Mutual Trust In The Army

Building a Team The most effective commanders build cohesive teams through their leadership. Mutual trust, shared understanding, and accepting prudent risk serve as principles for mission command. Mutual trust is the foundation of any successful professional relationship that a commander shares with his staff and subordinates. Shared understanding of the operational environment serves as the basis for the commander to effectively accomplish the mission. I can facilitate this understanding, but only if the commander has faith and confidence in my abilities. Presenting the commander with courses of action that have prudent risk associated creates concern, but established credibility and demonstrated competence will allow my team and me …show more content…
Trust is the groundwork for any successful team. Just as the commander will learn to trust me, I in return will have to trust my commander. As a Command Sergeant Major (CSM) or Staff Sergeant Major (SGM), I realize that my Soldiers will not trust me right away, and I must gain their mutual trust through my daily interactions. Setting good examples and living the Army Values will assist in building mutual trust. My commander and I will plan team-building events often to maximize opportunities to build mutual trust in our organization with the staff. Team building requires effort on everyone’s part, but the chance to bridge any gaps that exist within the organization such as cultural differences will further solidify our team. Ensuring that the commander and I are present when training takes place by being an active participant and sharing the same hardships, as Soldiers will prove to the team that their successes are the teams’ successes. For mutual trust to function properly, trust must flow throughout the chain of command from the commander to Soldiers within the organization. Soldiers that feel they have earned the trust of their leadership will be more willing to take the initiative when they know the commander, and I will support their decision (Army Doctrine Reference Publication, (ADRP), 6-0, 2012). Possessing a shared understanding of the operational …show more content…
We can never plan for every possible risk that may arise in the Army, but we try to identify and alleviate them. The prudent risk is exposing oneself to potential injury or loss. Commanders rely on their staff to identify prudent risk and weigh the costs of potential injury or loss against the ability to accomplish their mission. Loss of life, limb, and equipment come with high consequences; therefore, the trust placed on subordinate members of the command team by the commander to mitigate risk, is a privilege. Leaders who identify and mitigate these risks present more opportunities to seize the initiative by gaining superiority during any operation. The most successful commanders are those who do not accept poor planning or preparation (Army Doctrine Reference Publication, (ADRP), 6-0, 2012). Successful commanders utilize and integrate tools into their everyday operations such as risk assessments to determine what level of risk the operation has and how to reduce those risks. The commander and I will collaborate with our subordinate commanders once we have identified how much risk we are willing to accept and how to mitigate those risks when executing missions. As a staff SGM or battalion CSM, I will provide unfiltered professional advice to my commander of where accepting prudent risk may be more beneficial and where the risk may be too great. Despite the advice given and how it may sway his decision of how