in the team as they are, kind of an “all for one and one for all” idea. If as leader I can earn the teams loyalty they will more often than not go above and beyond what is needed when I need them