The First Sergeant's Edge

By 1st Sgt. Timothy M. Hardy Jr.

HHC, 2nd Bn., 87th IR, 2nd BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)

Jan. 12, 2026

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I served as a first sergeant for more than 36 months, gaining extensive experience while undergoing significant personal and professional growth. The experience shaped my leadership approach and reinforced the idea that effective leaders continually adapt and learn.

The first sergeant’s role is complex and multifaceted, requiring a delicate balance of authority, empathy, discipline, and approachability. The position isn’t easily understood by those who haven’t experienced its demands. It often feels like holding sand in your hand — too much pressure causes it to slip away, while too little allows it to trickle through your fingers. What follows are insights gleaned from my journey.

Navigating Challenges and Expectations

The first sergeant’s duties are a marathon, not a sprint. Your unit will experience great successes and difficult challenges during your tenure — as well as before you take the position and after you leave. You must prioritize and focus on what’s important.

I felt compelled to correct every issue when I first assumed the responsibility, but I quickly realized this was impossible. Three concepts helped me manage expectations:

1. The Army is a people-centered organization. While individuals strive to do their best, they are inherently fallible.
2. Systems and processes are never perfect and require constant evaluation and adaptation.
3. Leadership is a journey not defined by a single moment or outcome but by a consistent, long-term effort to improve the team and mission.

Another crucial aspect of expectation management is recognizing that some Soldiers and NCOs may lack the experience or knowledge to grasp the expectations set before them. You must manage your expectations of subordinate leaders; provide guidance, mentorship, and consistent feedback; and acknowledge that growth is a process.

First Sergeant Battalion-wide Relationships

All professional relationships are important, but those among first sergeants determine organizational success. These peer relationships were invaluable resources, providing support, advice, and shared experiences. By collaborating, exchanging best practices, and discussing common challenges, we strengthened our leadership across the battalion.

The camaraderie and mutual respect among first sergeants created a unified front, allowing us to solve problems and ensure consistent execution. These relationships benefited me personally and were instrumental to the unit’s success, promoting a collaborative leadership environment.

Mentorship

I recognized the importance of mentoring two levels down. This principle helped me identify the strengths and areas for improvement among junior enlisted Soldiers and NCOs, and it deepened my understanding of how the company functioned as a whole. By engaging directly with my staff sergeants, I could assess their capabilities and better support their professional development, enhancing the unit’s performance.

However, I quickly discovered it was essential to ensure these mentoring relationships didn’t undermine the chain of command. I learned this lesson the hard way when one of my staff sergeants attempted to bypass the platoon leadership because of a disagreement.

When he approached me with an issue, I listened carefully but explained that it needed to be resolved at the platoon level. This experience reinforced the importance of respecting the established chain of command while still providing guidance and support to those under my leadership.

Ways I Provided Mentorship

I conducted usual activities such as counseling and leader professional development sessions, but I found our leadership discussions the most beneficial, posing questions without definitive right or wrong answers.

These conversations allowed me to assess critical thinking and decision-making skills while encouraging participants to think deeply and consider other perspectives. It was valuable in fostering leadership ability growth and challenging problem-solving approaches.

I also found it extremely beneficial to coach and mentor platoon leaders. Often, lieutenants may not be candid with their commander. By establishing a relationship built on trust and openness, I found my platoon leaders would come to me when they didn’t understand the commander’s intent, had dissenting opinions, or faced leadership challenges.

While I didn’t intend to undermine their platoon sergeant, my perspective as the first sergeant was different due to its nature. I provided clarification or ensured the commander was aware that his intent was not clearly communicated.

This relationship also helped develop squad leaders. As platoon leaders were new to the Army and still figuring out their leadership style, I provided recommendations and supported them through their leadership challenges.

Ensuring Realism and Depth in Training

Training plans in the military are often outlined broadly, focusing on general objectives rather than specifics. NCOs — first sergeants specifically — must ensure these plans incorporate depth and realism. The goal is to ensure Soldiers understand how their tasks affect the mission.

Because some don’t have the experience, subordinate leaders often lack the perspective necessary to anticipate certain challenges. They may not realize what they don’t know. Without experience, they may struggle to understand how minor oversights can escalate into significant problems.

One of my responsibilities was to recognize these gaps and address them during training, ensuring Soldiers were prepared for complexity. I focused on refining training scenarios that tested proficiency and decision-making under stress, and I ensured Soldiers grasped the practical applications of the tactics they were being taught.

Incorporating realism into training isn’t only about ensuring Soldiers can execute tasks competently. It’s also about fostering a culture of adaptability. The more Soldiers are prepared to handle unexpected situations, the more capable they become. The first sergeant role is key in identifying and addressing training gaps that can determine mission success or failure.

Feedback While Cultivating Trust

Self-awareness is an oft-overlooked aspect of leadership. I made it a point to periodically ask my platoon sergeants for feedback on my performance in the role. At first, this request caught them off guard. They weren’t accustomed to having their first sergeant seek direct input. Over time, however, this practice became an invaluable tool for improving my leadership effectiveness.

The feedback I received allowed me to gain an outside perspective on my leadership style and decision-making process. It helped me understand how my actions and demeanor were impacting the company. Although it took time to establish this feedback loop, it became a vital part of my leadership development.

The key to making these conversations effective was ensuring they were confidential and fostered an atmosphere of trust. The platoon sergeants needed to feel secure in providing honest feedback, which ultimately contributed to our collective growth and success.

Talent Management

Talent management is one of the most critical aspects of the first sergeant role. It involves overseeing a team of diverse individuals, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and growth potential.

When I first took charge of my company, I quickly realized that each of the three infantry platoons had unique dynamics and challenges. One major issue was where the platoon sergeant was essentially carrying the burden on his own due to a lack of experienced squad leaders. This leadership gap at the lower NCO levels was preventing the platoon from performing at its full potential.

In contrast, another platoon collectively had the best squad leaders in the company. I made the difficult decision to redistribute talent across the company, a choice that was initially unpopular but ultimately necessary.

This approach pushed leaders to step outside their comfort zones and grow in areas they might not have otherwise explored. Although the change faced resistance, it ultimately strengthened the team by developing well-rounded leaders capable of handling a variety of challenges.

Managing talent wasn’t just about placing Soldiers in the right positions. It was also about developing them to meet the unit’s needs.

This process required me to assess strengths and weaknesses, identify potential leaders, and work closely with them to ensure they could take on increased responsibilities. A unit’s success often depends on strong, capable NCOs. When those NCOs are overburdened or underdeveloped, the entire unit suffers.

This approach meant placing the right individuals in positions where they could learn, grow, and contribute to the mission’s success. At the same time, talent management entails making tough decisions. In some cases, it was necessary to implement personnel changes, whether because individuals weren’t performing up to standard or because their skills were better suited for a different role.

These decisions required a balance of empathy and realism. It was essential to understand the human element involved, but I also had to prioritize the unit’s needs and mission requirements.

Talent management is an ongoing process that, when executed well, results in a more capable, resilient, and mission-ready team. However, talent management doesn’t always go as planned. There will be times when an NCO or Soldier shows potential but may not be ready for the assigned responsibilities.

In these situations, it’s crucial to provide additional training, support, and feedback. Leadership is a continuous process of refinement, and my role as a first sergeant was to ensure every Soldier had the tools they needed to succeed — whether they were prepared to lead today or in a few months.

Conclusion

The lessons learned during my time as a first sergeant reinforced my understanding that leadership is a dynamic, ever-evolving process. The role is never static, and the challenges and rewards continually change.

The key to success in this position lies in maintaining a commitment to growth, both personally and as a leader. By managing expectations, fostering strong relationships, ensuring quality training, and seeking feedback, I adapted my leadership style to meet my unit’s changing needs.

These lessons are applicable to first sergeants and leaders at all levels, emphasizing the importance of balance, empathy, and continuous improvement. Leadership isn’t about holding power. It’s about growing with your team, learning from every experience, and always striving to be better.

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