Developing Mutual Trust in Cohesive Teams - (Our Winning Spirit)

Squads do not become effective overnight. If you’re dedicated and committed to your Soldiers, and if you’re willing to put yourself on the line for your team, then the reality of the situation is that you’re emotionally invested. You care...

We are bonded together through mutual trust, in cohesive teams—units and organizations—a band of brothers and sisters. Our shared identity, sense of purpose, and winning spirit strengthen our individual and collective commitment, resilience, and courage—a never quit resolve—enabling us to persevere and accomplish even the most arduous mission. Trust is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, and truth of someone or something. It is the essence of being an effective professional American Soldier and absolutely essential to being a leader.

Leaders earn the trust of their team when they set the example and demonstrate character, competence, and commitment. Leaders also develop mutual trust through difficult training and shared experiences. Strong bonds of trust built through these collective experiences enable the squad to overcome challenge and adversity. Training and shared experience allow you to earn the trust of Soldiers and for your Soldiers to earn your trust.

To assist you in forming a “Cohesive Team” here is a list of suggested training and reading materials:

Deliberate Pressure

Earned and Given

Failed Mission

Out of Character

Accountable Justice

Adherence to Standards

Shared Identity - (Army Professionals)

Identity refers to one's self concept. By taking our solemn oath of service, we voluntarily incur an extraordinary moral obligation inherent in the shared identity to which we aspire. How do people identify with organizations? What role does your identity play in your shaping your squad? All professions, major institutions, and large organizations have distinct cultures that influence behaviors and shape the identity of their members.

Our shared professional identity as trusted Army professionals guides our decisions and actions, inspiring us to be honorable servants, Army experts, and responsible stewards of the Army Profession. We are committed to lifelong learning and professional development. We strive for standards of excellence in all our endeavors. We contribute our best effort to accomplish the mission and embrace a spirit of Honorable Service to others before self.

Intrinsically, character is one's true nature including identity, sense of purpose, values, virtues, morals, and conscience. Operationally, a Soldier of character makes decisions and takes actions consistent with the moral principles of the Army Ethic. Our shared identity is strengthened through education, training, and experience. We are committed to lifelong learning and character development, offering and receiving coaching, counseling, and mentoring.

To assist you in shaping and strengthening our "Shared Identity" here is a list of suggested training and reading materials:

An Ethical Pause

Finding a Family

Confronting Unethical Conduct on Social Media

Who We Are, Why and How We Fight - (Living the Army Ethic)

As the Squad Leader you must help your Soldiers recognize circumstances that are likely to cause them to act out of character and to resist situational pressures that might lead to misconduct.

Accordingly, the Army Ethic, with embedded Army Values, is taught and integrated within mission command. However, if leaders allow disconnects between word and deed—between professed values and actual practices—then they breed cynicism, compromise mutual trust, and degrade organizational esprit de corps and individual morale. Conversely, leader actions consistent with the Army Ethic strengthen mutual trust and build cohesive teams, supporting the philosophy of mission command.

Every person in a squad/platoon or company is morally responsible for their own conduct and every effort to strengthen character should focus on the individual and the command climate in the Squad. Specifically in war and peace, we recognize the intrinsic dignity and worth of all people, treating them with respect.

Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity develops, so does the trust others place in you. Thus, it is essentially how we do things.

To assist you in understanding and motivating "Living the Army Ethic" here is a list of suggested training and reading materials:

Cover of Darkness

Hard Choices

False Positive

Life out of Reach

Not in my Army

Standards & Discipline - (Committed Professionals)

Squad leaders embrace and uphold standards of the profession, always accountable to each team member for your decisions and actions. Perform your duty with discipline, strive for standards of excellence, contribute honorable service, set the example for correct conduct, and accomplish the mission in the right way.

Some may associate discipline only with regulations and the consequences for errors in judgment and conduct. However, it is important to understand that our professional discipline is fundamentally about how we practice our profession. Discipline is a hallmark of the Army and is the expected manner in which we perform our duty, striving for standards of excellence. Discipline and standards are intrinsic within the Army culture of trust.

Discipline expresses what the Army Values require—willingly doing what is right. Discipline guides our manner of performance. We conduct ourselves according to the discipline of our military art and science. With discipline, we choose the harder right over the easier wrong in the face of temptation, obstacles, and adversity. Standards establish acceptable levels of performance and achievement.

To assist you in enhancing "Standards and Discipline" here is a list of suggested training and reading materials:

Color Safe

Discipline, Diem

Climate - (Steward)

The most important thing you can do as a leader is to be an effective ROLE MODEL. We lead by example and demonstrate courage by doing what is right despite risk, uncertainty, and fear; we candidly express our professional judgment to subordinates, peers and superiors. Visible to all internally and externally to your squad is a professional command climate of trust, respect, caring and candor. Respect is what allows us to appreciate the value of all people.

Self-respect is a vital part of the Army Value of Respect, which results from knowing you have put forth your best effort. The Army is one team and each of us has something to contribute. The professional climate within your squad is often driven by observed policies and practices, reflecting the leader’s character. A zero-defect mindset, for example, can create conditions in which individuals believe they are not trusted. Unlike culture, that is deeply embedded, climate can be changed quickly, for example, by replacing a toxic leader or correcting dysfunctional practices.

The culture of a people generally reflects what is acceptable and functionally effective. Thus, culture goes beyond mere style. It is essentially how we do things. In contrast to culture, organizational climate refers to its members’ feelings and attitudes as they interact within the team. Climate is often driven by observed policies and practices, reflecting the leader’s character.

To assist you in enhancing "Climate" here is a list of suggested training and reading materials:

Split-Second Decision

The Honorable Service Sector

My Soldiers

Battle Buddies and the Battle Within

My Best Battle Buddy

PFC Breland