Teammates,

Thank you for your questions and feedback so far… I’ve tried addressing concerns about scheduling in meetings, via e-mail, or over the phone. I’ve found that in-person feedback, questions, and listening is the best way to talk to higher about over-scheduling or any other concern. Bad news doesn’t get better with time, but if you can wait until you can talk in person, it is better. Quantification is awesome, but sending a large amount of information over e-mail can reduce the impact of a simple bottom line up front point, I have many things to do, what do I do first?

I’ve found that at times when I thought things were overloaded I simply was trying to be “perfect” in areas of limited importance. I had to stop trying to do “everything” and start doing what was important for that day. I had to accept that things weren’t going to be the way I “wanted” them, and rather I best keeps things simple and make sure that I absolutely understand what the commander wants. I found that overwork was often due to a misunderstanding of the expectations from higher. So whatever the requirements, I believe it is very important to ask detailed questions if possible, take time to talk to the S3/XO before or after meetings to make sure the commander’s intent is understood. Also, this can reveal more effective ways to achieve what is expected in less time. No leader typically wants to overload a subordinate (training events aside) therefore, there is often a disconnect between what is expected and what is understood. This is true in reverse, so asking subordinates back-brief questions can help ensure that I as a leader didn’t create unreasonable expectations. Ultimately, I have to be realistic about what I expect to get done. In doing so I can communicate effectively when asked what I expect to be able to accomplish. All of this takes a very healthy dose of humility. A willingness to make “fun” of yourself and ask “stupid” questions (albeit on a person to person basis) can help eliminate misperceived or mis-prioritized tasks.

Most of the time leaders have things they want to get done, and then things they think must absolutely be completed. Aligning oneself as perfectly as possible with the priorities of higher can really safe a lot of headaches, time, and help keep expectations realistic. Ultimately, the person in charge is in charge. Asking timely questions can also help you help the leader catch things they might of missed. To get the most out of training it is vital to understand fully the commander’s intent. Azimuth is not just important in land navigation it is also important in every time of training objective or mission. The more perfectly your azimuth is in line with the commander’s intent the more you will get out of the training for both you and your higher unit. Achieving greatness in things the commander doesn’t care about is like hitting a 3 point shot at the end of the game when your team is down 30 points. Nobody cares. Make sure you understand what the commander and the staff is expecting, align as perfectly with that azimuth as possible, and be very very judicious about adding anything to your Soldier’s plate that isn’t in line with commander’s priorities.