Successful Management Is That of the United

¶ … successful management is that of the United States Army, which is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military operations on both a national and international level. The U.S. Army is both the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and has labored for years under its mission to provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of defending the United States in regard to its security and defense. In viewing this organization, one immediately understands that when the safety of millions is at stake, clear and distinct management standards must be set in place within the U.S. Army to ensure that no stone is left unturned in terms of operations, intelligence, planning and enacting its duties. In understanding this basic relationship between the U.S. Army and management, one can better understand how certain strategies apply to different areas of specialization within this organization.

Job Description

Within the United States Army is a vast and varied selection of jobs that rely heavily on one's ability to utilize the concept of management as a whole as well as all the strategies that go with it, one of which is U.S. Army Brigade Command Sergeant Major (CSM). The CSM is the senior non-commissioned officer of the command at battalion or higher levels. The CSM carries out policies and standards for performance, training, appearance, and conduct of enlisted personnel, additionally giving advice and initiating recommendations to the commander and staff in matters pertaining to enlisted personnel.

While the CSM is responsible for carrying out the orders of higher-level officials, this position requires the acting individual to oversee and essentially drive each and every individual who falls under his or her supervision. In carrying out his or her own tasks and in working conjointly with superior officials and commanders, the CSM must utilize management strategies in order to keep actions and tasks running smoothly within the organization in a manner that not only adheres to the standards set forth by the United States Army, but garners additional respect and adherence to the management of one's superiors.

Issues/Problems Facing the Organization

As the top enlisted personnel in this area of specialization, the CSM has an extraordinarily vast set of responsibilities, each of which has the capacity to set off organizational problems within the unit. The CSM must be the eyes and ears for the enlisted individuals of whom he or she is supervisor. The CSM must work closely within the commander on day-to-day issues, and is additionally the subject matter expert for training, performance, appearance, and conduct of all enlisted personnel. The CSM must ensure that soldiers receive not only proper training, but knowledge of how he or she must continuously uphold the values and standards learned within this training. Not only does the CSM have the duty to ensure that everyone remains safe, this individual holds 100% accountability for all personnel and equipment, which requires specifically-laid out management skills.

Some issues that arise in this area of specialization in terms of management include soldiers not being properly trained, medical and equipment maintenance issues, and issues involving ensuring that Commanders are aware of the needs of their subordinates by making sure that these individuals have a voice in their day-to-day duties. Each of these issues poses a distinct problem within the operation and must be handled with specific management approaches to ensure that such issues are addressed as soon as possible.

Applying Management Concepts to Solve Problems

As is noted within Organizational Behavior, some of the keys to successful management center on the understanding of emotion's role in any workplace, which is extremely relevant in viewing the U.S. Army. In understanding this notion, one can see how the problems mentioned previously can be aided with the concepts of team cohesion, leadership, self-concept, and communication, as each of these problems includes the direct interaction between individuals -- each of whom makes up a portion of a team and is essential to successful daily operations within the unit.

Most managers understand that employees' behavior and performance also depends on how much the situation supports or interferes with their task goals (McShane and Von Glinow, 15). Therefore, it is essential that the working environment within this area of specialization fosters a sense of team cohesion that not only keeps each individual on task, but allows them to continuously work toward achieving excellence in a way that benefits the whole rather than the individual. Such team cohesion can alleviate the problem of soldier training that was previously mentioned. Managers are selected for their influence and skills, which then helps to build a team of committed people with the motivation to facilitate change (Edmonds, 35). The same is true in this circumstance within the U.S. Army.

Additionally, medical and equipment issues can be alleviated through the management values of open communication. More than 44,000 individuals die each year from human errors made regarding medical equipment, and these are not caused by high-tech medical equipment breakdowns, but by sloppy communication (Adubato, 33). It is in areas such as this that direct lines of communication as well as distinct standards of operation and chains of possession must be set in place by managers, such as the CSM, to ensure that such equipment is both maintained and transferred in an optimal manner to ensure safety and precision within the unit.