Leadership is about many things. You don't have to be 'in charge' to demonstrate Leadership ability. You don't have to wait for orders to take initiative and get the job done. I know that you may also 'get in shit' for jumping the gun and leaving your position or whatever by doing so, and that is a risk that comes inherent with that. There's a skill involved in knowing when to do so and when not to. (I don't want this post to result in a bunch of undisciplined wannabees running amok in order to make a name for themselves...)
Sometimes the man in charge may be in the wrong place, cannot tell what's going on exactly, is bogged down in a firefight or confused by his red screen of death, whatever.
You do all have minds of your own, and if the moment is there and you know what needs to be done, then for God's sake, DO IT. That's what Leaders do - they get the job done. Whether that is through orders or action, doesn't matter.
Even though the 'man in charge' is giving the ultimate orders, there's no reason any one of you cannot do so also. You can call them 'directives', if you prefer. "Take out the UAV, it's killing our tanks". "Clear the rooftop! Clear the rooftop!" Are those orders? Or directives on what needs to happen?
So the tank is pwning the lot of you. Don't wait for the 'official' order to take it out; grab your fucking RPG and a buddy to back you up and go get the damned thing. Period. You just demonstrated Leadership.
Guess what?
You'll make a mistake. Or several of them. Bad judgment call. You'll get a dressing down from your higher-ups for it. Why'd you rush the M-Comm and lose our last ticket, Jackass? That's the other part of Leadership. Taking responsibility for your actions (and those of your men). People don't take action because they don't want to be held responsible. Leaders take on the responsibility of their choices, which is what gives them the freedom to make them.
But guess what else?
When you do nothing, you are also responsible for THAT. It's as bad if not worse than doing the wrong thing. It may not be as obvious, you may not have 'disobeyed' an order exactly, but you are still responsible. For not doing your job, which is to win.
"It's not how you play the game, but whether you win or lose." (my own variation...)
Now don't everybody go getting carried away with this; we still need discipline, we still need a command structure, we still need our tactics and strategies and plans of approach, and we still need to know how to follow fucking orders. But we also need Leaders. And not just the ones in charge.
Sometimes the man in charge may be in the wrong place, cannot tell what's going on exactly, is bogged down in a firefight or confused by his red screen of death, whatever.
You do all have minds of your own, and if the moment is there and you know what needs to be done, then for God's sake, DO IT. That's what Leaders do - they get the job done. Whether that is through orders or action, doesn't matter.
Even though the 'man in charge' is giving the ultimate orders, there's no reason any one of you cannot do so also. You can call them 'directives', if you prefer. "Take out the UAV, it's killing our tanks". "Clear the rooftop! Clear the rooftop!" Are those orders? Or directives on what needs to happen?
So the tank is pwning the lot of you. Don't wait for the 'official' order to take it out; grab your fucking RPG and a buddy to back you up and go get the damned thing. Period. You just demonstrated Leadership.
Guess what?
You'll make a mistake. Or several of them. Bad judgment call. You'll get a dressing down from your higher-ups for it. Why'd you rush the M-Comm and lose our last ticket, Jackass? That's the other part of Leadership. Taking responsibility for your actions (and those of your men). People don't take action because they don't want to be held responsible. Leaders take on the responsibility of their choices, which is what gives them the freedom to make them.
But guess what else?
When you do nothing, you are also responsible for THAT. It's as bad if not worse than doing the wrong thing. It may not be as obvious, you may not have 'disobeyed' an order exactly, but you are still responsible. For not doing your job, which is to win.
"It's not how you play the game, but whether you win or lose." (my own variation...)
Now don't everybody go getting carried away with this; we still need discipline, we still need a command structure, we still need our tactics and strategies and plans of approach, and we still need to know how to follow fucking orders. But we also need Leaders. And not just the ones in charge.
