By now, you’ve probably been inundated with advice on how to be an effective staff leader as an Iron Major serving in an S3 or XO role. You’re eager to establish efficient systems for operations and administration, develop a brilliant PSOP, lead the staff through MDMP, translate your commander’s intent into guidance and taskings, and oversee a command post. You’ve probably received some valuable warnings about the ways in which Majors fail. However, successful completion of every task and every mission as a Major means little if you leave a trail of burned-out, bitter, and cynical staff officers and NCOs in your wake. You are now visible to a far broader audience, especially company-grade officers and mid-career NCOs who may be nearing decision points about their future in the military. Unfortunately, the caricature of the grouchy, miserable Major stroking the commander’s ego and sleeping in the office has gained considerable traction in military culture. Gifted junior officers will often see this as a glimpse into their future and choose to pursue another line of work. Understanding and practicing the intangible elements of field grade leadership – beyond staff systems and MDMP – can elevate you from the clichéd stereotype of the grumpy, overworked, “yes–man” clawing for a top-block evaluation to a transformational leader that brings out the best in your unit and its people. 

While some aspects of a Major’s job are tiring and thankless, you have a responsibility to cultivate a positive atmosphere among your staff members and give their service and hard work purpose. As the S3 or XO, you are visible to a greater number of junior leaders, and your attitude and demeanor will influence the culture of your unit. Maintain a positive, upbeat attitude. Have a personal life outside of the military, and be transparent and authentic about it. Take the time to coach and mentor your subordinates rather than browbeating and bullying them. Prioritize important tasks and divest your organization of the superfluous ones, allowing you and your subordinates to leave the office at a reasonable hour. Be ruthless in your decisions about what tasks and requirements constitute an “emergency,” and shield your staff from the ones that are not. Granted, some of these things are easier said than done. To help you maintain this atmosphere in your staff and your unit, it is crucial that a Major sees the entire field and responsibly wields the power of “no”.

With promotion to the level of field grade officer, Majors are expected to step back from the daily minutiae of a unit’s operations and see the broader picture – the entire “field.” The Major who sits in their office all day and forwards tasks to their staff sections or subordinate headquarters could easily be replaced by a junior enlisted soldier equipped with basic computer skills and a flow chart. Sit in a company commander, first sergeant, or platoon leader’s office and solicit their feedback on how things in the unit look from their seat. Take an hour or so to work in the motor pool with mechanics from your support company or go to the range and qualify with one of the line companies. Walk up to your higher headquarters and chat with members of the staff there. Making this a key part of your daily battle rhythm serves several important purposes. It informs you as to what actually fills the days of soldiers in your unit, what requirements take up the time and energy of leaders at all levels, and what impact the actions of your staff have on those below them. It helps you see what gets disrupted when you text out a task at the last minute. It helps you understand the decisions being made above you, and gives you an opportunity to understand and explain the reasoning behind those decisions to those below you. Most importantly, it reminds you that the soldiers and leaders throughout your formation are human beings, rather than numbers on a troop-to-task tracker or the signature block on the weekly FRAGO. When you see the entire field, you gain the information necessary to analyze missions and tasks given to your unit and understand the context they fit within, rather than simply reacting to orders and regurgitating tasks. Seeing the field enables you to understand what’s truly important to your unit and your commanders, and to prioritize and anticipate.  Most importantly, seeing the field helps you understand when and how to say no. 

Field grade officers have the authority to translate the commander’s intent into concrete action. With that authority comes the responsibility to know when and how to say no. It might mean informing a subordinate that no, this task does not need to be done today, and that they should go home at a reasonable hour and re-attack it tomorrow. It might mean discussing a short-notice task or superfluous requirement with your higher echelon staff counterpart and pointing out that said task is contrary to some portion of the commander’s published intent. In the most difficult situations, it might be informing a commander that a task or mission cannot be accomplished safely with the time and resources provided. In all of these situations, “seeing the field” enables you to understand when to push back, how to push back, and most importantly, what alternative solutions you can present. If you understand the commander’s intent and the perspective of leaders and soldiers at all levels, you will know when to take a pause and help ensure that your unit is directing its time and energy at the things that truly matter.  

Meaningful success as a field grade officer is not defined simply by how many tasks your staff completed. Your promotion to Major comes with a responsibility to cultivate future generations of leaders who understand how to care for people, maintain perspective, and enforce priorities. The transition from direct leadership to organizational leadership carries increased responsibility to invest in the health and culture of your unit and the Army as a whole. Seeing the field and knowing when and how to say no will help you do it. 

MAJ Austin G. Commons is an infantry officer currently serving in the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. He has operational experience in light, mechanized, and airborne brigade combat teams, as well as with the 75th Ranger Regiment. His most recent assignment was as a Battalion S3 and XO in 4-25 IBCT(A) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, AK.