Marine Corps Leadership

NonCommissioned Officers are the backbone of the Marine Corps. Each leader is very different from the other. Some Marines enjoy being a corporal only because of the increase in rank and pay. A few become the tactless leaders junior Marines try to avoid. Fortunately, many others strive to become the leader that other Marines wish to emulate. They know what it means to be a good leader. Those Marines have the traits of a leader and they get to know their Marines

An important part of being a leader, consists of the fourteen leadership traits. They are as follows: integrity, knowledge, courage, decisiveness, dependability, initiative, tact, justice, enthusiasm, bearing, endurance,
If a Marine is weak in a particular area of his MOS, the leader will know where to start to help the Marine’s proficiency. If a leader knows that a Marine failed swim qual, he will know how to help the Marine improve. If a leader knows that a Marine is having financial problems, he can get the Marine the financial classes the Marine needs. If a leader knows that a Marine is having problems at home, he can get the Marine the personal counseling the Marine needs. If a leader knows his Marines, he is in a better position to help his Marines. It also increases unit cohesion. Marines like it better if they know their leaders want to know the Marines on a personal level.

The third and final part is the leadership style. A Marine’s approach is very vital to efficient leadership. I believe in order to get respect, I have to give it first. This is why I am careful to always be tactful and polite. From personal experience, I prefer a polite leader. To me it means, he respects me as a Marine; it tells me that the leader does not view me as just another faceless junior Marine to do his bidding. I also believe that if I have a Marine’s respect, he will complete tasks I give him to my standards. Even if I do not have the Marine’s respect, I was respectful and the Marine will still complete anything I request of him faithfully. I also believe tact is very important. How you correct a Marine conveys