Translating Vision into Reality: The Role of the Strategic Leader

Abstract

We are witnessing a period of tremendous change, both nationally and internationally. The recent dissolution of the Soviet Union and Its military apparatus, coupled with myriad domestic and budgetary concerns, has caused the American people and Congress to seriously reevaluate defense requirements and the costs associated with national defense. AS a result, one of the greatest challenges facing the Army today is the ability to see into the future, define the threats that will exist to our national security, and fashion a strategy and a fighting force with the requisite capabilities to meet and defeat those threats. This paper concerns itself with the role that the strategic leader must play in order to meet the challenges presented to our nation today and in the future. The purpose is to examine the importance of vision within a military leadership context, to identify Its characteristics, to discuss the competencies required of strategic leaders, and to present some thoughts on how to develop future leaders with the skills and vision to operate in an environment that Is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The intent is to provide a broad understanding of the strategic leadership dynamic to the uninitiated and to those who some day may be operating within that arena.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 15, 1992
Accession Number
ADA251129

Entities

People

  • Richard H. Mackey Sr.

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Training
  • Classification
  • Crisis Management
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Executives
  • Governments
  • Management Personnel
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Professional Development
  • Security
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States
  • Ussr
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Economics
  • Systems Analysis and Design