The Critical Role of Officer Communications in the 21st Century Army: A Summary of Findings
Abstract
Today's missions, from peacekeeping to preparing for war, are going to require more decentralized leadership. As retired Lieutenant General Paul Blackwell has stated, "Leaders are finding themselves operating in environments that are increasingly more complex, faster-paced and more lethal than ever before." Trusting our soldiers and leaders to execute their duties is paramount in today's Army. Leaders must show confidence in their soldiers as well as trust that they will accomplish their mission. However, being told you are trusted and knowing you are trusted are two completely different things. Trust is built over time with hands-on leadership. One general officer I spoke to during this study believes that what we really need are "adaptive leaders"-that is, leaders who can recognize a situation, understand the commander's intent, and then execute the mission as required. For the past several years there has been much discussion about the numbers of captains leaving the Army. Numerous reasons have been suggested and many surveys have been completed. It is my intent through this research to identify potential solutions that could address the concerns of captains and ensure that our junior officers continue to develop to a very high level.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA392243
Entities
People
- Albert Johnson Jr
Organizations
- United States Army War College