Going Off Script, But Staying on Track: A Career Guide for Junior Leaders

Intro

I walked into LTC Tomi King’s office as a new 2LT in his formation. We discussed all the normal talking points in that initial counseling – family, where I was from, how the basic course was, etc. He then asked if I wanted to be a jumpmaster, as this first assignment was in the 82nd Airborne Division. I gave the scripted response, “Sir, I’m going to put all my effort in learning from my platoon sergeant everything it means to be a good platoon leader, then figure out the airborne stuff.” He nodded.

Again, he asked if I wanted to be a jumpmaster. The script in my head wasn’t the right answer.

From the moment we commission, junior officers are handed a kind of unspoken script. It’s laced into OPDs, performance counselings, and discussions about career timelines. Platoon Leader. XO. Staff. Company Command. CGSC. Get KD complete. Broadening Assignment. Battalion Command. Check, check, and check. Wash, rinse, repeat. This script promises a logical, linear progression. It is safe, proven, and, supposedly, the path to success.

But here’s the truth: the script isn’t real. Or rather, it’s only one version of reality. Many of our most celebrated senior leaders went off-script early in their careers. They zigged when the Army expected them to zag. They took risks, leaned into opportunities others passed up, or found themselves in places they didn’t anticipate, and yet, they thrived. They did, however, stay on track for impact – even while going off script.

This article is about encouraging you to do the same. In an Army that demands adaptability, creativity, and emotional intelligence, your path doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s to be valid or valuable.

The False Comfort of the Script

There’s comfort in following a set path. You can plan for it. Mentors can check off your progress, and it gives you the illusion of control. But rigidly clinging to the script can lead to missed opportunities. It can discourage officers from taking tough jobs, exploring nontraditional assignments, or pursuing education or broadening that feeds their curiosity and growth. The script becomes a prison when it makes you believe there’s only one path to leadership. But the Army isn’t that small, and leadership certainly isn’t that linear.

Historical Example #1: 1LT Dwight D. Eisenhower – The Strategist-in-Waiting

Before he was Supreme Allied Commander, Columbia University President, or President of the United States, Eisenhower was a junior officer with few command opportunities. In fact, during the interwar years, Eisenhower spent much of his career off the typical tactical path. As a 1LT and CPT, he was writing tank doctrine, serving as an aide to senior officers, and working in staff and training roles while peers were commanding troops.

What might’ve looked off-script to an outside observer was really building a breadth of strategic thinking opportunities and organizational experiences that our forces would desperately need in WWII. Eisenhower’s patience, intellectual curiosity, and willingness to take on “non-sexy” roles paid off. He stayed on track for impact – even when his track looked nothing like the template.

Historical Example #2: CPT Colin Powell – The Grounded General

In the early stages of his career, Powell wasn’t fast-tracked. As a young officer, he took assignments in Germany, Vietnam, and at Fort Benning, but it was his time off the beaten path (like working in an ROTC assignment and as a White House Fellow) that opened his eyes to the broader national security enterprise.

At one point, he considered leaving the Army. But through mentorship, self-reflection, and a commitment to service over careerism, he stayed-and eventually rose to be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, notwithstanding his eventual role as Secretary of State. Powell’s early “off-script” moments – whether taking broadening assignments or choosing service over status – prepared him for high-stakes leadership in ways the rigid script never could.

Principles for Rethinking the Script (Yet Staying on Track)

1. Lead Where You Are, Even If It’s Not “Ideal”

There’s an old saying, “bloom where you’re planted.” The grass is always greener, but I’d add that the place you see over there might just have astro turf. You might not get your dream company command or your “must-have” school. You might get it and misstep – I went to Ranger School and was injured, never to return. The Army is a continuous leadership laboratory. Lead wherever you’re placed, be it on staff or directly in a leadership role. The reputation you build and value you add matters more than the location or billet captured on your Soldier Talent Profile or printed in your bio.

2. Get Curious, Not Just Competitive

Curiosity grows more career success than it ‘kills cats.’ Ask yourself what else is out there. Compete with the guy or gal in the mirror, not in the other platoon. Seek out roles that stretch you intellectually or expose you to new domains – cyber, budgeting, SOF (and their enablers), fellowships, or interagency work. These roles can feel off-script but often develop strategic leaders. I was a tactical officer and instructor at West Point instead of taking another detachment down range. Sure, you may be outside of your career field, but don’t forget what those experiences bring back to your community, or how you can be a representative of your field (or our Army) in those spaces.

3. Play the Long Game and Stay Anchored to Purpose

The career script often focuses on short-term gates: make CPT by X, command by Y. But careers last 20-30 years. Short-term detours often pay long-term dividends. Don’t fear a side-step that gives you new skills, deeper perspective, or a broadened network. When you go off script, some will question you. At times, it will be very vocal, especially if they didn’t traverse your same terrain, but if you’re clear about your “why,” it shouldn’t shake you off track. I was told that I would struggle to make LTC, Battalion Command, and COL because of assignment choices, but I have luckily made all three and kept my family intact. Purpose and potential impact – not position – should be your true north. The best officers are guided by values, not by where they land on someone’s spreadsheet or an order of merit list.

Final Thoughts: Be the Author, Not Just the Actor

Junior officers are too often taught to read lines from a script instead of writing their own story. I’m not saying that following DA PAM 600-3 is wrong, but the Army needs leaders who can think, adapt, and chart their own path through uncertainty. Remember that the best laid plans don’t survive first contact. Shooting, moving, communicating, and leading through ambiguity by being able to think deeply and adapt broadly starts now – not when you make MAJ, LTC, or COL. Some guiding questions to ask yourself may be:

– Am I choosing this next role because it excites me or because it checks a box?

– Do I understand what success looks like for me, not just for any officer?

– Who are the mentors and models I admire? What was their script and how would they advise me?

– What story am I writing with my career, and does it feel authentic?

In doing so, you may find just the guidance you need.

So go ahead and go off script. Just make sure you’re still on track with your values, your goals, and the mission. That’s the kind of officer the Army remembers.

Stay grounded. Stay bold. Stay on track – even when you go off script.