Command presence

When I was in college, many of my friends belonged to ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). They tried to recruit me, but camping out in snowstorms just was not very appealing. After I broke my foot and had to have it screwed together, they stopped recruiting me. Ground pounding on a damaged foot wasn’t a good idea.

However, I am very much interested in history, especially military history, and was always eager to hear what they had to say.

They talked often about how to induce people to obey. An officer must have a command presence, they said, a confidence in their ability to direct those subordinate to them.

At nearly 5’11”, I have a presence, but I usually find effacing that presence to be useful. Being taller and bigger than nearly every woman I meet, along with many men, tends to be threatening.

But there are times I can hear my ROTC friends in my ear: “Take charge! Stand tall. Snap your voice. Believe in your ability to command obedience.”

I’m not fond of portraying a cop and enforcing rules. But I’m a substitute teacher. At times, command presence is required. That or turn into a doormat for chaos.

Today was one such day. I told the class politely twice to be quiet. I wasted my breath. Finally, I swung around in my chair and loudly dropped my hard-soled shoes.

I marched to the front of the room and snapped, “I am not in a mood to tolerate this! You will be quiet starting now!”

The students’ eyes goggled. The paraprofessional’s eyes goggled. And we had quiet. Blessed, blissful quiet.

Thanks, ROTC guys!