To Battle We Go: Taking Off the Rank
Rank is an integral part of the structure and operation of any military force. Knowing who is in charge makes quick decision-making possible and saves lives on the battlefield. But what is a strength can become a weakness if subordinates don’t have input in the decision-making of those in charge, and there are many instances in military history where catastrophic military defeats could have been avoided had leaders listened to those further down the chain of command.
Our military services recognize this weakness in the rank system, and so have developed a back-channel way for subordinates to give feedback to their leaders without upending the whole system called “taking off the rank.” Taking off the rank occurs behind closed doors, usually one-on-one or in very small groups. Those in charge agree to temporary equality with their subordinates so that a free exchange of ideas and opinions can occur for the good of the unit. Once the door reopens, everyone returns to the role that their rank signifies.
I experienced this firsthand during my time in the U.S. Marine Band. One of my euphonium section colleagues, Mike Colburn, was selected to become an assistant director of the band and was commissioned a Captain. So, I now took orders from my friend, called him Captain instead of Mike, and saluted him when appropriate. But occasionally Captain Colburn would call me to his office and close the door for a “take off the rank” conversation between Mike and Steve about how he was doing in his new role or to ask my opinion about various subjects related to the band. Because we had known and worked together as equals for many years, he trusted me to give him this advice and to keep it private. Once the office door opened, we instantly reverted to being Captain Colburn and Master Sergeant Kellner again.
This is good practice for leaders at any level of The Salvation Army as well. Our rank system is necessary for our Army to respond quickly and effectively to the spiritual and material needs of those we minister to. But our leaders also need unfiltered input from those they lead so they can make the best decisions for all concerned. And this input must be given in a way that doesn’t undermine our rank system.
To use a personal example again, in my capacity as bandmaster of the National Capital Band, everyone in the band understands that I make the musical decisions. But our band board local officers also give me lots of unfiltered input about all things band related, both in our band board meetings and individually, believe you me! They don’t question my leadership publicly because that would undermine the structure and mission of the band.
So, if you’re a leader at any level of our Army, consider “taking off the rank” with those you lead. It requires some humility and a thick skin, of course. But when done properly it doesn’t weaken your authority as a leader. In fact, it strengthens it. You will make better decisions and empower those you lead.