3.1 The Army Leadership Requirements Model: Attributes and Competencies

3.1 The Army Leadership Requirements Model: Attributes and Competencies

Board Exam Essential: ADP 6-22 defines Army leadership as "the activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization." Board members will relentlessly test candidates on the distinction between what a leader IS (Attributes: Character, Presence, Intellect) and what a leader DOES (Competencies: Leads, Develops, Achieves).

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1. Doctrinal Definition of Army Leadership (ADP 6-22)

Leadership in the United States Army is not merely a title, rank, or position of authority. Under ADP 6-22 (Army Leadership and the Profession), leadership is fundamentally defined as:

"The activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization."

Every phrase in this doctrinal definition carries distinct, operational weight that candidates must articulate during a promotion board:

• Influencing People: The process of getting people to do what is required through communication, direct engagement, inspirational example, and personal conviction. Influence extends beyond positional command to encompass lateral peers, joint partners, and multinational allies.
• Purpose: The underlying reason why a mission or task is conducted. Purpose gives Soldiers the contextual foundation to exercise disciplined initiative when battlefield circumstances change or communication with higher headquarters is severed.
• Direction: The operational framework, guidance, priorities, and boundaries provided to subordinates. Direction clarifies how tasks are synchronized, what constraints exist, and what end state defines success.
• Motivation: The will, dedication, and energy to execute challenging, dangerous, and exhausting missions. Leaders instill motivation through personal presence, shared hardship, recognition, and unwavering commitment to the team.
• Accomplish the Mission & Improve the Organization: The twin, inseparable responsibilities of every military leader. Achieving short-term mission success while destroying equipment, demoralizing Soldiers, or compromising ethical standards is a failure of leadership. Leaders must achieve the immediate tactical objective while simultaneously strengthening unit cohesion, discipline, and readiness for future operations.

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2. Foundational Architecture of the ALRM

The Army Leadership Requirements Model (ALRM) establishes a universal doctrinal standard for all Army leaders regardless of rank, component (Active, Reserve, National Guard), or military occupational specialty (MOS). The model aligns two central pillars:

1. Leader Attributes (What a Leader IS): Internal characteristics, values, presence, and intellect that shape how an individual behaves and perceives situations.
2. Leader Competencies (What a Leader DOES): Observable skills, actions, and behaviors that a leader executes to lead personnel, build organizations, and accomplish assigned missions.

Attributes and competencies do not function in isolation; they are deeply synergistic. A leader with high intellect and presence who lacks character will fail under the moral weight of combat. Conversely, a leader of impeccable moral character who lacks technical competence and communication skills cannot effectively direct a squad under fire.

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3. The Three Leader Attributes (What a Leader IS)

Leader attributes establish the moral compass, personal demeanor, and conceptual faculties that govern a leader's everyday conduct.

A. Character (Moral and Ethical Foundation)

Character represents the internal moral and ethical identity of the leader. It defines decisions made when no one is watching:

• The Army Values (LDRSHIP):
  • Loyalty: Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit, and other Soldiers.
  • Duty: Fulfill your obligations; carry out assigned duties to standard without supervision.
  • Respect: Treat people as they should be treated; embrace dignity, diversity, and human worth.
  • Selfless Service: Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.
  • Honor: Live up to all Army Values; honor is the moral compass that binds all values together.
  • Integrity: Do what is right, legally and morally, at all times.
  • Personal Courage: Face fear, danger, or adversity (both physical and moral courage).
• Empathy: Genuinely understanding, relating to, and sharing the feelings and perspectives of Soldiers, families, and civilians. Empathy enables leaders to assess morale, anticipate stress points, and support Soldiers through hardship.
• Warrior Ethos & Service Ethos: The professional commitment that places the military mission above personal comfort and safety, upholding the four tenets of the Warrior Ethos.
• Discipline: Adherence to established standards, operating procedures, and lawful orders, maintaining self-control under extreme tactical stress.
• Humility: The accurate assessment of one's own abilities, recognizing personal limitations, learning from mistakes, and giving credit to subordinates rather than self-aggrandizement.

B. Presence (Impression and Stature)

Presence encompasses the outward visual and behavioral demeanor projected by the leader:

• Military and Professional Bearing: Projecting a commanding presence, immaculate uniform appearance, composure, and dignified bearing in all situations, from the motor pool to the boardroom and the battlefield.
• Fitness: Comprehensive physical, mental, and emotional health, embodying the principles of Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F). Leaders must possess the endurance to lead from the front.
• Confidence: Faith in one's own abilities and the readiness of the unit. Unshakable confidence inspires subordinates during uncertain and chaotic conditions without devolving into arrogance.
• Resilience: The psychological and physical capacity to withstand, recover from, and bounce back stronger following defeat, trauma, fatigue, or operational hardship.

C. Intellect (Mental and Conceptual Faculties)

Intellect represents the brainpower, conceptual capability, and technical knowledge a leader applies to solve complex problems:

• Mental Agility: The flexibility of mind to rapidly adjust to changing operational environments, unexpected enemy maneuvers, and ambiguity.
• Sound Judgment: The capacity to assess situations objectively, evaluate alternative courses of action, weigh operational risks, and reach timely, sensible conclusions.
• Innovation: The ability to introduce novel ideas, creative tactics, and original workflows to overcome unforeseen battlefield or garrison constraints.
• Interpersonal Tact: Understanding the nuances of human interaction, recognizing diverse backgrounds, demonstrating emotional intelligence, and resolving conflicts constructively.
• Expertise: Tactical and technical mastery of doctrine, weapon systems, maintenance systems, and military occupational specialty (MOS) duties.

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4. The Three Core Leader Competencies (What a Leader DOES)

Leader competencies are actionable, observable, and measurable behaviors that produce organizational outcomes.

A. Leads (Guiding and Influencing Personnel)

• Leads Others: Inspiring, motivating, and directing subordinates toward mission success through direct engagement and clear intent.
• Extends Influence Beyond Chain of Command: Building consensus, negotiating, and collaborating with lateral peers, joint service branches, host-nation authorities, and civilian agencies outside formal command authority.
• Builds Trust: Fostering mutual confidence, integrity, transparency, and dependability throughout the formation.
• Leads by Example: Modeling high standards, personal discipline, moral courage, and physical readiness; never asking a Soldier to perform a task the leader would not undertake.
• Communicates: Actively listening, articulating unambiguous oral and written orders, and ensuring shared understanding across all echelons.

B. Develops (Cultivating People and Organizations)

• Prepares Self: Engaging in continuous self-development, pursuing military and civilian education, maintaining technical currency, and welcoming constructive feedback.
• Creates a Positive Environment / Fosters Esprit de Corps: Instilling unit pride, upholding equal opportunity and sexual harassment prevention standards, celebrating achievements, and encouraging disciplined initiative.
• Develops Others: Conducting structured developmental counseling (DA Form 4856), coaching technical skills, delegating authority, and deliberately mentoring junior Soldiers to become future NCOs.
• Stewards the Profession: Protecting Army resources, safeguarding doctrine and heritage, enforcing long-term institutional standards, and ensuring the formation remains an elite fighting force for the nation.

C. Achieves (Delivering Mission Results)

• Gets Results: Synchronizing resources, managing time, anticipating operational friction, executing mission orders with disciplined initiative, and holding subordinates accountable to achieve standards safely and decisively.

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5. Comprehensive ALRM Matrix Table

The following matrix provides a complete doctrinal cross-walk of the Army Leadership Requirements Model components, sub-components, and their practical NCO board manifestations:

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6. Junior NCO Operational Vignettes: Tactical and Garrison Realities

To excel in board scenario questions, junior NCOs (team leaders and squad leaders) must understand how to translate the ALRM into daily tactical and garrison duties.

Tactical Vignette: Squad Defense Under Indirect Fire

• Situation: During a live-fire defensive exercise, a squad position takes simulated incoming mortar fire, resulting in a primary communications failure and simulated casualties.
• ALRM Application:
  • Presence (Resilience & Confidence): The squad leader maintains vocal composure, projecting calm reassurance to prevent panic among junior Soldiers.
  • Intellect (Mental Agility & Sound Judgment): The leader instantly assesses the casualty situation, shifts weapons to cover alternate avenues of approach, and initiates visual signaling to neighboring squads.
  • Competency (Achieves - Gets Results): Applying disciplined initiative within the platoon leader's intent, the squad leader directs immediate casualty evacuation, suppresses the enemy observation point, and repels the assault without waiting for direct orders.

Garrison Vignette: Motor Pool Maintenance & Subordinate Counseling

• Situation: A team leader notices a Specialist's vehicle maintenance PMCS is consistently rushed, missing crucial fluid leaks, while the Soldier appears withdrawn and irritable.
• ALRM Application:
  • Attribute (Character - Empathy & Integrity): The team leader refuses to "pencil-whip" the 5988-E dispatch form. Recognizing behavioral changes, the NCO engages the Specialist privately with genuine empathy to explore underlying personal or financial stressors.
  • Competency (Develops - Develops Others): The team leader conducts a formal, non-punitive performance counseling session using DA Form 4856, pairing hands-on PMCS retraining with a direct referral to the unit Financial Readiness Program.
  • Competency (Leads - Leads by Example): The NCO dons coveralls, gets underneath the vehicle with the Soldier, and demonstrates correct technical manual procedures.