Blog

This week:  Monitoring, Reinforcing and Improving Performance from the ADRP 6-22.

Training Tuesday Podcast, always brings a positive message to improve performance and increase production!  

Welcome to Tuesday Training Podcast…a conversation and collaboration between Army National Guard Recruiters where we can create a culture of excellence, collaborate creativity, and celebrate success.

This week, because of your efforts, lives will be changed, legacies will be started and generations will be impacted.  What you do matters…..you make a difference.

MISSION MOMENT with CSM (r) Dave Eustice of Military Recruiting Experts (844) 628-7029 [email protected]

All MRE Events and Registration:  https://www.militaryrecruitingexperts.com/event-registration.html

Leadership Lesson ADRP 6-22

PART ONE: THE BASIS OF LEADERSHIP

CHAPTER 1:  FUNDAMENTALS OF LEADERSHIP

CHAPTER 2:  ROLES AND LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP

PART TWO: THE ARMY LEADER: PERSON OF CHARACTER, PRESENCE, AND INTELLECT

CHAPTER 3: CHARACTER

CHAPTER 4:  PRESENCE

CHAPTER 5:  INTELLECT

PART THREE:  COMPETENCY-BASED LEADERSHIP FOR DIRECT THROUGH STRATEGIC LEVELS

CHAPTER 6:  LEADS Others

LEADS

BUILD TRUST

EXTEND INFLUENCE BEYOND THE CHAIN OF COMMAND

LEADS BY EXAMPLE

COMMUNICATES

CHAPTER 7:  DEVELOPS

CREATES A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT/FOSTERS ESPRIT DE CORPS

SETTING THE CONDITIONS FOR POSITIVE CLIMATE

Fairness and Inclusiveness

Learning Environment

Assessing Climate

Dealing with Ethics and Climate

BUILDING COHESION AND TRUST

ENCOURAGING INITIATIVE

DEMONSTRATING CARE FOR PEOPLE

PREPARES SELF

BEING PREPARED FOR EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES

EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE

DEVELOPING SELF-AWARENESS

CHAPTER 8:  ACHIEVES

GETS RESULTS

PROVIDING DIRECTION, GUIDANCE, AND PRIORITIES

ADAPTING TO CHANGES

MANAGING RESOURCES

8-14. A main responsibility of leaders—whether officers, NCOs, or Army Civilians—is to accomplish the mission, which includes making the best use of available resources. Some Army leaders specialize in managing single categories of resources, such as ammunition, food, personnel, or finances, but all leaders  have an interest in overseeing all categories of resources are provided and used wisely.

8-15. Managing resources consists of multiple steps that require different approaches and even different skills. In many cases, Army leaders need to acquire needed resources for themselves or others. Resources can take the form of money, materiel, personnel, or time. The acquisition process can be a relatively straightforward process of putting in a request through established support channels, contracting for support, or local national purchasing. Other times, a leader may need to be more creative and resourceful.  In such cases, the effective use of influence tactics (see chapter 7) may be instrumental in successfully acquiring needed resources.

8-16. After acquiring resources, leaders are responsible for allocating them in a manner that recognizes different needs and priorities. A leader may have multiple requests for limited resources and will need to make decisions about the best distribution. Doing so in a way that recognizes and resolves potential ethical problems requires a firm grounding in the Army Values (see chapter 4). Ultimately, a leader must decide how to best allocate resources in ways to meet the mission. Leaders need to deal openly and honestly with their allocation decisions and be prepared to handle reactions from those who feel the leader handled their requests unfairly or ineffectively.

8-17. Leaders should evaluate if limited resources are used wisely and effectively. Do the resources advance the mission of the Army and the organization? Conversely, were resources squandered or used in ways that did not enhance the effectiveness of the individual, unit, or the Army as a whole? In cases of unwise resource use, a leader should follow this evaluation with appropriate counseling and actions for those accountable for the resources in question.

MONITORING PERFORMANCE

8-18. The ability to assess a situation accurately and reliably against desired outcomes, established values, and ethical standards is a critical tool for leaders to achieve consistent results and mission success.  Assessment occurs continually during planning, preparation, and execution; it is not solely an after-the-fact evaluation. Accurate assessment requires instinct and intuition based on experience and learning. It demands a feel for the reliability and validity of information and its sources. Periodic assessment is necessary to determine organizational weaknesses and prevent mishaps. Accurately determining causes is essential to training management, developing subordinate leadership, and initiating quality improvements.

REINFORCING GOOD PERFORMANCE

8-19. To accomplish missions consistently, leaders need to maintain motivation within the team. One of the best ways to do this is to recognize and reward good performance. Leaders who recognize individual and team accomplishments shape positive motivation and actions for the future. Recognizing individuals

and teams in front of superiors and others gives those contributors an increased sense of worth. This encourages Soldiers and Army Civilians to sustain and improve performance.

8-20. Leaders should not overlook giving credit to subordinates. Sharing credit has enormous payoffs in terms of building trust and motivation. A leader who understands how individuals feel about team accomplishments will have a better basis for motivating individuals based on their interests.

IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

8-21. High performing units are learning organizations that take advantage of opportunities to improve performance. Leaders need to encourage a performance improvement mindset that allows for conformity but goes beyond meeting standards to strive for increased efficiencies and effectiveness. Several actions are characteristic of performance improvement:

• Ask incisive questions about how to perform tasks better.
• Anticipate the need for change and action.
• Analyze activities to determine how to achieve or affect desired end states.
• Identify ways to improve unit or organizational procedures.
• Consider how information and communication technologies can improve effectiveness.
• Model critical and creative thinking and encourage it from others.

8-22. Too often, leaders unknowingly discourage ideas and subordinates are less inclined to present new ideas. Leaders respond to subordinates’ ideas with reactions about what is and is not desired. This can be perceived as closed-mindedness and under-appreciation of the subordinate’s insight. “We’ve tried that before.” “There’s no budget for that.” “You’ve misunderstood my request.” “Don’t rock the boat.” These phrases can kill initiative and discourage others from thinking about changes to improve the organization.  Leaders need to encourage a climate of reflection and encourage ideas for improvement. The concept of lifelong learning applies equally to the organization as well as to the individual.

CHAPTER 9:  LEADERSHIP IN PRACTICE

PART FOUR:  LEADING AT ORGANIZATIONAL AND STRATEGIC LEVELS

CHAPTER 10:  ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

CHAPTER 11:  STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

King Solomon:  If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. (Ecclesiastes 10:10 ESV)