My Leadership Philosophy: Accomplishment With Soldier Welfare

I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with a variety of military and non-military leaders who taught me important lessons in leadership. I obtained these lessons through direct mentorship or observation as I watched how they conducted themselves. Those lessons, combined with my own personal beliefs and experiences, have helped me develop my own leadership philosophy. My leadership philosophy focuses on balancing mission accomplishment with Soldier welfare. As a leader, I place significant emphasis on creating an environment built on trust and mutual respect, personal and professional development, and Soldier welfare.
I have never been a part of toxic or ineffective team during my time in service, but I have been a part of a larger unit that was toxic. My observations have led me to believe that a lack of trust and mutual respect contributes significantly to toxic and ineffective environments. I have always treated those I work with as family instead of coworkers. I have found that Soldiers are willing to do more for each other and put in extra effort if the team bonds transcend the typical superficial ones. Some ways that I have built these familial bonds was through effective informal and formal counseling, hosting unit morale events that include families,

As a result, I have taken every opportunity to maintain a high level of morale within my sphere of influence. I have done this by coordinating unit and section social events, encouraging single Soldiers to participate in Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) events, and providing my Soldiers with additional personal time when able. I believe morale is important because low morale can be responsible for outstanding Soldiers leaving the service or even lead them to taking their own lives. I will always look for opportunities to improve morale because it will benefit the Soldiers and the Army in the