Army and The Military Levels of Leadership

The Army and the Military are constructed of many levels through the method of rank. These ranks are greatly significant in allowing for order and efficiency. They do this by appointing progressively more experienced and educated soldiers to lead those less experienced through the means of effective leadership. However, there are different form of leadership, and they develop into three types in the Army: Direct, Organizational, and Strategic. Each leadership occurs at a different grouping of rank and position and determines the type of work they do and the impact of the work.

Direct

Direct level leadership is the most abundant form of leadership. Direct leadership is the leadership that is the most immediate betweenness the conductor and the followers, with no levels of subordinates in between to carry the information. This level refers to the small communications and directional orders that occur to achieve daily minor task. Direct leadership effects small numbers of people ranging to just a few to roughly a hundred. They are in charge of groupings such as squads, platoons, and companies. Typically these types of leaders will physically see their subordinates often, and typically, when the organization assembles, this type of leader can be easily approached. The positions of this leadership include NCOs up to first Sargent, sometimes Sargent Majors, junior officers (company officers) such as second and first lieutenants through captains, including lower ranking warrant officers, and army civilians that work at a unit level.

Organizational

Organizational level leadership is the second most common form of leadership followed behind direct. Organizational leadership is where there is at least one level of subordinates intervening in order to get to the bottom level of subordinates in which are effected by the task. These leaders effect hundreds to thousands of people, usually through giving commands to direct leaders. The lowest level of subordinates may go only a minimal amount of times seeing this leadership, if at all. The ranks in this leadership typically include senior NCO’S such as first Sargent through Sargent major, senior (field-grade officers) such as majors, lieutenant colonel and colonel, and high grade civilian leaders. These leaders positions have a great impact on the goals of the army.

Strategic

Lastly, the Strategic level leadership is the rarest form of leadership. This is the form of leadership in which the greatest decisions are made that sometimes impact the entirety of the army, our nation and even other major parts of the world in ways that can be life altering. The decisions made at this level effect millions of people in extreme ways. There are layers of subordinates comprised of organizational leadership and direct leadership that reach down to the lowest level of subordinates from the strategic leadership. Almost certainly will nobody but the people directly under the strategic level talk to these leaders. This level is served by all Generals and senior executive service army civilians.

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