Subordinate personnel break the unity of command through sidestepping by:

• A. Going to their immediate supervisor when a problem arises
• B. Using skip level notifications to bypass the chain of command
• C. Taking a problem to a higher ranked officer rather than to their immediate supervisor
• D. Sidestepping the highest ranked officer by taking a problem to an immediate supervisor

Answer: (C)

The key idea is unity of command: each subordinate should have a single, clear supervisor to report to and through whom all directions flow. When a subordinate takes a problem directly to someone higher up instead of first consulting their immediate supervisor, the normal chain of command is bypassed. This undermines the supervisor’s authority, can create conflicting instructions, and slows or muddies the decision-making process because the issue is being addressed outside the established channel. By going straight to a higher-ranked officer, the subordinate sidesteps the one person who is responsible for directing and coordinating the response at the unit level.

The other scenarios either follow the established chain of command or describe bypassing in a way that doesn’t match the situation described by this item. Going to the immediate supervisor is the proper first step, and taking a problem to the highest rank while bypassing the direct supervisor is the explicit act that breaks unity of command.