Home Local Sports Things to Do Nation Now Business Travel & Explore

Leadership Styles in the Military

by Joshua Cintron ; Updated April 05, 2018
To lead is not to just get from point A to point B; it’s getting to point A and B
while also developing people along the way, say researchers from the
Journal of Applied Psychology. Military leadership is not the authoritarian
style depicted in Hollywood movies. Sure, basic training is hard. But in those
eight to 14 weeks, men and women develop discipline and responsibility --
qualities required in the military’s transactional, transformational and servant
leadership styles. These are styles that can, and have been, applied in many
small businesses.

RELATED ARTICLES

How Can a Servant Leader Show

Commitment to People?

What Are the Skills of a Leader?

Can You Be a Leader Without a

Title?

Examples of Leadership Roles

What Are Differences &

Similarities Between American
Leadership Styles & Global
Leadership Styles?

Natural Followers vs. Natural

Leaders

SPONSORED SEARCHES
 
master in leadership

organizational leadership

a good leadership skills

an master degree

employee training

Transactional Leadership
Transactional leaders seek mutually satisfying outcomes by providing clear directions and holding
subordinates accountable for their actions. This leadership style removes the guesswork, which is highly
effective in the chain of command work structure implemented by all military agencies.According to
Changing Minds.org, "The transactional leadership style works through creating clear structures whereby
it is clear what is required of their subordinates, and the rewards that they get for following orders." The
mission of the military is to deter war and protect the security of the United States. The transactional
leadership style upholds this mission through leaders who create dynamic relationships with
Home recognize
subordinates. As a result, leaders Local Sports Things
subordinate needsto and
Do reward
Nationthem
Now in exchange
Business for Travel
their & Explore
performance and support.

Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders are charismatic. They motivate and inspire with intellect, which bodes well for
servicemen and women who find themselves in hostile situations where quick thinking and decisive
actions are key to their survival. According to The Transformational Leader, "The essence of
transformational leadership is the capacity to adapt means to ends to share and reshape institutions and
structures to achieve broad human purposes and moral inspirations." This leadership style is effective
because leaders use inspiration and education to motivate subordinates. They empower subordinates to
make decisions, creating value and need within soldiers. Most important, they instill a sense of pride and
create a vision to gain subordinates' respect and trust

Ad
Darum sind Espadrilles die perfekten
Frühlingsschuhe.

Shoelove ZUR WEBSITE

Servant Leadership
Military officers and enlisted servicemen and women step into a leadership role on day one of their
military career. These men and women freely give their life to defend the U.S. Constitution from all
enemies foreign and domestic. Though serving their country is the initial reason for enlisting, many if not
all soldiers say it is because of the man or woman standing beside them that they fight. "This is the
essence of servant leadership – their extreme dedication to the service of others before themselves,"
according to "Interpersonal Skills For Leadership," by Susan Fritz, et.al.The servant leadership style in the
military is effective because leaders embody the characteristics of servant leaders: empathy and
acceptance, a sense of community and a calling to serve others. Having worked their way from the
bottom to the top, military leaders do not talk the talk; they walk the walk.

All In One
Effective military leaders possess characteristics of each leadership style. They must carry out the orders
bestowed upon them by their Commander-in-Chief -- the President of the United States of America.Thus,
the military requires a mixture of transactional leaders to motivate and reward by upholding law directives;
transformational leaders to build trust among troops in wartime scenarios with charisma and intelligence
and servant leaders who embody the essence of the military -- service before self.
 Home Local Sports Things to Do Nation Now Business Travel & Explore

References

Journal of Applied Psychology : Predicting Unit Performance by Assessing Transformational and

Transactional Leadership
Changing Minds.org: Transactional Leadership
The Transformational Leader: The Key To Global Competitiveness; Noel M. Tichy, et.al.
Interpersonal Skills For Leadership; Susan Fritz, et.al.

Resources

The Wall Street Journal: Leadership Styles

Spyglass Hill: Notes on Military Leadership
Harvard Business Review: Why the Military Produces Great Leaders

About the Author

Joshua Cintron is a college professor of business, finance, human resource and critical thinking courses. He
holds a Masters degree in public administration from Bellevue University and a business credential from the
Colorado State Board of Community Colleges and Occupational Education, Career and Technical Education.
His resume also includes joshuacintron.com.
Photo Credits
Home Local Sports Things to Do Nation Now Business Travel & Explore

Siri Stafford/Lifesize/Getty Images

SHARE
SHARE TWEET EMAIL

More Articles

What Is the Difference

Between Assigned Leadership
& Emergent Leadership?

What Ways Can Culture Affect

Ethical Standards & Shape
Business Behavior?

What Is Collegial Style?

Describe Strong Leadership

Skills
 Ad
Home Local Sports Things to Do Nation Now Business Travel & Explore
Darum sind Espadrilles die perfekten
Frühlingsschuhe.

Shoelove ZUR WEBSITE