Informal Leadership Essay

Bottom line: I do not find that my previous leadership positions as a Non-Commissioned Officer directly relate to my role as a warrant officer, in the sense that it is comparing apples and oranges, as my enlisted job was not flying helicopters. What my previous experience as an enlisted Soldier and Non-Commissioned Officer gave me was just that; experience.

ADP 6-22 defines Leadership as the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. While it is a relatively short definition, it implies a lot of action. Look at the action words: influencing; purpose; direction; motivation; accomplish; improve. To define Leadership, means to take action, to get up and do something. ADRP 6-22 goes on to say there are basically two types of Leadership; formal and informal. Formal leaders are those in a command position, granted authority by regulation and the UCMJ. Informal leaders are those who can influence a group or organization based on their knowledge, experience, or technical expertise, and is not based on rank or position. Informal leadership is a decentralized process that can be very effective in an organization if, and only if, it is

If I was to simplify what I do as just being a pilot it would be easy to use that excuse, but that’s not reality. The actions that define leadership is exactly what we do in the aircraft every time we fly as a pilot in command. While many of us have no desire to be a formal leader, the reality is, is that we are leaders albeit informal ones. We owe it to ourselves and those that look up to us to provide them with the best example we can. We owe it to the one’s that seek our advice to be candid and honest with them. We cannot nor should not be the quintessential yes-man that it seems is expected by todays