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EVIDENCE
The United States Army defines leadership as, ...the process of influencing people by
providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the
organization (ADRP 6-22, p. 1-1). At its very core, this suggests that influence, whether
considered as skill or resource, is the foundation of leadership. It is well and good to have
great skill as an organizer, a mobilizer, a decision maker, but none of these extend beyond the
self without the capacity to exert some manner of influence on others. Of course, this is not
the extent of excellent leadership; it is quite easy to exert influence on another by means of
power differential. A manager exerts some influence simply by virtue of deciding whether or
not an employee retains a job and is paid. An excellent leader exerts influence in such a way
that it transcends the personal comfort and desire of the follower. In this setting, they are not
motivated solely by their own benefit, but also, and more so, by the benefit of the
group/organization as a whole. This influence involves both extrinsic and intrinsic
motivators.
Of course, strong influence alone is not sufficient for our purposes. Terrible leaders
throughout history have exerted unusual influence over their followers; not one of them left
their organization in what would be considered an improved state. The responsible caveat
to the competency holds great significance. Adolf Hitler might be considered a great
influencer, but Gandhi would be considered a responsible influencer. While it may be a hard
term to quantify, responsible generally comes with several connotations. Firstly, it includes
prioritizing the benefit of others over oneself; it does not grab for power but strives to better
the lives of those in the sphere of influence of the empowered organization. Secondly, it
adheres to a set of values that are largely consistent across all of the modern world. No
society holds violence, dishonesty, greed, disregard for human life, selfishness, and cheating
in high regard. Rather, they all, to different extents, value harmony, honesty and integrity,

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charity, fair play, service, loyalty, and the sanctity of life. Regardless of religion or race,
these can be applied as the descriptors of responsible. It is influence moderated by the
values listed that is the goal of the MAiL program competency of Responsible Influencer.
INTERPRETATION
Over the course of two years, a frightening realization has been looming. Despite
what I would like to think, my life cant be lived in a vacuum. It would be nice to think that
my actions have no bearing on the situation around me or others involved in it; the burden of
self-regulation is nullified should that be the case.
Prior to this course of study, I assumed that individuals would operate in largely the
same fashion regardless of their organizational context. That was borne mostly out of my
own experience, as I tend to be more slowly influenced by cultural trends. However,
discussing the importance of creating a desired culture in classes and experiencing that
phenomenon by means of the ROTC program has shifted my perspective. I am now keenly
aware that every action or inaction of mine has influence on the individuals around me,
particularly in light of the leadership roles that I hold. There is no escaping that burden of
leadership.
However, my experience has also made clear the burden of influence for the follower,
whereas I had once believed that all of the power to influence lay with a leader. The MAiL
program has seemed to emphasize the validity of an organizational hierarchy that is less
vertical, involving the individuals in non-traditional leadership roles more heavily. This
necessitates their ability to act as responsible influencers as well. In this type of climate,
where all individuals are empowered, they all have greater impact of the function of the
group as a whole, demanding greater responsibility in their words and actions than would be
necessary in a rigid and vertical hierarchy.
APPLICATION

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Ive been very fortunate to have been involved in the ROTC program for the duration
of the MAiL program. What this has permitted is a consistent practice and application of
theory and knowledge gained from the academic environment. My time as a Cadet has
proven doubly value in light of the Responsible Influencer competency, as Ive been fortunate
enough to occupy both leader and follower positions regularly, sometimes simultaneously. In
these roles, I have observed the direct impact of my attitude, expressed by words, actions, and
lack thereof, on my peers above and below me. My first artifact is, as so many of mine are, a
personal experience shared in story.
There are two first-year Cadets in the program that will likely never be considered
particularly suave when it comes to a social setting. While the two radically different, there
is some quality of each that makes relating to others more difficult for them than for peers;
one has such trouble that he will likely never successfully complete the program. In a
program where there is no room to metaphorically retreat to the shadows, their awkwardness
is magnified and quickly recognized by other Cadets. This leads to situations where they are
often discussed in a somewhat condescending or derogatory fashion. My response has been
to address this sort of behavior immediately, taking advantage of my positional authority to
shut down gossip and degrading talk. Additionally, Ive made it a point to address other
leaders, encouraging them to avoid engaging in this behavior and to seek to eliminate it in
their followers. Doing so has several results. Firstly, we eliminate the immediate danger to
the mental well-being of the two Cadets in question. Secondly, we set an example of right
conduct for junior Cadets who will one day have to make similar decisions. Finally, and most
importantly, we create a culture where individuals can feel safe. This allows them to
maximize performance and focus on development, rather than defending themselves. It
removes obstacles to the development of a community that is mutually supportive and
invested in all of its members.

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The next artifact also comes from the ROTC program. It is an evaluation card
completed for a junior Cadet as I supervised her in a temporary leadership position. This
Cadet is used to success. Her evaluations are generally excellent, she is always considered
among the best of our third-year Cadets, and her naturally ability is impressive. However,
during this rotation she was complacent, and demonstrated a lack of effort, resulting in a
lower score than she was accustomed too. Upon being counseled at the end of her rotation,
she was markedly unhappy with my evaluation. I encouraged her to put together a plan of
action for how she would improve during the next rotation, based on our conversation. She
did so, and several weeks later she was in leadership position with me as evaluator. This time
around her performance was much improved and above what we expect out of the majority of
the Cadets. While I hesitate to claim credit for the increase, I do believe that there is an
aspect of tough love and accountability to the Responsible Influencer. It is dangerous to
believe that there is room for perfection in this lifetime, that we can never improve in some
way. My goal is to continue to encourage this Cadet and others like her, the Cadets who are
generally regarded as the best, to continue to strive for improvement. In this case, that meant
opening her eyes to the reality of her performance, and holding her accountable to the
standards as outlined.
CREATION
The most important requirement for continuing to grow in ability as a Responsible
Influencer is to consistently value others experience and perspective. It will be nigh on
impossible to influence an individual who feels disrespected or misunderstood. The
implication for me in leadership is that I must be willing to spend time and energy with the
others in my organization. Once I understand their perspectives and abilities, I can empower
them in different capacities in order to maximize their willingness to contribute positively to
the organization. As with other categories, the Army operating environment will demand this

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immediately. As a young officer, I will take charge of a unit of several dozen soldiers, each
with unique goals, skills, and challenges. Finding ways to bring them into a collaborative
environment that respects their person while maintaining a high level of performance will be
a demanding task. However, each day in that unit will be practice at doing this effectively,
just as my time in the ROTC program leading Cadets in teams does that now.
Bringing teams together, however, necessitates another skill: conflict management.
Inevitably, contact between multiple individuals creates friction. Managing friction so that it
does not become a danger to the values, goals, or mission of the unit requires finding a way to
align the needs and wants of the individual with those of the unit without having to entirely
sacrifice the personal aspect. It is an uneasy balance, but one I believe can be achieved. It is
important to note that constant adjustment will be required; it is not enough to achieve a
harmony once and expect that it will continue as the circumstances surrounding the unit
change and develop.