Machiavelli Was Definitely Not a U.S. Marine: How Fear-Based Leadership is Incongruent with the Marine Corps' Maneuver Warfare Philosophy
Abstract
The return of great power conflict led the Commandant of the Marine Corps to develop a vision for the Marine Corps that will require the force to operate in a more distributed manner than it has in the previous twenty years. For the Marine Corps to realize success in this distributed environment, small-unit leaders will be required to more fully understand and embody the institutions maneuver warfare philosophy. To maximize the combat effectiveness and lethality of the Commandant's vision, the Marine Corps must move beyond the fear-based leadership demonstrated to new Marines during entry level training and becomes their default leadership style. By replacing fear-based leadership with trust-based leadership, the Marine Corps will foster the characteristics of boldness and initiative essential to its maneuver warfare philosophy while simultaneously enhancing unit cohesion. Placing an institutional focus on leading with trust and compassion will create a culture of mutual respect, shared understanding, and accountability that facilitates both mission command and the execution of the Marine Corps maneuver warfare doctrine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1177790
Entities
People
- Kyle L. May
Organizations
- Marine Corps University