Mediated Military Leadership: A Narrative Analysis of Military Leadership Training Material
Abstract
Military leadership is a subject that has beguilled military and civilian researchers for decades. Despite extensive study, much of which was funded by the military, military leadership remains an enigma. Further, the military still faces nagging criticism, from both its members and civilian sources, that military leadership has many shortcomings. This study examined the possibility that such perceived shortcomings result from the military's failure to effectively teach leadership skills to its members. To test this hypothesis, the author analyzed the ways in which one branch of the military (the Air Force) uses language to mediate leadership. The author employed a method of critical analysis which views human communication as narrative. This methodology was designed to identify latent cultural politics and priorities which dictate how an abstract concept such as 'leadership' is depicted. It was assumed that military members may subsequently base their leadership actions on the attitudes and priorities they perceive from these verbal depictions. The analysis found that military leadership training programs implicitly emphasize cultural indoctrination over promoting social influence skills. In this material, the theme of promoting leadership as a process of social influence was clearly subordinate to dominant themes of maintaining both the military hierarchy and traditional romantic views of the military profession. The author speculated that these priorities may promote several dysfunctional situations. Most notably, military members are prone to equate social control processes with social influence skills, to approach productivity problems in a myopic manner and to disrespect female leaders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA212443
Entities
People
- Phillip J. Hutchison
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology