HR0376 - Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

HR0376 - Leadership - Essay Example For 18 years, I have been working as a soldier in the infantry as Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2). Based at Fort George, the Black Watch is the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) (Army 2011). Serving the Black Watch as a Company Sergeant Major, I handle a total of 120 soldiers under my command. To become successful in each of the military mission, the Army as a group needs good leadership. Considering my role and responsibilities as Company Sergeant Major, this report will focus on applying leadership theories, principles and techniques in my chosen profession. Prior to conclusion, factors that make a good leader will be thoroughly discussed. Application of Leadership Theories, Principles and Techniques in My Profession Leadership Definition Unlike the role of managers who are managing business organizations, leadership in military is not about organizational hierarchy, top-down management, or even the use of positional or authoritative power in terms of controll ing a group of soldiers. Likewise, it is a myth that military officers within the army is all about following the chain of command since soldiers who are in the military service treat one another as members of a large family. Even though effective commanders are expected to possess command skills and practice good leadership, the true concept of leadership is not about commanding a group of soldiers who are under the control of the commanders Yukl (2002, p. 2) defined leadership as â€Å"a process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to guide, structure, and facilitate activities and relationships in a group or organization†. On the other hand, McNamara (2008) defined leadership as â€Å"a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent†. In relation to these definitions, Taylor, Rosenbach and Rosenbach (2009, p. 1) explained that ef fective leadership â€Å"is all about getting people to work together to make things happen that might not otherwise occur or to prevent things from happening that would ordinarily take place†. It simply means that effective military leaders include those individuals who are capable not only in influencing other soldiers to strictly follow what is being commanded to them but also motivate, inspire and empower a group of soldiers as unique individuals under my guidance. Formal and Informal Leadership Training As defined by Winstanley (2005), â€Å"a team is composed of a social unit or group of people who interact and communicate with each other and are willing to exert effort to seek common goals and objectives†. As a leader, I spend time and effort trying to motivate and inspire my soldiers to become achievers and self-directed. Because of my ability to develop a strong working relationship with them, I can easily work together with my subordinates as a team each time we need to complete a mission. According to Brungardt (1997), leadership can be taught either by receiving formal or informal leadership training. In line with this, formal leadership training program or seminars can be delivered within the four-corners of a classroom or inside an auditorium whereas informal leadership training program includes each person’s decision to read a book about leadership, leadership learned from on-the-job training activities, discussing the importance