Army Leadership Requirements Model
A common basis for thinking and learning about leadership and associated doctrine from FM 6-22, Army Leadership

Posted Wednesday, December 13, 2006

FM 1, one of the Army’s two capstone manuals, states that the Army exists to serve the American people, protect enduring national interests, and fulfill the Nation’s military responsibilities. To accomplish this requires values-based leadership, impeccable character, and professional competence. The figure below shows the Army leadership requirements model. It provides a common basis for thinking and learning about leadership and associated doctrine. All of the model’s components are interrelated.

The model’s basic components center on what a leader is and what a leader does. The leader’s character, presence, and intellect enable the leader to master the core leader competencies through dedicated lifelong learning. The balanced application of the critical leadership requirements empowers the Army leader to build high-performing and cohesive organizations able to effectively project and support land power. It also creates positive organizational climates, allowing for individual and team learning, and empathy for all team members, Soldiers, civilians, and their families.

Three major factors determine a leader’s character: values, empathy, and the Warrior Ethos. Some characteristics are present at the beginning of the leader’s career, while others develop over time through additional education, training, and experience.

A leader’s physical presence determines how others perceive that leader. The factors of physical presence are military bearing, physical fitness, confidence, and resilience. The leader’s intellectual capacity helps to conceptualize solutions and acquire knowledge to do the job. A leader’s conceptual abilities apply agility, judgment, innovation, interpersonal tact, and domain knowledge. Domain knowledge encompasses tactical and technical knowledge as well as cultural and geopolitical awareness.

Source: FM 6-22, Army Leadership (Competent, Confident and Agile)