Unit 2: Leadership Theory and Application

In the Leadership Development Program,

Character describes what a leader must _____________.

Competence refers to what a leader must _____________.

Actions are what a leader must __________.

• do, know, be

  
  

• 
  

  be, know, do

• know, be, do

• be, do, know

You delegated a difficult mission to a reliable junior Cadet. Unfortunately, you didn't have time to supervise because you were completing another mission at the same time. The Cadet failed to complete the mission successfully, but appreciated the opportunity to excel. The Cadet knows that your supervisor will blame you for the failure and wants to take full responsibility.

As a leader, which of the below choices would be your BEST

• Allow the junior Cadet to take responsibility for the failed mission, and tell your supervisor that your team shouldn't have been assigned so many difficult missions at once

• Accept responsibility for the missions failure yourself, but talk to your supervisor about assigning missions in the future that are more within you and your team's capabilities

• Allow the junior Cadet to take responsibility for the failed mission, and counsel the Cadet on the responsibilities of leaders

• Accept full responsibility for the failed mission, but don't assign the junior Cadet to be in charge of any more missions without close supervision

You promised your squad that Cadet Jones would be in charge of the next mission because she earned the opportunity. You notice that the next mission isn't difficult, and she wouldn't really be challenged by it.

What course of action would you take in order to best develop your squad without denying Cadet Jones an opportunity?

• Don't go back on your word. Assign her to be in charge of the mission anyway.

• Tell your squad that the mission is so easy that anyone can do it, and then assign it to another Cadet.

• Tell Cadet Jones that "it just happens that way sometimes," have her complete the mission, then be fair and have her wait until her turn comes around again so that everyone else gets a chance too.

• Tell your squad that you think another Cadet would learn more by being in charge of this mission and ask for a volunteer. Assign Cadet Jones to supervise, but to allow the volunteer the chance to accomplish the mission.

Your platoon sergeant always seems to assign the unpleasant tasks to your squad. At summer leadership camp, your squad got assigned to clean the latrines. At the end of leadership labs, your squad usually is tasked to clean up, and it seems like your squad is always left to finish cleaning the weapons at the end of marksmanship training. Your team leaders have pointed out that some squad members are starting to grumble about it, even though they reassured them that things will even out in the end. Now that you think about it, they're right.

What's the best thing you can do for your squad?

• Tell your squad that you will refuse to have them do any more tasks like that until the other squads do some first.

• Talk to the platoon sergeant and other squad leaders about the favoritism happening in the platoon.

• Tell your squad that you don't think the platoon sergeant would do that either on purpose or by mistake, and tell them to "drive on.

• In private, talk to the platoon sergeant about the situation, and propose a plan to make task assignments more equitable in the future.

You are a squad leader, and your platoon is going to participate in a drill and ceremonies competition at the end of the month. You approach your platoon leader about making drill training more complex because your squad is much more proficient than the other squads. For leadership development reasons, he asks you to apply the 11 principles of leadership and to make the decision for him.

Which of the following best describes what your answer should be?

• Since you are seeking responsibility, he should let you train your squad train separately.

• Since the competition requires all of the squads to move in unison, he needs to keep training them as a team, even if it means performing less difficult tasks.

• Since you and your squad are technically and tactically proficient, then he should allow your squad to train separately on more difficult tasks.

• Since he already explained the task and you said that you understood it, then you will continue to do what you were told

Define "attributes."

• A quality or characteristic that belongs to a person; a distinctive personal feature.

• A feature distinctive to a particular race of people.

• An attitude that demonstrates confidence and ability.

• A group characteristic that sets the group apart from other groups.

Name three of the eleven principles of leadership.

• Know yourself and seek self-improvement. Be technically proficient. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

• Make sound and timely decisions. Set the example. Know your personnel and look out for their welfare. Keep followers informed.

• Develop responsibility in your followers. Ensure each task is understood, supervised, and accomplished. Build a team. Employ your team in accordance with its capabilities.

• All of the above

Explain the BE, KNOW, DO attributes of leadership.

• Be efficient, know everything, and do what you can.

• Leaders must concentrate on what they are, what they know, and what they do.

• Be your best, know your team, and do what you can to guide the team to success.

• Leaders must be, know, and do the Army's Code of Conduct.

A good leader accepts honest errors from teammates without recrimination. Define "recrimination."

• Considering teammates to be criminals.

• A retaliatory accusation.

• The state of not being bothered by incompetence.

• The act of re-teaching material until a team understands it.

A leader conducts him or herself so that personal habits are not open to censure. Define "censure."

• An opinion or judgment that criticizes or condemns sternly.

• To tighten one's belt or one's hold on an object.

• Another word for praise or kudos.

• The act of revealing one's flaws to others to gain acceptance within a group.