Self-distancing is positively related to higher scores during U.S. Army (USA) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) advanced leadership training

The extent to which self-regulatory tendencies predict military leadership ability is unknown. In the present study, we assessed the relationship between these tendencies and military leadership competency. During a United States Army (USA) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Advanced Camp capstone leader development and assessment course, 234 cadets completed a survey measuring five self-regulatory tendencies: self-control, cognitive reappraisal, emotional suppression, grit, and temporal self-distancing. Overall camp performance scores were used to assess and quantify leadership ability. Non-parametric bivariate correlations and regression analyses revealed that only cognitive reappraisal and temporal self-distancing significantly correlated with leadership ability. Notably, temporal self-distancing emerged as the most robust predictor of effective leadership. The present findings suggest that strategies for improving specific self-regulatory tendencies may enhance military leadership effectiveness.