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Wow, great post mfs542000! It is wonderful and fresh to hear this from the perspective of a current insider. I keep reminding my Plebe that upperclassmen are still learning the ropes of leadership styles themselves... that they are learning and experimenting with what works and what doesn't to motivate, inspire, and encourage the cadets under their command. What motivates one cadet may totally turn off another. It is a fine line of learning, I am sure.
When I was in high school at a Teen 4-H Retreat, I took a "TP (Task/People) Leadership Style" Quiz which when scored, evaluated individuals ideals toward people and tasks. I leaned very heavily toward the People side of the profile, indicating that I was more concerned about people's feelings and their comfort zones than the Tasks being completed properly. Others in our group leaned heavily toward the Tasks-side. They were goal-oriented to complete tasks but at the potential expense of alienating their peers. Then there were those whose scores fell in-between, with better balance of the two ideals.
As you can imagine, there is a great difference in the way these two main groups interact with each other as leaders and as followers, depending on the situation. A heavy task-guy really does not care that someone may get their feelings hurt as long as the job is done correctly in a timely manner. To the task guy, yelling and screaming may be the only way he knows to motivate to complete the task because it worked for him. A heavy people-guy (me) does not like to be yelled and screamed at and is going to try to do the job correctly because that is pleasing to the one in command. They make sure they lead in a way that values the person over the job at hand. That can have its downside too, if tasks are forfeited in the process. I believe this balance is what our service academies are striving to teach our young leaders before they must take command in the field.
I've reminded said Plebe that when the more sensitive souls of us in the world become "conditioned" to hearing the yelling or stern corrections, they are not as noticeable as they were in the beginning! That said, I am continually more and more impressed with the thoughts and methods that go into training these young men and women to serve as leaders with integrity in a difficult world. The Corps Has.....? Maybe in some respects, but then the wars we are fighting are much different than they were in the past as well.
JustAMom, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for that book!
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