Essay Sample on Army Values and Leadership

Introduction

The United States Army Values date back to Baron von Steuben in 1778 at Valley Forge. Baron established these attributes with the aim of ensuring that all soldiers who wear the army uniform live by the same set of values and rules. As time went by these values, have been integrated into leadership; both in the army and in other sectors. These values include loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Hall (2018) suggests that "the army values are leadership; leadership is army values." These values form the backbone of strong leadership, and any individual in a position of leadership should emulate the army values in their everyday activities and their service to others.

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Leadership requires loyalty the same way soldiers in the army are true and faithful to the constitution, the army, their unit, and comrades. Leaders should bear true faith and allegiance by believing in and devoting themselves to their teams and those that serve below them as well as their values, objectives, and goals. They offer leadership and stand up for their fellow teammates. Loyalty in leadership involves setting an example for others to follow and leading from the front to fulfill the team's obligations; otherwise referred to as duty.

Duty in leadership is a significant value because it involves carrying out more than what is assigned to an individual. Duty also includes accomplishing various tasks and responsibilities as a team. Duty in leadership ensures that all activities work in constant motion. This means that one activity builds onto another. Duty involves fulfilling one's obligations as a leader by resisting the temptation to find shortcuts that may interfere with the integrity of the final product (goarmy.com, 2019).

Respect involves treating people as they should be treated. Leaders are expected to treat all those around them with dignity and respect while expecting the same in return. Leadership that is founded on leadership allows leaders to appreciate the best in others. Leadership that is based on respect promotes trust among people. Team members trust each other to complete their duties and jobs in a fulfilling manner.

Self-respect in leaders is an outstanding leadership quality which involves putting forth one's best efforts. Respect for each other and each other's property is a quality every leader should portray. A good leader should also display a selfless service. This involves putting the welfare and interests of the team before your own. It consists in seeing the larger picture by serving others without the thought of gain or recognition. Good leadership should always advocate for selfless service which is characterized by a commitment of each team member to endure a little longer or go a little further to see how he or she can add to the team's efforts.

Honor in leadership mainly involves living with one's values and standards. In the Army, the highest military award is the Medal of Honor which is awarded to service members that distinguish themselves by displaying valor. Leaders need to develop habits that are honorable and can be emulated by those below them. They also need to cement these habits with the value choices they make. In leadership, honor involves acting, living, and carrying out the values of respect, duty, personal courage, selfless service, loyalty, and integrity in one's activities.

Integrity is an essential aspect of leadership that ensures one is doing what is right, moral, and legal. Leaders develop this quality by ensuring that they adhere to moral principles. A leader is not expected to do or say anything that deceives fellow team members. Integrity helps to develop trust within the team and in its leadership. Good leadership is based on the choices and decisions a leader makes. Integrity-based choices and decisions affect the relationship between a leader and his or her team members. Integrity is also crucial in accepting oneself.

Personal courage is an essential value in any form of leadership. It helps a leader face dangerous situations, adversity, and fear. Physical courage involves enduring physical duress while risking personal safety. A leader should always display personal courage, especially when making decisions or taking actions that are not popular with other team members. A leader needs to be firm in his/her decisions as a way of building personal courage.

He/she can also improve personal courage by standing up for what they believe to be honorable. In conclusion, true leadership is bigger than oneself. Army values help a leader develop others and bring out their full potential (Mayberry, 2016). The Army values indicated in the article have also been found out to make both a successful leader and a successful entrepreneur (Rose, 2017). Leaders need to learn of these core values as well as integrating them in their day-to-day activities. They not only help improve the individual but the team as well. In the Army, these values help set standards that govern all soldiers. This way, the same standards can be demanded by and from fellow soldiers and leaders (Phipps Jr., 2014).

References

Hall, R. (2018). The Army Values. Retrieved from https://www.ausa.org/army-values

Living Army Values. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.goarmy.com/soldier-life/being-a-soldier/living-the-army-values.html

Mayberry, M. (2016). What True Leadership Is All About. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/271694

Phipps Jr., M. (2014). Army Core Values: Leadership key as mission evolves. Retrieved from http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/editorial/army-core-values-leadership-key-as-mission-evolves/article_8b8b4d79-ef5a-5d3c-9f7c-c9b068d6a52b.html

Rose, J. (2017). How The 7 Army Values Will Make You A More Successful Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jrose/2017/12/21/how-the-7-army-values-will-make-you-a-more-successful-entrepreneur/#5f3980a45726