Good afternoon class, my name is LTC Jae Marquis. I have a
very important class for you all as it may be the first job you will
have as an officer after BOLC. It is on Platoon Leadership. For
today’s class, we will focus on the different attributes and
competencies of leadership and how the Principles of Mission
Command Enable Platoon Leader Success. To finish the lesson
you will analyze a platoon leader situation.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Let’s first start off with a short video. The clip is from the movie
We Were Soldiers. Not all of you might like Mel Gibson, however
We Were Soldiers is one of my favorite war movies, and the book
is great as well.
Tell me what did you saw in the clip?
Two different leadership styles.
Ok great. Thank you.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Here is the Learning objectives for today’s lesson:
 Differentiate Attributes and Competencies of Army Leaders
 Examine How the Principles of Mission Command Enable
Platoon Leader Success
 Analyze a Platoon Leader Situation
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Leader Attributes and Competencies. Most of you have probably
seen this diagram before, if not, it is actually on the wall behind
you if you didn’t know.
So the diagram is divided into two halves labeled attributes and
competencies.
What is the definition of a “Core Leader Attribute”?
Possible Answer: Attributes are what a leader “IS”. Attributes
describe the leaders that the Army wants. Attributes describe
how an individual behaves and learns within an environment.
Attributes are characteristics internal to a leader. These affect
how an individual behaves, thinks, and learns within certain
conditions. Strong character, solid presence, and keen intellect
enable individuals to perform the core leader competencies with
greater effect.
Ok great. Anyone else?
Who can tell me the definition of a “Core Leader
Competency”?
Possible Answer: Competencies are what a leader “DOES”. The
core leader competencies are actions that the Army expects
leaders to do: lead, develop, and achieve. Competencies provide
an enduring, clear, and consistent way of conveying expectations
for Army leaders. The core competencies are universal for all
Army leaders.
Great, Thank you.
So why do we continuously address leader attributes and
competencies in ROTC?
Possible Answer: The Army exists to serve the American people,
to protect enduring national interests and to fulfill the nation’s
military responsibilities. This requires values-based leadership,
impeccable character, and professional competence. The
requirements are for leaders at all levels and are common to all
cohorts. The model informs leaders of the enduring capabilities
needed regardless of the level of leadership, mission, or
assignment. Thus, this is the foundation for leader assessment
through the Officer Evaluation Report (OER) system.
Absolutely. All great responses.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Ahh the Platoon Leader. The slide says that a Platoon Leader’s
primary job is to inspire and influence their platoon to accomplish
the mission.
Does everyone agree that this is the Platoon Leader’s
primary job?
Who disagrees and why?
So who can tell me what some of the Platoon Leader’s duties
are?
Possible Answer: Some of the duties a Platoon Leader has are:
 Responsible for what the platoon does or fails to do
 Are the point of contact between the company commander
and the platoon; receive mission for the platoon and
communicate needs to the commander
 Communicate with higher headquarters for reporting and
receipt of mission
 Lead planning
 Develop the concept of the operation
 Lead rehearsals
 Responsible for property
 Develop junior leaders
 Plan training with company leadership
All correct. Now let’s take a look the picture on the slide. Who
can tell me what it means?
Ok good.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------So here are some rule for success for a platoon leader:
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Lead from the front
Put the troops first
Lead through your NCOs
Training is your number one priority
Inspect what you expect
Know what you do not know
Guard your integrity
Understand the roles of other leaders
Learn to make do with scarce resources and personnel
Remember to have fun and never lose your sense of humor
What does it mean to lead from the front?
Possible Answer: It means to Lead by example every day and in
everything you do, whether it is at physical training, on field
exercises, in the motor pool, or on the range.
Absolutely. Great response.
Why is training a number one priority for Platoon Leaders?
Possible Answer: Platoon Leaders ensure their Soldiers are
trained on individual tasks to support their company’s collective
tasks and mission essential task list (METL). After deciding what
to train, leaders develop training plans for Soldiers to master their
individual tasks. Successful PLs know what resources are
available and leverage them to enhance unit training.
Very good. Thank you.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Time for another video. The video you are about to watch is a 1LT
who completed her PL time and shares some things you should
know as a platoon leader. The video is about 2 years old so it is
still relevant.
Play Video
Note: Here are 5 points from the video
1) Get on your commander’s calendar
2) Get in shape – 275 or higher on APFT – Good first
impression – set standard
3) Make an “I love me” book
4) Make a property book – don’t really cover this in ROTC –
Hand receipt property – accountability – learn more about it
5) Counseling
Ask: the lieutenant made 5 points in the video. Which one
did you find the most important as for advice for a new LT
and why?
Very good. Thanks.
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------Let’s transition now to Platoon Leadership and Mission Command
Here are the Principles of Mission Command
So I thought CSM Terrinas did a fairly good job of breaking
down Mission Command. Who can tell me in your words
what is Mission Command is?
Possible Answer: Mission command is the exercise of authority
and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable
disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower
agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of Unified Land
Operations.
Great answer. Thank you (say name).
Looking at the principles listed on the slide, which one do
you think is the most important or are they all equally
important and why?
Excellent. Thank you.
What is Disciplined Initiative and why does it matter?
Possible Answer: Disciplined initiative refers to the duty individual
subordinates have to exercise initiative within the constraints of
the commander’s intent to achieve the desired end state. Simply
put, disciplined initiative is when subordinates have the discipline
to follow their orders and adhere to the plan until they realize their
orders and the plan are no longer suitable for the situation in
which they find themselves. Understanding disciplined initiative
allows subordinates to make decisions based on the urgency of
the situation while keeping two factors in mind:
 Whether the benefits of the action outweigh the risk of
desynchronizing the overall operation.
 Whether the action will further the higher commander’s
intent.
Last question - How do the principles of mission command
assist a Platoon Leader?
Possible Answer: Mission Command is based on a foundation of
trust, commitment, and competence, which facilitates dedication
of follower’s and their willingness to act for a higher purpose and
focus efforts toward mission accomplishment and goal
achievement.
Excellent. Thank you.
--------------------------------Change Slide-------------------------------------
Ok now it’s time for the PE. The purpose of this exercise is for you
to analyze a platoon leader situation.
The PE will take about 10 minutes. You will have 5-7 minutes to
complete the PE. Once completed, each time will provide what
they came up with for answers
--------------------------------Change Slide------------------------------------So in summary, for today’s lesson on Platoon Leadership, we
watched a short video, had discussion on the attributes and
competencies of leaders, how the principles of mission command
enables platoon leader success, and conducted a PE where you
analyzed a platoon leader situation.
Does anyone have any questions at this time? If not, you can
always see me during my office hours.
The next lesson will be on Expanding your Sphere of Influence
For homework, complete the MS402L16 Platoon Leadership
Lesson Assessment in your lesson folder and bring it with you at
the next class
This concludes today’s lesson.