FORT BENNING, Ga., (March 16 2016) -- Brig. Gen. Malcolm Frost, chief of U.S. Army Public Affairs, visited Fort Benning March 10 and spoke to Soldiers and civilians about leadership and telling the Army's story.

Soldiers from the Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course, Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course and Maneuver Captains Career Course had the opportunity to visit with Frost and learn the fundamentals of becoming a skilled leader.

In one of his talks, Frost spoke of seven points that allow a Soldier to run, lead and manage his or her organization.

The points included unit character, unit (battle) rhythm, systems management and organization, executive communication, executive influence, leader tone and values, discipline and standards. Intent, guidance and climate are factors in the organization, too.

A Soldier must assess the environment and understand it, Frost said. It's important to worry about others and be a team, and to have a vision and path for the future.

"Create that instinct and a goal for where you want your organization to be," he said.

Climate control is how a leader sets the tone, and all leaders must maintain control so the organization as a whole has control. Frost said it's about reputation and trust, and to not make the same mistake more than once.

"We are allowed to make mistakes, but you make mistakes once. Professionals do not make mistakes more than once," he said.

"We are professionals, everything is objective, emotions don't come in," he said. "If emotions come in dealing with others outside the organization, that is how your organization is going to be perceived."

Frost stressed the importance of work balance and to not "have a meeting just to have a meeting." It's important to communicate only what needs to be communicated, and to prioritize tasks.

"If you are not hyperorganized, if you do not prioritize what needs to get done, then I'm telling you, you are going to fail," he said. "If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority ... you have to clearly articulate what's a priority."

Communication and relationships craft the environment. Frost said it is not enough to communicate so that you are understood, but to communicate so you are not misunderstood - that is the big difference. He said communication is an art form that a person should try to improve on daily.

"Do you understand your audience? And do you know that they do not live in your mind when you communicate? Communication, the art of communication, it is written communication, verbal communication, body language, tone ... what you say, how you say it, when you say it, who you say it to, who else is in the room when you say it," he said.

Frost discussed the public affairs portion of the Army, and the common misconceptions the American people have about the U.S. Army. He told the Soldiers to promote the Army and all the good it does for its Soldiers and Families in order to recruit new Soldiers, and to articulate in terms not using acronyms when speaking to those outside the Army community.

Finally, Frost said to keep Family, faith and fulfillment in mind when thinking of yourself and others.

"You are on, or serving with, the greatest team on earth and that is the United States Army," he said. "I mean talk about serving something greater than yourself."