Keeping Leaders Informed

Preamble:

In Lieu of my failure as a soldier I have been tasked to write an essay on the importance of keeping leaders informed. After reflecting on this incident I have come to the conclusion that all this is an overall failure of communication. However thanks to my leadership making me aware of the problem I can now ensure that it does not happen again, and additionally influence other soldiers from my lessons learned.

Communication is the foundation for good leadership. A leader must at all times be able to communicate with his or her subordinates. Subordinates as well as leaders have a responsibility to assist in the improvement of that communication whenever possible. Any "breaks" in the flow of information could be catastrophic in the event of an emergency.

The importance of keeping your leadership informed is very critical as s soldier. It is possible at times that a leader can make errors, while sometime considered as insignificant, attention to small detail is key for the army to function as it should. In the event of an emergency, tasking, or a recall exercise that the platoon needs to be recalled it is imperative that ALL levels of leadership be able to communicate with the lowest levels of the organization. For example, if some type of break in the chain occurs and a soldier who is now suddenly in charge and expected to make important decisions the senior NCO's need to be able to communicate directly with that solider. Another example (that happens frequently) is when a senior leader cannot reach a squad leader or Platoon Sergeant for whatever reason. It is then when he/she should be able to reach another Junior to disseminate orders to the rest the troops or execute an important task.

In general however, it is good practice to keep leaders informed. In the Army we operate as a team. An NCOs primary responsibility is to take care of their soldiers and any issues could potentially arise. Let's say for example a soldier has an issue that he or she does not bring to his or hers NCOs attention. It's not enough for NCOs to occasionally ask if a soldier is having issues or concerns. Soldiers must bring forth information holding nothing back for an NCO to properly do his or her job. Complete openness is required for an NCO to connect with a soldier on a personal level, not merely professional. NCOs must develop personal relationships with their soldiers in order to truly be affective. Communication from both the NCO is pivotal in accomplishing this.

In conclusion, we have reviewed the importance of communication in today's Army. It is arguable that communication is a core part in everything we do. Leaders and soldiers alike need to ensure that good communication is being practiced at all levels.