DEVELOP A COHESIVE SIZE ORGANIZATION

PURPOSE To provide information on how to develop a platoon-size organazation by establishing and executing a plan.

REFERENCES FM FM 101-5

OUTLINE Introduction Purpose Horizontal Bonding Vertical Bonding Stages of soldier team development Factors of unit cohesion Summary Questions Conclusion

UNIT COHESION THE BONDING TOGETHER OF SOLDIERS AND THEIR LEADERS IN SUCH A WAY AS TO DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE UNIT AND THEIR RESOLVE TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION. VG -2

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES Communication Supervision Teaching and Counseling Soldier Team Development Technical and Tactical Proficiency Decision Making Planning Use of available systems Professional ethics VG -1

HORIZONTAL BONDING TRUST RESPECT ROLES INTERDEPENDENCE PROFICIENCY CONCERN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY VG -3 BONDING

VERTICAL BONDING LEADERS TRUST AND RESPECT EACH OTHER SOLDIERS TRUST AND ARE CONFIDENT IN THEIR LEADERS LEADERS SHOW CONCERN FOR THEIR SOLDIERS... BONDING VG -4

COMPANY TEAM RIFLE PLATOON HQ SEC ANTI ARMOR SEC HQ SECTANK PLT... VG -5

STAGES OF SOLDIER TEAM DEVELOPMENT FORMATION STAGE RECEPTION ORIENTATION DEVELOPMENT STAGE NEW TO INDEPENDENT MEMBER INDEPENDENT TO INTERDEPENDENT MEMBER SUSTAINMENT STAGE VG -6

LEADER ACTIONS DURING THE FORMATION STAGE LISTEN ESTABLISH CLEAR LINES OF AUTHORITY DEVELOP SOLDIER AND UNIT GOALS VG -7

LEADER ACTIONS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE TRAIN AS A UNIT TRAIN FOR COMBAT BUILD PRIDE THROUGH ACCOMPLISHMENT DEVELOP SELF-EVALUATION PROCEDURES VG -8

LEADER ACTIONS DURING THE SUSTAINMENT STAGE DEAL WITH CHANGE REASSESS GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOCUS ON TEAMWORK FOCUS ON TRAINING RESPOND TO SOLDIER CONCERNS CONDUCT UNIT ACTIVITIES VG -9

FACTORS OF UNIT COHESION LEADERSHIP GROUP (UNIT) CHARACTERISTICS INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNIT UNIT SOCIALIZATION UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES UNIT ACTIVITIES UNIT IDENTIFICATION AND HISTORY VG -10

LEADER ACTIONS -- LEADERSHIP ENSURE ALL SUBORDINATES ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT IF SUBORDINATE LEADERS ARE NOT COMPETENT -- TRAIN THEM CLEARLY COMMUNICATE STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS TRAIN AS A UNIT AND TRAIN FOR COMBAT CONDUCT AARs AFTER EACH TRAINING EVENT VG -11

LEADER ACTIONS -- GROUP CHARACTERISTICS FORM GROUPS ALONG ORGANIZATIONAL LINES ENSURE SQUADS AND SECTIONS HAVE SUFFICIENT MEMBERS TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION RECOGNIZE AND REINFORCE GROUPS WHICH HAVE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON THE UNIT BUILD GROUP AND TEAM PRIDE. LINK THAT PRIDE TO THE UNIT MISSION RECOGNIZE THAT GROUP MEMBERSHIP SATISFIES MEMBER NEEDS CREATE CONDITIONS WHICH REQUIRE GROUP INTERACTION VG -12

LEADER ACTIONS -- INDIVIDUAL IN THE UNIT MAKE THE EFFORT TO KNOW THE SOLDIERS IN YOU PLATOON ENSURE YOUR SOLDIERS ARE ABLE TO PERFORM ALL ASSIGNED TASKS TO STANDARD ESTABLISH BUDDY TEAMS ENCOURAGE AND RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE VG -13

LEADER ACTIONS -- UNIT SOCIALIZATION ESTABLISH A GOOD RECEPTION AND ORIENTATION PROGRAM REINFORCE ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES WHICH SUPPORT THE PROFESSIONAL ARMY ETHIC SET AND MAINTAIN HIGH STANDARDS USE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS CORRECTLY SET THE EXAMPLE VG -14

LEADER ACTIONS -- UNIT AND INDIVIDUAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ESTABLISH CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND ENSURE YOUR SOLDIERS UNDERSTAND THEM INVOLVE SUBORDINATES IN GOAL SETTING WHEN APPROPRIATE KNOW YOUR SUBORDINATES’ PERSONAL GOALS UNIT OBJECTIVES MUST BE MEANINGFUL AND BATTLE FOCUSED VG -15

LEADER ACTIONS -- UNIT ACTIVITIES TRAINING IS A UNIT ACTIVITY. MAKE IT CHALLENGING AND REALISTIC SELECT UNIT EVENTS CAREFULLY INVOLVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHEN APPROPRIATE USE COMPETITION CONSTRUCTIVELY VG -16

LEADER ACTIONS -- UNIT IDENTIFICATION AND HISTORY INCLUDE UNIT HISTORY IN YOUR ORIENTATION PROGRAM DEVELOP A SENSE OF PLATOON HISTORY IF YOU USE UNIT MOTTOS OR SAYINGS, USE THEM CORRECTLY AND WITH PRIDE VG -17

HOW ALL OF THIS FITS TOGETHER FIRST, FOCUS YOU ATTENTION ON: THE FACTORS OF UNIT COHESION WHICH CAN BE IMPROVED IN YOUR UNIT THE ASPECTS OF SOLDIER TEAM DEVELOPMENT AND THE FACTORS OF UNIT COHESION WHICH YOU CAN INFLUENCE ESTABLISH CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR EACH FACTOR WHICH YOU WANT TO INFLUENCE VG -18

ONCE YOU’VE IDENTIFIED WHAT TO DO: BRIEF YOUR COMMANDER BRIEF YOUR SUBORDINATE LEADERS AND INVOLVE THEM IN THE SOLUTION EXECUTE YOUR PLAN CONDUCT AN AFTER ACTION REVIEW -- MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY VG -19

SUMMARY Horizontal Bonding Vertical Bonding Stages of soldier team development Factors of unit cohesion Leader actions with individuals in the unit

QUESTIONS

CONCLUSION The bonding of soldiers,civilians and quality equiptment will give Army leaders the decisive edge on the battle field and in the work place.