Page 13 - FCA Diamond Point June 24

FROM THE FIELD

The Making of a Non-Commissioned Officer by SSG
Alisha A. Gonzalez, 36B SLC, 003-21

Introduction

Great leaders are students of leadership and are constantly evolving and adapting to those whom
they lead. The important qualities of an outstanding leader are constant growth and personal
development, being a servant leader, and giving trust and respect. They emulate the ability to
adopt change and are stewards of being a servant leader. From person to person, leadership
looks differently. No two styles are the same, so while someone is developing their leadership
style, they take from the people who have been a mentor to them in the past. Not every person
who has authority over others exhibits good behaviors. Through negative behavior, Soldiers and
Leaders learn lessons. Leaders earn trust and respect, and building on that foundation with peers
and subordinates requires consistency. It takes more than a day to develop great leaders.
Although some people have natural leadership, it does not exempt them from continuing to grow.
Growth and Development

Growth as a leader comes with self-reflection, willingness to receive constructive criticism, and
taking experiences from others to incorporate and build on. Self-reflection requires a person to
have introspection when situations arise. Internally those persons may seek to understand how
to address situations from various perspectives. This applies to all ends of the spectrum
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throughout your leadership career; not every encounter will be a walk in the park. When faced
with adversity, it gives a person an opportunity to cultivate a chance to evaluate the
circumstances of each instance. Individuals trying to better themselves value constructive