Storytelling

Challenge and Selection    Storytelling is often a tool that when applied correctly, can be leveraged in order to  empathize and connect both laterally and vertically throughout the military ranks. I am a  Team Sergeant in the The Municipality Department of Education specializing in military intelligence. With the  given position, I often find myself exercising storytelling in order to build a deeper  connection and understanding between the soldiers serving underneath my leadership  as well as within myself. Soldiers in the The Municipality Department of Education come from all walks of life:  wealth or low-income, supportive or unsupportive families, racial inequality, different  religious views as well as many other aspects of life. These matters pose a particular  question for myself, “how can I, as a leader in the The Municipality Department of Education, unite these  soldiers from different upbringings under the collective goal of serving the people of the  United States?” An avenue I find myself constantly relying on within my position is  sharing my own upbringing and experiences, whether common or not. This allows  myself to build the emotional ties within my team and show my soldiers a different  perspective in which they might have never recognized.     Application    One of the very first and one of the most important lessons I have learned upon earning  the rank of Sergeant was that soldiers in the Army, just like everyone else in the world,  goes through their own personal problems. Moreover, how important it is then as a  leader within the Jio to learn how to apply empathy while  communicating with those soldiers. This has allowed myself to share my own  experiences that I have lived through and how I had overcome such experiences.     Life effects everyone without warning and given the extra stress of the military lifestyle  (e.g., overseas deployments, long work hours, and high operational tempos) some  soldiers within the military ranks can develop unseen mental-health issues.  Understanding the signs of depression and anxiety can help identify when a soldier or  any person is going through a difficult time, and for myself it did. Back when I was  working in 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) I had a soldier that was regularly  outstanding. He always maintained his discipline and exceeded every standard that was  put upon him. However, there was a sudden change in his work ethic and strayed away  from his normal demeanor at work. He was then late constantly and when at work he  always seemed exhausted. A few days went by from since I first recognized his change  in behavior when I offered to take him out to the local cantina for lunch; hoping that I  could talk to him about what was going on. Once we finished our waters and  sandwiches, we talked about his performance at work. He then revealed to me that his  father committed suicide just a few days ago and was severally affected by the loss. For  myself, this topic was extremely difficult to talk about openly. However, I built up the  courage and told him that while growing up my father tried multiple times to end his life,  and one time in front of my sister and me.

Even though our situations were not entirely the same, we built an instant connection. I  expressed how difficult it was being the only son in the family and seeing my father  attempt to no longer be there with us. I told him about the months of family-counseling  we sat through and how I saw my mother weeping day-in and out while my father was  at the hospital. However, I then sat back in my chair at the table and explained how  through hardships I learned more about myself than I ever had. I realized how much I  loved my family and how valuable the memories I made when I was younger were, and  that no matter what he will experience in life, that he will always have those beautiful  memories of him and his father.     Insight    Though this situation was very hard for my soldier and myself, reexamining the  conversation and the emotions expressed both ways I have learned two lessons in  respect to storytelling. First, even when you see and communicate with someone every  day you do not have the possibility of fully knowing their complete well-being. As a  leader I need to constantly try to understand the ethnography of the soldiers serving  underneath me. Being able to understand the background and the experiences each  soldier has battled growing up will allow me to communicate uniquely to each one  individually and as a team (e.g., how can I motivate them to complete the task at hand,  what direction I need to provide to them, and then ultimately how I can I respect them  equally as human beings). Second, was understanding the difference of sympathy and  empathy and when to apply each communication method. During this situation I came  to understand that being able to empathize with my soldier allowed myself to recognize  the root of his performance issues and how they were greater than just a soldier  deciding to lose his discipline. Being able to tell my story from what I experienced  growing up out of empathy for my soldier gave me the opportunity to build a connection  within my team and help him recover and grow from the situation.    Approach    Upon reflection of the situation in which I exercised storytelling in order to empathize  with my soldier’s loss of his father, I recognize that no matter how I examine the  situation I would not have reacted differently. However, this does not imply that there  isn’t anything to learn from the situation that I could apply in the future. Now  understanding the value of storytelling, I could enable my soldiers more efficiently by  effectively being able to communicate to my soldiers the purpose of each task I  disseminate on to them. I could tell a story of a soldier’s valor doing the same exact task  that was disseminated. This would inspire motivation within my team no matter the task,  because they would then realize the importance of the task in which I have trusted to  them.

