These leadership principles are
proven guidelines, which if followed, will substantially enhance your ability to
be an effective leader. Keep in mind that your ability to implement these
principles will influence your opportunity to accomplish the mission, to earn
the respect of your fellow Marines, juniors and seniors, and to make you an
effective leader. Make these principles work for you.
- Know yourself and seek
self-improvement.
- This principle of leadership should
be developed by the use of leadership traits. Evaluate yourself by using the
leadership traits and determine your strengths and weaknesses. Work to improve
your weaknesses and utilize your strengths. With a knowledge of yourself, and
your experience and knowledge of group behavior, you can determine the best way
to deal with any given situation. With some Marines, and in certain situations,
the firm, hard stand may be most effective; however, in other situations, the "big
brother" approach may work better. You can improve yourself in many ways.
Self-improvement can be achieved by reading and observing. Ask your friends and
seniors for an honest evaluation of your leadership ability. This will help you
to identify your weaknesses and strengths.
- To develop the techniques of this
principle you should:
- Make an honest evaluation of
yourself to determine your strong and weak personal qualities. Strive to
overcome the weak ones and further strengthen those in which you are strong.
- Seek the honest opinions of your
friends or superiors to show you how to improve your leadership ability.
- Learn by studying the causes for
the success or the failure of other leaders.
- Develop a genuine interest in
people; acquire an understanding of human nature.
- Master the art of effective writing
and speech.
- Have a definite goal and a definite
plan to attain your goal.
- Be technically and tactically
proficient.
- Before you can lead, you must be
able to do the job. The first principle is to know your job. As a Marine, you
must demonstrate your ability to accomplish the mission, and to do this you must
be capable of answering questions and demonstrating competence in your MOS.
Respect is the reward of the Marine who shows competence. Tactical and
technical competence can be learned from books and from on the job training.
- To develop this leadership
principle of being technically and tactically proficient, you should:
- Seek a well rounded military
education by attending service schools; doing daily independent reading and
research; taking correspondence courses from MCI, colleges, or correspondence
schools; and seeking off-duty education.
- Seek out and associate with capable
leaders. Observe and study their actions.
- Broaden your knowledge through
association with members of other branches of the U. S. armed services.
- Seek opportunities to apply
knowledge through the exercise of command. Good leadership is acquired only
through practice.
- Prepare yourself for the job of
leader at the next higher rank.
- Know your Marines and look out
for their welfare.
- This is one of the most important
of the principles. You should know your Marines and how they react to different
situations. This knowledge can save lives. A Marine who is nervous and lacks
self confidence should never be put in a situation where an important, instant
decision must be made. Knowledge of your Marines' personalities will enable
you, as the leader, to decide how to best handle each Marine and determine when
close supervision is needed.
- To put this principle into practice
successfully you should:
- Put your Marines' welfare before
your own--correct grievances and remove discontent.
- See the members of your unit and
let them see you so that every Marine may know you and feel that you know them.
Be approachable.
- Get to know and understand the
Marines under your command.
- Let them see that you are
determined that they be fully prepared for battle.
- Concern yourself with the living
conditions of the members of your unit.
- Help your Marines get needed
support from available personal services.
- Protect the health of your unit by
active supervision of hygiene and sanitation.
- Determine what your unit's mental
attitude is; keep in touch with their thoughts.
- Ensure fair and equal distribution
of rewards.
- Encourage individual development.
- Provide sufficient recreational
time and insist on participation.
- Share the hardships of your Marines
so you can better understand their reactions.
- Keep your Marines informed.
- Marines by nature are inquisitive.
To promote efficiency and morale, a leader should inform the Marines in his unit
of all happenings and give reasons why things are to be done. This, of course,
is done when time and security permit. Informing your Marines of the situation
makes them feel that they are a part of the team and not just a cog in a wheel.
Informed Marines perform better and, if knowledgeable of the situation, can
carry on without your personal supervision. The key to giving out information
is to be sure that the Marines have enough information to do their job
intelligently and to inspire their initiative, enthusiasm, loyalty, and
convictions.
- Techniques in applying this
principle are to:
- Whenever possible, explain why
tasks must be done and how you intend to do them.
- Assure yourself, by frequent
inspections, that immediate subordinates are passing on necessary information.
- Be alert to detect the spread of
rumors. Stop rumors by replacing them with the truth.
- Build morale and esprit de corps by
publicizing information concerning successes of your unit.
- Keep your unit informed about
current legislation and regulations affecting their pay, promotion, privileges,
and other benefits.
- Set the example.
- As a Marine progresses through the
ranks by promotion, all too often he/she takes on the attitude of "do as I
say, not as I do." Nothing turns Marines off faster! As a Marine leader
your duty is to set the standards for your Marines by personal example. Your
appearance, attitude, physical fitness, and personal example are all watched by
the Marines in your unit. If your personal standards are high, then you can
rightfully demand the same of your Marines. If your personal standards are not
high you are setting a double standard for your Marines, and you will rapidly
lose their respect and confidence. Remember your Marines reflect your image!
Leadership is taught by example.
- Techniques for setting the example
are to:
- Show your Marines that you are
willing to do the same things you ask them to do.
- Be physically fit, well groomed,
and correctly dressed.
- Maintain an optimistic outlook.
Develop the will to win by capitalizing on your unit's abilities. The more
difficult the situation is, the better your chance is to display an attitude of
calmness and confidence.
- Conduct yourself so that your
personal habits are not open to criticism.
- Exercise initiative and promote the
spirit of initiative in your Marines.
- Avoid showing favoritism to any
subordinate.
- Share danger and hardship with your
Marines to demonstrate your willingness to assume your share of the
difficulties.
- By your performance, develop the
thought within your Marines that you are the best Marine for the position you
hold.
- Delegate authority and avoid
over-supervision in order to develop leadership among subordinates.
- Ensure the task is understood,
supervised, and accomplished.
- This principle is necessary in the
exercise of command. Before you can expect your Marines to perform, they must
know first what is expected of them. You must communicate your instructions in
a clear, concise manner. Talk at a level that your Marines are sure to
understand, but not at a level so low that would insult their intelligence.
Before your Marines start a task, allow them a chance to ask questions or seek
advice. Supervision is essential. Without supervision you cannot know if the
assigned task is being properly accomplished. Over supervision is viewed by
subordinates as harassment and effectively stops their initiative. Allow
subordinates to use their own techniques, and then periodically check their
progress.
- The most important part of this
principle is the accomplishment of the mission. All the leadership,
supervision, and guidance in the world are wasted if the end result is not the
successful accomplishment of the mission. In order to develop this principle
you should:
- Ensure that the need for an order
exists before issuing the order.
- Use the established chain of
command.
- Through study and practice, issue
clear, concise, and positive orders.
- Encourage subordinates to ask
questions concerning any point in your orders or directives they do not
understand.
- Question your Marines to determine
if there is any doubt or misunderstanding in regard to the task to be
accomplished.
- Supervise the execution of your
orders.
- Make sure your Marines have the
resources needed to accomplish the mission.
- Vary your supervisory routine and
the points which you emphasize during inspections.
- Exercise care and thought in
supervision. Over supervision hurts initiative and creates resentment; under
supervision will not get the job done.
- Train your Marines as a team.
- Every waking hour Marines should be
trained and schooled, challenged and tested, corrected and encouraged with
perfection and teamwork as a goal. When not at war, Marines are judged in
peacetime roles: perfection in drill, dress, bearing and demeanor; shooting;
self-improvement; and most importantly, performance. No excuse can be made for
the failure of leaders to train their Marines to the highest state of physical
condition and to instruct them to be the very best in the profession of arms.
Train with a purpose and emphasize the essential element of teamwork.
- The sharing of hardships, dangers,
and hard work strengthens a unit and reduces problems, it develops teamwork,
improves morale and esprit and molds a feeling of unbounded loyalty and this is
the basis for what makes men fight in combat; it is the foundation for bravery,
for advancing under fire. Troops don't complain of tough training; they seek it
and brag about it.
- Teamwork is the key to successful
operations. Teamwork is essential from the smallest unit to the entire Marine
Corps. As a Marine officer, you must insist on teamwork from your Marines.
Train, play, and operate as a team. Be sure that each Marine knows his/her
position and responsibilities within the team framework.
- When team spirit is in evidence,
the most difficult tasks become much easier to accomplish. Teamwork is a
two-way street. Individual Marines give their best, and in return the team
provides the Marine with security, recognition, and a sense of accomplishment.
- To develop the techniques of this
principle you should:
- Train, study and train, prepare,
and train thoroughly, endlessly.
- Strive to maintain individual
stability and unit integrity; keep the same squad leader and fire team leaders
as long as possible if they're getting the job done. Needless transfers disrupt
teamwork.
- Emphasize use of the "buddy"
system.
- Encourage unit participation in
recreational and military events.
- Never publicly blame an individual
for the team's failure nor praise one individual for the team's success.
- Provide the best available
facilities for unit training and make maximum use of teamwork.
- Ensure that all training is
meaningful, and that its purpose is clear to all members of the command.
- Acquaint each Marine of your unit
with the capabilities and limitations of all other units, thereby developing
mutual trust and understanding.
- Ensure that each junior leader
understands the mechanics of tactical control for the unit.
- Base team training on realistic,
current, and probable conditions.
- Insist that every Marine
understands the functions of the other members of the team and how the team
functions as a part of the unit.
- Seek opportunities to train with
other units.
- Whenever possible, train
competitively.
- Make sound and timely
decisions
- The leader must be able to rapidly
estimate a situation and make a sound decision based on that estimation.
Hesitation or a reluctance to make a decision leads subordinates to lose
confidence in your abilities as a leader. Loss of confidence in turn creates
confusion and hesitation within the unit.
- Once you make a decision and
discover it is the wrong one, don't hesitate to revise your decision. Marines
respect the leader who corrects mistakes immediately instead of trying to bluff
through a poor decision.
- Techniques to develop this
principle include:
- Develop a logical and orderly
thought process by practicing objective estimates of the situation.
- When time and situation permit,
plan for every possible event that can reasonably be foreseen.
- Consider the advice and suggestions
of your subordinates whenever possible before making decisions.
- Announce decisions in time to
allow subordinates to make necessary plans.
- Encourage subordinates to estimate
and make plans at the same time you do.
- Make sure your Marines are familiar
with your policies and plans.
- Consider the effects of your
decisions on all members of your unit.
- Develop a sense of
responsibility among your subordinates.
- Another way to show your Marines
that you are interested in their welfare is to give them the opportunity for
professional development. Assigning tasks and delegating the authority to
accomplish tasks promotes mutual confidence and respect between the leader and
subordinates. It also encourages the subordinates to exercise initiative and to
give wholehearted cooperation in the accomplishment of unit tasks. When you
properly delegate authority, you demonstrate faith in your Marines and increase
their desire for greater responsibilities. If you fail to delegate authority,
you indicate a lack of leadership, and your subordinates may take it to be a
lack of trust in their abilities.
- To develop this principle you
should:
- Operate through the chain of
command.
- Provide clear, well thought
directions. Tell your subordinates what to do, not how to do it. Hold them
responsible for results, although overall responsibility remains yours.
Delegate enough authority to them to enable them to accomplish the task.
- Give your Marines frequent
opportunities to perform duties usually performed by the next higher ranks.
- Be quick to recognize your
subordinates' accomplishments when they demonstrate initiative and
resourcefulness.
- Correct errors in judgment and
initiative in a way which will encourage the Marine to try harder. Avoid public
criticism or condemnation.
- Give advice and assistance freely
when it is requested by your subordinates.
- Let your Marines know that you will
accept honest errors without punishment in return; teach from these mistakes by
critique and constructive guidance.
- Resist the urge to micro-manage;
don't give restrictive guidance which destroys initiative, drive, innovation,
enthusiasm; creates boredom; and increases workload of seniors.
- Assign your Marines to positions in
accordance with demonstrated or potential ability.
- Be prompt and fair in backing
subordinates. Until convinced otherwise, have faith in each subordinate.
- Accept responsibility willingly and
insist that your subordinates live by the same standard.
- Employ your command in
accordance with its capabilities.
- Successful completion of a task
depends upon how well you know your unit's capabilities. If the task assigned
is one that your unit has not been trained to do, failure is very likely to
result. Failures lower your unit's morale and self esteem. You wouldn't send a
cook section to "PM" a vehicle nor would you send three Marines to do
the job of ten. Seek out challenging tasks for your unit, but be sure that your
unit is prepared for and has the ability to successfully complete the mission.
- Techniques for development of this
principle are to:
- Do not volunteer your unit for
tasks it is not capable of completing. Not only will the unit fail, but your
Marines will think you are seeking personal glory.
- Keep yourself informed as to the
operational effectiveness of your command.
- Be sure that tasks assigned to
subordinates are reasonable. Do not hesitate to demand their utmost in an
emergency.
- Analyze all assigned tasks. If the
means at your disposal are inadequate, inform your immediate supervisor and
request the necessary support.
- Assign tasks equally among your
Marines.
- Use the full capabilities of your
unit before requesting assistance.
- Seek responsibility and take
responsibility for your actions.
- For professional development, you
must actively seek out challenging assignments. You must use initiative and
sound judgment when trying to accomplish jobs that are not required by your
grade. Seeking responsibilities also means that you take responsibility for
your actions. You are responsible for all your unit does or fails to do.
Regardless of the actions of your subordinates, the responsibility for decisions
and their application falls on you. You must issue all orders in your name.
Stick by your convictions and do what you think is right, but accept justified
and constructive criticism. Never remove or demote a subordinate for a failure
that is the result of your own mistake.
- Techniques in developing this
principle are to:
- Learn the duties of your immediate
senior, and be prepared to accept the responsibilities of these duties.
- Seek different leadership positions
that will give you experience in accepting responsibility in different fields.
- Take every opportunity that offers
increased responsibility.
- Perform every act, large or small,
to the best of your ability. Your reward will be increased opportunity to
perform bigger and more important tasks.
- Stand up for what you think is
right; have the courage of your convictions.
- Carefully evaluate a subordinate's
failure before taking action. Make sure the apparent shortcomings are not due
to an error on your part. Consider the Marines that are available, salvage a
Marine if possible, and replace a Marine when necessary.
- In the absence of orders, take the
initiative to perform the actions you believe your senior would direct you to
perform if he/she were present.
