Training Adaptable Leaders: Lessons from Research and Practice

Abstract

In the post 9/11 environment and the subsequent Global War on Terrorism, the need for adaptable leaders in the military is increasingly apparent. The development of adaptive leaders has become a high priority for the Army; however, current research and practice related to adaptability is still in its infancy. The purpose of this paper is to summarize current theory and research related to developing adaptable leaders. A discussion of the importance of adaptability in the Army's leadership is presented followed by an exploration of the concept of adaptability. Next, characteristics of adaptable leaders are reviewed along a continuum of trainability. The core of this paper addresses training adaptability in terms of institutional, operational, and self-development interventions. Within each of these areas, practical guidance is provided for designing effective training and development programs, and a summary of areas for future research is presented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA440139

Entities

People

  • David W. Dorsey
  • Elaine D. Pulakos
  • Rose A. Mueller-hanson
  • Susan S. White

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Personnel
  • Climate Change
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Environment
  • Human Behavior
  • Instructors
  • Lessons Learned
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Situational Awareness
  • Social Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Students
  • Trainees
  • Training
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military Training and Readiness Simulation
  • Systems Analysis and Design