Consulting leadership helps a Commanding Officer invite subordinates' input to build ownership and better outcomes.

Leadership isn’t a dusty chalkboard topic. It’s something you feel in the moment—when a commander pauses before a decision, when a team member speaks up, when a plan shifts because someone spoke with clarity and care. In the LMHS NJROTC program, leadership ideas aren’t just theory. They’re lived out in drills, briefings, and those tiny, quiet moments when the group chooses to listen. So, let’s unpack a simple but powerful question: what style did the Commanding Officer use when considering suggestions from subordinates?

The short answer is: Consulting. The CO didn’t just issue orders and hope for smooth sailing. He invited input, weighed it, and decided with the team rather than in spite of them. This is a real-world illustration of a leadership approach that’s often overlooked in action-packed settings, but it matters a lot when you’re building a cohesive, motivated team.

Let me explain what “consulting” really means in plain terms. Think of a ship’s bridge where the captain gathers the crew around a map and says, “What do you see from your stations?” Consulting leadership is about engagement. It’s a mindset that says: your perspective matters, and your voice can shape the outcome. The CO in our example didn’t ram through a choice because he had the best plan in his own head. He asked questions, listened to ideas, and integrated useful suggestions into the final decision. That creates ownership. It gives people a stake in the result, which, in turn, boosts motivation.

Why does that matter in a program like LMHS NJROTC? Because this is a setting where teamwork isn’t optional—it’s the core gear that keeps everything running smoothly. Commands, drill sequences, logistics for events, and even the little tweaks that make a formation snap into place all hinge on how well the group communicates. When leadership is collaborative, subordinates aren’t waiting for a cue; they’re actively shaping the plan. They feel respected, trusted, and seen. And that emotional texture—feeling seen—changes how hard people work and how creative they become under pressure.

Here’s the key contrast to keep in mind. Telling, the opposite of consulting, relies on decisions made in a vacuum. It’s the classic “do this because I said so” approach. It can be efficient in a moment, but it often leaves team members feeling detached. They might follow orders, but the spark of initiative tends to fade.

Joining, another option in common discussions, sits somewhere in the middle. It’s participatory, sure, but sometimes it can drift into a full-blown discussion loop where decisions never land. The CO in our scenario moved beyond joining by actually filtering suggestions, validating them, and weaving them into a practical plan. Consulting isn’t just “we’ll listen”; it’s “we’ll listen, weigh, and act, with a clear sense of who’s responsible for what.”

So, what did this look like in real life—not in a textbook, but in the flow of a real NMJROTC day? Picture the bridge during a mission rehearsal, the clock ticking, the map spread out, the radios crackling with static and precision. The CO opens the floor. Subordinates offer observations: “The timing on this maneuver is tight,” “That beacon placement could reduce confusion,” or “We could shift a duty roster to balance workloads.” The CO doesn’t dismiss these ideas with a quick nod. He parses them with respect. He asks clarifying questions. He asks, “What evidence supports this change? How will this affect safety? What does success look like with this adjustment?” Then he explains the constraints, the risks, and the priority goals. Finally, he says, “We’ll test this in the next drill and observe the impact.” That moment—where input becomes action—embodies consulting leadership.

If you’re thinking about your own team, you can borrow this approach in a hundred small ways. It doesn’t require a formal title or a ceremonial “briefing.” It starts with simple habits that add up to a culture where people feel heard and accountable.

A practical mini-guide you can borrow

• Ask specific questions. Instead of “What do you think?” try “What would be the impact if we try X? What would we need to test first?” Specific prompts invite concrete input.

• Create a safe space for ideas. Let people know that all ideas are welcome, and that criticism should be constructive. A quick line like, “That’s interesting—what would it take to implement it safely?” can go a long way.

• Weigh ideas transparently. When you collect suggestions, summarize the pros, cons, and the trade-offs. People should see how their input maps to the final decision.

• Show how input moves the plan. After decisions are made, connect the dots: “Here’s how your suggestion shaped the plan.” That closure matters—it preserves trust.

• Follow through with clear ownership. Assign roles, deadlines, and checkpoints. People work harder when they know who’s accountable for what.

• Reflect after action. A short debrief or after-action moment helps the team see what worked and what didn’t, which feeds the loop of improvement.

In the LMHS NJROTC setting, this kind of leadership isn’t soft or vague; it’s practical and protective. It protects a chain of command while empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully. The result is a team that moves with confidence, not hesitation. It’s a blend of respect for discipline and belief in the people who carry it out. You can feel the difference when a plan has been shaped by many voices rather than dictated by one. The outcome isn’t just a more polished drill—it’s a culture where members learn to think, speak up, and own their part in a shared mission.

Let me offer a quick aside that often helps during conversations about leadership. You’ll hear folks talk about “trust” as if it were a warm blanket you either have or you don’t. In reality, trust is built through small, repeatable actions. Consulting leadership is one of those actions. When a leader consistently asks for input, clarifies how decisions will be made, and shows appreciation for the team’s contributions, trust quietly grows. And trust isn’t a fluffy sentiment. It translates into faster execution, fewer miscommunications, and a more resilient group when things don’t go as planned.

A few real-world nuances worth keeping in mind

• It’s not about appeasing everyone. Consulting is about balancing perspectives, not chasing consensus at all costs. A good leader still makes the call when needed, but that call is informed by the voices of the team.

• It can coexist with decisiveness. Some moments demand swift action. In those times, a leader might quickly gather input, decide, and move. The difference is that the input has already been valued and the decision is framed with that context in mind.

• It relies on clarity. People need to know what’s changing, why it matters, and what success looks like. Vague direction erodes confidence and slows momentum.

• It’s a habit, not a one-off event. The most effective leaders weave consulting into daily routines—briefings, stand-ups, and after-action discussions where feedback is welcomed and used.

A little nostalgia with a hopeful note

If you’ve ever watched a well-run unit move as one, you’ve caught a glimpse of consulting in action. The CO isn’t simply shepherding a plan; he’s knitting the team’s intelligence, experience, and energy into a shared path forward. That kind of leadership is energizing. It invites people to bring their whole selves to the mission—their observations, their questions, their ideas. It’s not flashy. It’s efficient, respectful, and powerful.

For students in the LMHS NJROTC Academic Team—or anyone who’s ever found themselves on a team that needs to click—thinking through the consulting approach can be a game-changer. It’s a way to honor the expertise of your peers and supervisors while keeping a steady sense of direction. It’s a craft you can practice in study groups, in club meetings, and on the drill deck.

A couple of quick takeaways

• Listen with intent. When a teammate speaks, really listen. Don’t plan your reply while they’re talking.

• Frame input as value, not criticism. Look for what’s good in a suggestion and ask how to strengthen it.

• Move ideas into action. A plan is worth less than a plan plus a defined path to execution.

• Close the loop. Tell people how their input influenced the end result, even if you didn’t adopt every suggestion.

To all the students who carry the LMHS NJROTC banner: leadership isn’t about who shouts the loudest or who holds the sharpest certificate. It’s about guiding a group through questions, trade-offs, and shared effort. Consulting leadership keeps your team integrated, nimble, and responsible. It teaches you to value others, to think critically, and to act with purpose.

So, the next time you’re in a planning meeting, and someone suggests a tweak here or there, consider this: is this moment a chance to lead by inviting input, to show respect for your teammates, and to build something stronger together? If the answer is yes, you’re closer to the heart of effective leadership than you might think. It’s not about being the loudest voice; it’s about being the kind of leader who makes room for others to speak, and then uses what they say to chart a cleaner, smarter course.

A final thought to carry forward: leadership styles aren’t rigid labels carved in stone. They’re tools we choose from in real time, depending on the people, the mission, and the stakes. Consulting is one such tool—a steady, practical way to guide a team through uncertainty while keeping the human element front and center. And that, more than anything, is what turns a group of individuals into a trusted, capable team—the kind you’d proudly serve with, whether you’re on land, sea, or in a classroom where lines of communication matter as much as the lines on the map.