HEADQUARTERS

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS

SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND

I. Overview

The infantry journal says: “It is criminal for an officer, ignorant of troop leading, to lead
men into battle.” During the last war, thousands of lives were unnecessarily lost due to incompetent
leadership.

With the increase in the complexity of warfare, the science in war has become increasingly
dependent upon human guidance. No matter how complicated it may become, war is always waged
by man. The man who leads and the man who are led win wars. Every member of our military
force must be a leader, actually and potentially.

The purpose of the study of leadership is to provide military leaders with a practical guide
for applying principles of leadership. In the ultimate sense, leadership is not inherent: it depends
upon traits which can be learned. It is an art which can be acquired, cultivated and practiced by
anyone who possesses the mental and physical ability and the moral ethical integrity expected of
a commissioned or non-commissioned officer developing the art is a continuing process which
involves the recognition and practice of the basic traits of leadership principles and techniques.

II. Learning Objectives

At the end of the subject, student should be able to:

1. Define and appreciate the importance of military leadership;

2. Understand techniques and tactics for successful leadership; and
3. Enumerate traits and principles of leadership as guide in accomplishing an assign task or
mission.

III. Discussion/Lesson Proper:

A. Leadership is generally defining as the art of influencing others to accomplish and

assigned task or mission.

B. The traditional principles of leadership are excellent guidelines to officers and men who
handle leadership positions.

The eleven (11) principles are as follows:

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement. In order to know yourself, you have to
understand your Be, Know and Do attributes. Seeking self-improvement as a leader
means continually strengthening your attributes.
2. Be technically and tactically proficient. As leaders, you must be proficient with each
weapon, vehicles and piece of equipment in your unit. You should have the technical
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

knowledge to perform job tasks. Having the technical knowledge to operate and
maintain your equipment, you must also know how to use it for tactical advantage over
the enemy.

3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. A leader has the
responsibility to make good soldier out of the people in his unit, even problems soldiers.
He also has the individual obligation to accomplish all assigned tasks to the fullest of
one’s capability. A leader also has responsibilities towards his subordinates and
superior and also to his unit. There are numerous other responsibilities and leader has
to carry out all these as a professional soldier.

4. Make sound and timely decision. As a leader, you must continually analyze the
situation, identify problems and their real causes, make decisions and plans.

5. Set the example. Leaders teach subordinates the right things by showing them and not
only by telling them.

6. Know your men and look after their welfare. A leader should understand human
nature. As leaders, we would always be dealing with followers, peers, seniors and other
people whose support we need to accomplish our mission. And we must be able to
motivate these people to support us.

7. Keep your men informed. The leaders must realize the importance of clear, open
communication so that soldiers can accomplish their mission as a team and use
initiative in the absence of orders.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility. It is the leader’s job to develop subordinates in a

way that will develop them as leaders. A leader should know how to assign
responsibilities to subordinate and hold them accountable.

9. Ensure that the task is understood, supervised and accomplished. Through open
and clear communication, the leader should ensure that the task is understood by the
subordinates. From these, the leader must maintain a grasp on the situation and see to
it that the plans and policies are implemented properly.

10. Train your men as a team. The leader should ensure a union of thought and
information among all members of his unit. Generally, a smoothly function team more
readily accomplished tasks or mission than an individual.

11. Employ your men in accordance with their capabilities. Capabilities are developed
by good leadership and training. The leader then employs the unit successfully
according to their capabilities.

C. The four (4) factors of leadership are the follower, the leader, communication and situation.
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

1. The first major factor of leadership is the follower. Different men require different
leadership styles.

2. You, the leader, are the second major factor of leadership. You must have an honest
understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do.

3. Communication. The third major factor of leadership is communication. A leader

leads by two-way communication, he teaches, couches, counsels, persuades and
punishes through verbal and non-verbal communications.

4. The fourth major factor of leadership is the situation. All situations are different. A
leadership action or style that worked in one situation with one group of men or other
key people may not work in another situation.

D. The four (4) values that make up the professional ethics are loyalty to the ideals of the
nation, loyalty to the unit, personal responsibility and selfies service.

1. Loyalty to the ideas of the nation. This value implies recognition that you exist solely
to serve and defend the nation. It represents answering loyalty directed upward through
the chain of command and accepts as proper and fitting the subservience to civilian
control. It demands total adherence to the spirit and letter of the lawful order, to the
fullest of one’s comprehension of that order.

2. Loyalty to the unit. This implies a two=-way obligation between those who lead and
those who are led; an obligation to conserve lives, to be considerate of the well-being
of one’s subordinates and comrades, to instill a sense of devotion and pride in the unit,
and to develop the cohesiveness and loyalty that mold individuals into effective
fighting organizations.

3. Personal responsibility. This value equates to the individual obligation to accomplish

all assigned tasks to the fullest of one’s capability to abide by all commitments, be they
formal or informal; and to seize opportunity for individual growth and improvement.
This value also requires us a willingness to accept full responsibility not only for our
own actions but also for the actions of those in our charge.
4. Selfless service. This means that you as a leader must at all times put the needs and
goals of the nation, the unit, and you men ahead of your personal needs and interests.
Leaders are not given authority, status, and position as a personal reward to enjoy in
comfort. These were given to you so that you may be of greater service to your
subordinates, your unit and your country.
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

E. There are four (4) qualities or traits of character which must be valued by all men. The
more you build those traits in yourself and others, the more successful leader you would
be.

1. Courage. It comes in two (2) forms. Physical courage is overcoming fears and bodily
harm and doing your duty. Moral courage, on the other hand, is overcoming fears other
than bodily harm and to do what is ought to be done. It is the courage to stand firm on
your values, your moral principles and conviction.

2. Candor. Is being frank, open honest and sincere with your soldiers, seniors and peers
it is an expression of personal integrity.

3. Competence. Is proficiency in required professional knowledge, judgement and skills.

4. Commitment. Means the dedication to carry out all unit missions and to serve the
values of the country, the army and the unit.

F. An ethical dilemma occurs when two or more values collide or conflict. When you find
yourself in an ethical dilemma, the leader must search for the morally RIGHT thing to do
is the moral action that best serves the ideals of the Philippines and your soldiers. The
“highest moral good” is what professional ethics are all about.

G. A trait is a distinguishing quality or characteristic of a person. Character is defined as the

sum total of an individual’s personality traits and the link between the person’s values and
his behavior.

The following are traits that a leader should possess. There is no formula that shows
which trait is more important than the next one. But a leader should seek to develop these
traits in himself and among his subordinates:

1. Assertiveness- taking charge when necessary, making your ideas known, helping to
define the problem and getting others do the right thing to solve the problems.

2. Bearing- a person’s general appearance, carriage, deportment and conduct.

3. Confidence- the assurance that you and your men will be successful in whatever you
do.
4. Coolness under stress- a confident calmness in looks and behavior.

5. Courage- mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a man
to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness.

6. Creativity- demonstrated by thinking of new and better goals, ideas programs as

solution to problems.
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

7. Decisiveness- the leader should be able to make decisions promptly and to state them
in a clear, forceful manner.

8. Dependability- the certainty of proper performance of duty.

9. Empathy or compassion- is being sensitive to the feelings, values, interest and

wellbeing to others.

10. Endurance- the mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain,
fatigue, stress and hardship.

11. Enthusiasm- the display of sincere interest and zeal in the performance of duties.

12. Flexibility- the capability to make timely and appropriate changes in thinking, plans
and methods, when you see, or when others convince you that there is a better way.

13. Humility- admitting weakness or imperfections in your character, knowledge and

skills, it is acknowledged mistakes and taking appropriate action to correct those
mistakes.

14. Initiative- taking action in the absence of orders.

15. Integrity- the uprightness and soundness of moral principles, the quality of truthfulness
and honesty.

16. Judgement- the ability to logically weigh facts and possible solution on which to base
sound decision.

17. Justice- timely and fair disposition of case.

18. Knowledge- the leaders should develop a program of learning to keep himself abreast
of current development in his specialty, command policies, and developments in local
and world communities.

19. Loyalty- the quality of faithfulness to country, the army seniors, subordinate and peers.
20. Maturity- refers to the sense of responsibility a person has developed. He does not
make impulsive decision based on child like emotional desires or feelings.

21. Self discipline- forcing yourself to do your duty what you to do regardless of how tired
or unwilling you may be.

22. Self empowerment- shown by reading, studying, seeking challenging assignment, and
working to strengthen beliefs, values, ethics, characters, knowledge and skill.
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

23. Sense of humor- shown by not taking yourself too seriously and by contributing to
laughter and morale of people around you.

24. Tact- the ability, to deal with others is a respectful manner.

25. Unselfishness- a leader who avoids providing for his own comfort and personal
advancement at the expense of other.

26. Will- the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of seemingly insurmountable

obstacles.

H. Roles of a leader

“Roles of the leader” refers to jobs which every leader must do those duties which all
leaders must perform 100% of his or their time.

Basic roles of a leader:

1. Model Soldier- the model soldier maintains pride in his appearance and conduct by:
a. Personal appearance
b. Neat and clean uniform
c. Exemplary conduct both on and off duty
d. Apply the “Golden Rule”

2. As Instructor- in time of peace, one of the principal duties of a soldier is to instruct.

This means that every leader, officer and men of the peacetime army must be prepared
for the role of instructing those who will be inducted in an emergency. The role of
instructor is important because the measures of success of our army in war is the
standard of instruction and training which members receive.

3. Personnel Manager- Military personnel management is the process of planning,

organizing, directing, and supervising effectively all personnel in such manner so as to
obtain the maximum efficient utilization of all manpower.
4. As a Commander and Supervisor- In carrying out this role, the leader has a number
of primary functions to perform.

5. Custodian of His Men’s Welfare. - The leader must also be concerned with his men’s
needs that are essential to their comfort and well-being, such as adequate mess and
supplies, good quarters, recreation facilities, sanitation and equitable passes.

6. As a counselor- the soldier most often meets personal or official problems which if left
unsolved cause the men’s efficiency to deteriorate. An important duty of a leader is to
improve the moral or spiritual trait of his men.
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

Responsibilities of a Leader

Responsibilities refers to the obligation to perform duties and functions and bear the
consequence of activities under one’s command. The manner in which a leader fulfills his
responsibilities is the measure of his success. So as to be able to shoulder responsibility, a leader
must know his job and must train and supervise his subordinates in their work. Likewise, he
demands from them responsibility for the proper performance of their duties and functions.

The responsibilities of a Leader are two-fold, they are

a) Accomplishment of his mission- the primary duty of the leader is the accomplishment of
his assigned mission. Everything else, even the welfare of his men, are but subordinate.

b) Duties to his men- the next responsibility of a leader lies his duty to his men. It is rarely
possible to accomplish any mission without attention to the morals and spirit of the men.

In military service, the follower is peculiarly dependent upon his leader; he can do little to
improve a lot if his leader neglects him. (FM 22-5, US Army; Baclagon, U. PMT Primer, 1958
ed., pp 154-155)

I. An effective unit is a group of men who know themselves and each other well; care about
each other; share mutual trust, respect, confidence, and understanding; and work as a
disciplined team to accomplish common purposes. It is a leader’s job to make his unit
effective and he can do it by discipline and cohesion.

The interacting parts of a unit are equipment, men, structure, mission and leader.

J. The three (3) overall types of leadership action and skills are providing direction,
implementing and motivating.

1. Leadership that provides direction. Includes setting goals, problem solving, decision
making and planning. These are the thinking skills of leadership.
2. Leadership that implements. Includes communication, coordination, supervision and
evaluation. These are the implementing skills necessary to achieve goals.

3. Leadership that motivate. Includes applying the principles of motivation such as

aligning unit and individual goals and rewarding behavior that leads to the achievement
of unit standards and goals. It also includes teaching and counseling. These are the
skills necessary to influence human nature and to guide, motivated people to carry out
plans and programs.

K. These are three (3) basic leadership styles:

 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

1. Authoritarian. A leader is using this style when he tells his subordinates what he wants
done and how he wants it done, without getting their advice or ideas.

2. Participative. The leader involves one or more subordinates in determining what to do

and how to do it.

3. Delegative. The leader delegates decision - making authority to a subordinates or group

of subordinates.

Situation where a leadership style and normally appropriate:

Authoritarian- you have all the information to solve the problem.

- you are short on time
- your subordinates are motivated

Participative- You have part of the information to solve the problem or accomplish the
mission.
- Certain key subordinates and other people have some of the
information.

Delegative- when certain key subordinates are able to analyze a problem or situation and
to determine what needs to be done and how to do it.

COMMAND

Meaning of Command

Command is the authority of an individual to impose his will lawfully upon subordinates
by virtue of his rank and assignment. Thus a squad leader has command or authority over the man
under him in view of superior orders assigning him as their leader.

Command carries with its responsibility. This means that the leader is held answerable for
all activities under his command.

Since success depends on the right actions of a leader in the execution of missions assigned
to him and his unit, it is therefore said that leadership is the proper exercise of command.
(Baclagon, U. PMT Primer, 1958 ed, P. 146).

Relationship Between Command and Leadership

There are two kinds of military leadership:

a. Authoritarian
 HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS
SOUTHERN LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY ROTC UNIT
Lucban, Quezon

b. Persuasive leadership

One is predominantly of the authoritarian type and normally is recognized by the dogmatic
use of authority power. The persuasive type of leadership takes into consideration the human
elements with all its complexity and with all its differentiation of the physical, mental, and moral
capabilities and limitations of the individual.

To a great extent, the persuasive leader bases his skill in leadership upon example and
ability, with high standards of discipline and efficiency as well as for his followers. (Vol. III,
Infantry Manual, p.3).

Command in the Army is accompanied by responsibility involving special trust and

confidence. Command, with its ramifications of administration, planning, executing, supervising
and coordinating, is the primary reason for the military leader’s existence. The leader is responsible
not only for initiating action, but for supervising all activities within the command. In this
responsibility for the general administration of the group, it is his duty to receive, comply with,
and execute instructions with exactness and thoroughness, regardless of his personal feelings. (Vol.
III, Infantry Manual, pp. 3-4).

Exercise of Command

Command is the authority that a member of the military profession lawfully exerts over
subordinates by virtue of his rank and assignment.

Leadership can be exercised by any one at any time irrespective of the framework of
command. It is recognized that in any group some individual will emerge as the leader, even though
no command or organizational structure is present. Individuals in coordinate capacities exercise
leadership in their dealing with their equals outside the immediate command structure.

In general, however, we think of military leadership as being exercised within the

command framework. Therefore, in one sense, military leadership is the proper exercise of
command. (Vol. III, Infantry Manual, p.3).

IV. References:

Common Module, Student Handbook, Officer Basic Course, Training and Doctrine
Command Philippine Army.

Saclote R.A and Rabago Jr. A C. Citizen Army Training Made Easy