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Adaptability : Social adaptability refers to the ability to adjust to the environment according
to the varying situations. Feeling of happiness in any group is the hallmark of this quality. A
person with high social adaptability has high social need and hence he does not put a precondition
or choice of a particular type of social group to befriend. His adjustment with the group is active’.
We have seen people who declare that they have no problems with anyone. ‘Having no problem’
is the passive kind of adaptability. A man who has limited social needs may also tag along without
feeling or causing any problem in the social set up. But such a person cannot contribute anything from
his own side to nourish the social bonds among the members of the organisation. An officer should go a
step further to ‘having no problem with any group’. He must enjoy the company of different person
around him and must actively involve himself to enthuse and energise his troops socially. This is
possible only if the officer himself has strong need of social affiliation.
Armed Forces follow hierarchical/pyramidal structure of personnel. By virtue of this structure,
every member is someone’s superior and subordinate barring a few exceptions. It is expected that
members will be obedient to their superiors, kind to their juniors and friendly to their peers. It
needs a balanced pattern of adjustment with all categories of person around. However, owing to a
number of reasons people do not exhibit equal strength of adjustment with all. Someone is more
comfortable with the seniors while a few are happier with their subordinates. An officer can ill
afford to show such selection or preferences in his interaction with his own community members.
Hence, Armed Forces lay great stress on the factor of social adjustment of the officer cadre.
An Officer in the Armed Forces is a Cosmopolitan citizen in True Sense
The sum and substance of the matter is that an officer needs to be a cosmopolitan citizen in a true
sense. He should be happy and socially buoyant without any preconditions of caste, creed religious or
ethnic nature. Let us not forget that Indian society is basically a heterogeneous society and there exists
and endless variety of languages, religions, food habits and many other factors according to region and
climatic conditions.
Co-operation—It refers to willing and harmonious participation with others in a group in
achievement of group goals. This implies belief in collective effort being more productive than the
individual effort. Understanding and living according to team norms and values is the essence of
co-operation. But it is easier said than done.
In real life views, opinions often clash with other on any matter. Co-operation is put to trial when
things go against your own likings, expectations, opinions, views and stand. A Company Commander
may have some opinion about how military job is to be carried out but his Commanding Officer may
order him to perform in a different manner. Whether the Coy Cdr. still performs that job whole-
heartedly depends on his sense of co-operation. It is quite likely that in such situations, a person
might become nonchalant and dissociate himself mentally with the job. Such a tendency has no
scope in the Armed Forces. You are required to perform with full energy, vigour and involved,
irrespective of your own likes and dislikes.
Also, as an officer in the Armed Forces, you are on duty for 24 hours. Some people have wrong
notions about the ‘office hours’ and ‘duty hours’. Your hour of duty can begin at any time and for any
stretch of time. You are duty bound to perform in the overall interest of the organisation. Let it come
what may be the bearing in all personal inconveniences. You are required to subordinate all your
personal aims/goals to the group goals/aims.
Sense of Responsibility, Dependability and willingness to discharge one’s obligations are
referred to as Sense of Responsibility. Sense of responsibility is not attached to any official
position or age group only. A student of junior standards may show more sense of responsibility
compared to any government servant. The best part of SOR is that it excludes nobody. Everyone
can be evaluated in terms of being responsible or not respondsible. Lead your prescribed role with
sincerity; as a student, as grown up and as a citizen. Roles may be prescribed formally or they could just
be informal and social in nature. A man who switches off the lights and fans on leaving any hall in the
last shows a ‘responsible’ attitude. A person who gets his vehicle tuned to check the emission under
control is also responsible. A teacher who does not check the assignments and only blames students for