Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.
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5 Spring 2016 and Sergeant First Class Richard L. Saucier A leadership philosophy can be defned simply as whatever a person believes with regard to leadership. On . further examination, it relates to a mission statement and clearly outlines leadership values. When combined, the leadership philosophy and the mission statement provide subordinates with a path to follow and a goal to which to aspire. It is helpful for leaders to write down their philosophies to ensure a clear understanding not only for themselves, but also for their subordinates and peers. Reaching a shared understanding of the mission and the de- sired end state is the frst step in accomplishing the task at hand. Everyone has his or her own philosophy; however, some philosophies are more effective than others. The simple act of writing a statement does not make an effective leader. Ensuring a clear understanding of the philosophy and its purpose, gaining a buy-in from all, and adhering to the phi- losophy are critical. A clearly defned leadership philosophy serves as a concrete roadmap to success for Soldiers. All leaders cement their philosophy around a few tenets that are deemed most important to them. The areas of leadership philosophy emphasized here are responsibility, respect, and teamwork. Responsibility Responsibility is critical; everyone in the unit should pos- sess some level of responsibility. Responsibility (like respect) is noticed, no matter the rank. Soldiers who notice someone failing or struggling to meet standards have a responsibility to ensure that he or she is properly trained. The individual is also responsible for identifying areas of weakness and seeking help. Training is only one of many avenues for be- coming more responsible. As a self-policing organization, all Soldiers are responsible for identifying issues, weaknesses, and failures within the ranks and making corrections, re- training, and following up. Emotional intelligence is a critical component of respon- sibility. Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empa- thy, and social skills are characteristics of emotional intelli- gence. These characteristics are directly linked to the ability to communicate, interact with, and understand others. Pos- sessing these characteristics allows leaders and Soldiers to better self-analyze and understand their strengths and weaknesses, which creates leaders with higher emotional intelligence who are capable of accurately assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their Soldiers and others. Respect Respect is another critical tenet within the leadership philosophy. Respect is the ability to communicate with oth- ers without conveying intent or purpose in a demeaning or unprofessional manner. Respect must be paid to subordi- nates and peers, and the same should be expected in return. This tenet is important to embrace because self-respect, which is just as critical, leads to respect for others. Thoughts become words, words become actions, and actions represent the person. Respect is also gained over time. Always make decisions that won't compromise your self-respect. Respect is an integral piece of the culture of an organiza- tion. If the value of respect is not instilled, the unit will fail to function properly and a positive command climate cannot be sustained. It is widely understood that respect for lead- ership and authority is important in a unit; however, mu- tual respect for subordinates is just as critical. Respect does not depend on rank or position. The sheer human decency of paying respect at all levels must remain a mainstay of interactions between leaders and subordinates. A climate of respect for all ranks and positions is paramount to a success- ful unit that is capable of functioning as a team. No leadership philosophy is complete without a discus- sion of teamwork—the unifying factor that distinguishes (Continued on page 8)