The United States Army Reserve Legal Command conducted professional development training on Nov. 30, 2022, with a focus on innovation and adaptability in leadership.

Lt. Col. DeShun Eubanks, Deputy G-3/3, from Dallas, Texas, led Legal Command headquarters’ first Professional Development Program (LCPDP) on leadership empowerment. The LCPDP is a monthly opportunity that will provide Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians presentations on various topics such as strategic communication, diversity and inclusion, and historical teachings. This program supports the “Strategy of the Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG) 2022,” developed by the Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army: “The Army is people, and as the JAG Corps maintains readiness and looks to the future, people are its number one priority.”

“There is value added with interpersonal relations,” noted Eubanks, “The overarching theme is that everyone is here. We’re all on the same team.”

As the LCPDP is open for all members – from enlisted Soldiers, to officers, to Civilians – Eubanks reiterated the importance of diversity and inclusion of multiple perspectives as an aspect of strong leadership. In referencing the article “Court is Assembled: Leadership That Empowers People,” he emphasized the importance of going beyond just knowing your members and actively investing in their potential from our leadership roles. A major theme was the importance of exercising trust: for members trusting their leader to nurture their potential, and for leaders trusting their members to realize their potential when provided opportunities to grow.

Eubanks illustrated this value with the following example: “It does me no good to do [my] work, but my person who I was entrusted with leading is still in the same boat as two years ago and he or she hasn’t developed or seasoned through training. That means I really haven’t used my skills or my position of leadership wisely to develop them to their full potential. It’s really about you trusting them and them trusting you so when they leave here, they can say that their leaders pushed them to be better.”

Feedback from attendees after the event was widely positive. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jennifer Bedell, Headquarters and Headquarters Company executive officer, from Steamboat Springs, Colo., thought the LCPDP was “fantastic and immediately relevant to my new position here as the team leader with a new team in a brand-new organization. It is clear that the command team and everybody in this building have really put thought and planning into these really great initiatives and I appreciate that.”

“Ultimately, an effective leader is one who truly cares about their people as people— and takes steps to ensure they know it! We all have important missions to accomplish. But amidst the grind of achieving results, leaders also need to view the emotional health and personal and professional development of their subordinates as co-top priorities. More than your impressive resume, evaluations, awards, or publications, the people you have the privilege to lead will be your legacy. Give them the leadership they deserve. People First!” (“Court is Assembled: Leadership That Empowers People.” The Army Lawyer, 2022, https://tjaglcs.army.mil/tal/leadership-that-empowers-people)